The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)/National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) hosted a webinar on November 7 to review changes to NHSN reporting requirements for nursing homes. Changes were initially introduced on September 30 and are reflective of updates to requirements finalized in the Calendar Year 2025 Home Health payment rule released on November 1.

As previously reported, nursing homes will report on a streamlined set of resident-focused respiratory virus data elements going forward. The updated data elements were introduced in a new combined pathway in NHSN with reporting week beginning September 30. The pathway expanded data elements to include flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in addition to COVID, consistent with requirements finalized in the November 1 rule, and resident vaccination status data elements were transitioned to this pathway for ease of reporting.

Notably, the staff impact pathway has been removed from NHSN. CDC referenced the November 1 rule that states that ongoing reporting of staff impact could not be supported, though reporting of staff vaccination data will continue to be required. Section 483.80(g)(2) of the Requirements of Participation requires COVID vaccination data, including staff vaccination data, to be reported weekly unless otherwise specified by the Secretary. The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requires that staff vaccination data be reported quarterly, which is achieved by averaging one week of data per month for each quarter. LeadingAge is working to clarify staff vaccination reporting frequency requirements with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Presentation slides and a recording of the NHSN webinar will be available here.