WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma requesting clarification and potential modification of long-term care facility visitation guidelines to ensure that facilities are providing meaningful visitation for residents during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was brought to my attention that many long-term care facilities in Arizona are imposing overly restrictive visitation policies on their residents, and others are prohibiting visitation altogether,” said Congresswoman Lesko. “Many of these facilities are citing CMS guidance to justify their policies. It is my hope that Administrator Verma will clarify this guidance and, if necessary, modify the guidance to allow for visitation in these facilities. As the pandemic continues, human interaction is critical to overall wellbeing and we must ensure residents in long-term care facilities are afforded visitation.”

The Arizona Department of Health Services has also put out guidance for long-term care visitation, which allows for at least some visitation under any circumstance and at any level of COVID-19 spread. Some Arizona facilities, however, see CMS guidance as the primary guidance to follow. Although CMS reimbursements are not conditioned on following the nursing home visitation guidance, many facilities have cited concerns about losing reimbursement if visitation for their residents leads to an adverse event.

Lesko’s letter follows a letter from Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, and Senators Sonny Borrelli, David Gowan, Rick Gray, Vince Leach, Kate Brophy McGee, Tyler Pace, and Arizona Speaker of the House Rusty Bowers, and Representatives Nancy Barto, Regina Cobb, Gail Griffin, and Joanne Osborne.

Read the full letter here.

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