Governor Issues Public Health Emergency Proclamation

On Friday, Governor Reynolds signed an additional public health emergency proclamation anticipating the end of many healthcare waivers in July.  Please note that Section 19 of the proclamation retains the following suspension language: "I continue to temporarily suspend the regulatory provisions of any statute or administrative rule that impedes the implementation of a federal waiver issued by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services pursuant to section 1135 of the Social Security Act." This allows facilities to continue to utilize applicable federal waivers despite the expiration of a specifically referenced parallel state-rule, which will effectively sync the expiration state and federal waivers.  Thus, members can still utilize the federal blanket waivers like the temporary nurse aides until discontinued at the federal level.

Included in this proclamation are relief measures listed below:

  • Group activities – should not expect to extend beyond July 25.
  • In-person visitation - should not expect to extend beyond July 25.
  • TB screening and testing of employees.
  • RCF and ICF-IID – medication aide courses and examination.
  • Temporary Nurse Aides - should not expect to extend beyond July 25.
  • Examination for Certified Nursing Assistants - should not expect to extend beyond July 25.
  • Removal of direct care workers from the registry that haven’t completed required work in last 24 months - should not expect to extend beyond July 25.
  • Nurse aide training and competency evaluation programs - should not expect to extend beyond July 25.
  • Mandatory adult abuse training within 6 months of initial employment - should not expect to extend beyond July 25.
  • Audio-only telehealth services – this will expire at midnight at the end of June 30th
  • Emergency Licensure for professionals in medicine and surgery - should not expect to extend beyond July 25.
  • Continuing education requirements for professional licensure renewal - should not expect to extend beyond July 25.
  • Expiration dates of current professional licenses - should not expect to extend beyond July 25.