Coronavirus Updates & Resources
Visit this website daily for the latest information that MHCA has to share about COVID-19. As concerns arise with the emerging coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, we are working with our state partners, including the Maine Centers for Disease Control and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to ensure our member nursing homes and assisted living facilities receive necessary guidance to prevent the spread of this disease.
MHCA Created Resources
- Non-Nursing Personnel Example Policy
- SDS for Maine Craft Distilling Hand Sanitizer
- Rotation Strategy for Extended Use PPE
- COVID-19 Positive Return to Work Guidance
- Sample Respiratory Protection Plan
- Hand Hygiene Competency
- Basic Infection Prevention Strategies during PPE Shortages
- Top Tens Things to do Once You have a Positive COVID Case
- PPE Optimization During Crisis Levels
- Essential Worker Template Letter
- Five things Your MDS Coordinators Should Know
- MEMA District Liaison Contacts for PPE Requests
- COVID-19 Resource Request Form (ICS 213 RR)
- MHCA Staffing Decision Trees
- Healthcare Worker Exposure Risk Guide
- Sample Family Letter-In House Confirmed Case
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- MHCA List of Non-FDA Alternative PPE Suppliers (Updated 05/15/20)
- MHCABS GPO Partner Provista/Vizient PPE Opportunity with Hanes: Contract FAQs, Path to Purchase, and Product Spec Sheet (05/18/20)
- MHCABS GPO Partner Provista/Vizient PPE Opportunities: Grainger: Hand Sanitizer, Disinfectant, Temperature Pass Management Module & Face Recognition Strategic Lab Partners: Swabs, Transport Media and Collection Kits - FAQ/Order Form (05/13/20)
- MHCABS GPO Partner Provista/Vizient PPE Opportunity with Encompass Group (05/11/20)
- MHCABS GPO Partner Provista/Vizient PPE Opportunity with ASP Global (05/08/20)
- OSHA Respiratory Physical Exam Questionnaire
- Maine DLC PPE Guidance
- CDC Cloth Face Cover Guidance
- USM No Cost PPE Training (04/10/20)
- Strategies to Optimize PPE
- NIOSH-Approved Respirators
- CDC Guidance for Extended Use and Limited Reuse of N95 respirators in health care settings
- CDC Informational Videos on Proper PPE Usage
Regulatory Relief
- Maine State 1135 Blanket Waiver (04/24/20)
- CMS COVID-19 Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers (04/23/20) (NF SNF see page 9, ICF IID see page 16)
- State Regulatory Relief (04/04/20)
MHCA Daily Covid-19 Briefings
- MHCA Covid-19 Briefing: Request Testing Supplies from County EMA, MAXIMUS ASA Forum, Maine CDC Issues Emergency Rule Adoption, Innovation Corner: Celebrating Milestones, County Members Signs Pickup Reminder (05/21/20)
- MHCA Covid-19 Briefing: CMS Extends NHSN Deadline to May 31st, CDC Call Highlights, Innovation Corner: Outside Visitation and Parade, Revised OSHA Policies (05/20/20)
- MHCA Covid-19 Briefing: CMS Recommendations for NFs Phased Reopening, Highlights from Medical Director/Clinician Call, Innovation Corner, Check MHCA Website for Updates on PPE Opportunities (05/19/20)
- MHCA Covid-19 Briefing: Maine Eliminates Testing Prioritization, Cloth Mask/PPE Opportunity, Puritan's UniTranz-RT Specimen Collection Swab and Transport Systems SOLD OUT, CMS Updates MDS 3.0 Item Sets v1.17.2 and Tech Data Specs, CMS Covid-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls (05/18/20)
- MHCA Covid-19 Briefing: Maximus Call Highlights, Reopening Salons in LTC, Operation Thank You Signs Well Underway (05/15/20)
- MHCA Covid-19 Briefing: DLC Clarification on Emergency Rules for Nursing Homes, CMS Releases Best Practices Toolkit, PPE Opportunities through MHCABS GPO Partner, MHCA and MaineMDA to Participate in Greater Bangor Discussion on Reopening Maine While Keeping LTC Safe (05/14/20)
- MHCA Covid-19 Briefing: MHCA Thank You Signs on the Way, Maine HETL Testing Process, Maximus Call May 15, Attn Billing Depts: Many Part B Therapy Code Edits Removed (05/13/20)
- MHCA Covid-19 Briefing: MHA Issues Transfer/Discharge Protocol for Hospital to SNF, Key Points from Today's CDC Medical Director/Clinical Call, CMS Announces Independent NH Coronavirus Commission, Alzheimer's Association Habilitation Train-the-Trainer, CMS Covid-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls (05/12/20)
- MHCA Covid-19 Briefing: Key Points from Today's CDC All Provider Call, PPE Opportunity through MHCABS GPO Partner - Isolation Gowns, Maine Geriatrics Secures Collection Swabs, NHSN Covid-19 Reporting on Staffing and PPE Shortages, CMS to Fix PDPM Variable Per Diem Glitch (05/11/20)
AHCA Communication
- AHCA/NCAL: Update 70 - COVID-19 Update #70 | CARES Act Provider Relief Fund CHOW FAQs (05/20/20)
- AHCA/NCAL: Update 69 - Reimbursement and Legal Issues Related to COVID-19 Testing in Long Term Care (05/19/20)
- AHCA/NCAL: Update 68 - CMS Issues Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations for State and Local Officials (05/18/20)
- AHCA/NCAL: Update 67 - NHSN Trainings & Reporting Accurately (05/15/20)
- AHCA/NCAL: Update 66 - White House Tells States to Test All Nursing Home Residents & Staff (05/12/20)
- AHCA/NCAL: Update 65 - NHSN Accurately Report Staffing & PPE Shortages (05/11/20)
Staffing
- Maine DHHS/CDC LTC Med Directors Call Q&A (04/28/20)
- Maine DLC Staffing/Non Nursing Personnel Guidance (04/28/20)
- AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (04/22/20)
- FrontLine WarmLine Poster (04/21/20)
- For Your Facility MD: Optimizing Med Mgmt during COVID-19 (04/14/20)
- Emergency Tips for Residents living with Dementia during COVID19 (03/31/20)
- Free N-95 Respirator Education for Direct Care (03/16/20)
- Health Care Professionals Frequently Asked Questions
- The Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 document provides guidance on when healthcare workers with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 can return to work, and includes options for basing this decision on test-based criteria and non-test-based criteria. There is additional guidance on what precautions these healthcare workers need to take when they return to work.
