Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Enforces COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule requiring vaccination against COVID-19 for employees in most health care settings. The ruling does include exemptions for staff who provide support services exclusively outside of the facility setting.2 The regulation also requires health care providers to establish a process or policy to ensure staff are fully vaccinated over 2 phases. Facilities that fall under this new CMS rule must develop a plan to vaccinate all eligible staff, while also creating a process to provide exemptions and accommodations for staff who are eligible for medical or religious exemptions from the vaccine requirements—although these exemptions must be "in accordance with federal law," according to the National Law Review.2 Processes must also be implemented to track and document these vaccinations and exemptions.