- The Discontinuation of Home Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 document provides options for basing discontinuation decisions on test-based criteria and non-test-based criteria.
Office of Child and Family Services
- Emergency Temp License Inspection Form
- Emergency Temp Child Care Application (03/16/20)
- Childcare Subsidy Program Contact List (03/2020)
- Childcare Subsidy Program Emergency Provider Memo (03/16/20)
Complimentary/Discounted Lodging for Caregivers
Maximus Assessment Communication
- Maximus Assessment Response for COVID-19 (03/19/20)
- COVID-19 OADS FAQ for LTSS and Aging (03/19/20)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Maine CDC Emergency Rulemaking-Reporting Requirements (05/12/20)
- Key Strategies to Prepare for COVID-19 in Long-term Care Facilities (LTCFs) (05/05/20)
- Maine CDC Temporary Updates (04/22/20)
- CDC Line Listing (04/22/20)
- CDC Situation Summary
- CDC Strategies to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in LTC Facilities
- CDC COVID 19 Information for Healthcare Professionals
- CDC Resources for Healthcare Professionals
- Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control FAQs for COVID-19
- CDC Information for Lab Testing
- CDC Infographic: Stop the Spread of Germs (English)
- CDC Infographic: Airborne Precautions (English)
- CDC Infographic: Droplet Precautions (English)
- CDC Infographic: Symptoms of COVID (English)
- CDC Infographic: Sick with 2019 nCoV Fact Sheet (English)
- CDC Infographic: Contact Precautions (English)
- WHO Infographic:Coronavirus Disease 2019
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations (QSO-20-30-NH, May 18, 2020)
- Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations FAQ (05/20/20)
- Interim Final Rule for Notification of Confirmed and Suspected COVID-19 Cases (05/07/20)
- QSO-20-28 Five Star, Staff Counts, and Frequently Asked Questions (04/24/2020)
- QSO-20-25-NH Long-Term Care Facility Transfer Scenarios (04/14/20)
- CMS Non-emergent Elective Medical Service (04/10/20)
- QSO-20-14 NH Guidance for Visitation (03/13/20)
- QSO-20-17 Expanded Mask Guidance (03/11/20)
- CMS Guidance Considerations for Patient Triage, Placement and Hospital Discharge (03/04/20)
- QSO-20-12-All Suspension of Survey Activities (04/02/20)
- CMS Long Term Care Infection Control Self-Assessment Tool Checklist
- COVID-19: New ICD-10-CM Code and Interim Coding Guidance
- Maine’s 211 Available For COVID-19 Questions
- Requesting a State of Emergency Waiver
- 1135 Waiver Authority
Communications/Media Relations
- Communication Strategies to Keep Families Informed (04/22/20)
- MHCA Press Statement (04/14/20)
- Crisis Communication in an Infectious Diseases Outbreak (04/03/20)
- When COVID Gets into Your Facility (04/03/20)
- Crisis Communication Abbreviated Presentation (03/30/20)
- Infection Control Statement and Talking Points for Confirmed COVID-19 Case (03/30/20)
- Emergency Preparedness and Media Plan (03/30/20)
- Template Family Letter for Confirmed COVID-19 Case (03/23/20)
- MHCA Media Relations (03/10/20)
- AHCA Example Notice to Families (03/10/20)
- AHCA Template Letter to Employees (03/10/20)
- MHCA Sample Letter to Families (03/09/20)
Advanced Care Planning
- Resources on ACP from Respecting Choices
- Maine POLST Form
- Maine Advanced Directives Form
- Transfer Protocol for Nursing Homes MFDA
Staff Contact:
Danielle Watford
Director of Quality Improvement & Regulatory Affairs
Tel: 207.623.1146, ext. 221
MHCA Press Contact
Nadine Grosso
Vice President & Director of Communications
Tel: 207.623.1146, ext. 202
