Bill > HR6698

Introduced Session

To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to improve the quality of care in skilled nursing facilities under the Medicare program and nursing facilities under the Medicare program during the COVID-19 emergency period, and for other purposes. This bill modifies several requirements for Medicare skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and Medicaid nursing facilities (NFs) during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, SNFs and NFs must comply with specified quality of care, worker safety, and transparency requirements, subject to civil penalties. Requirements include (1) testing residents and employees for COVID-19 weekly or before shifts, respectively, and reporting any lack of available testing kits on a daily basis; (2) providing at least two weeks of paid sick leave to each employee; and (3) reporting the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, including demographic information, on a daily basis. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must also distribute funds to allow states to establish strike teams that may be deployed to SNFs and NFs within 72 hours of three or more COVID-19 diagnoses to help separate those who have been exposed, supervise testing, and ensure enforcement of whistleblower protections, among other needs. Teams must include members of the National Guard, public health officials, medical experts, and representatives of residents and workers.

Committee Categories

Jan Schakowsky (D)*,  Nanette Barragán (D),  Sanford Bishop (D),  Anthony Brown (D),  Salud Carbajal (D),  Matt Cartwright (D),  Sean Casten (D),  Judy Chu (D),  Yvette Clarke (D),  Madeleine Dean (D),  Peter DeFazio (D),  Theodore Deutch (D),  Debbie Dingell (D),  Adriano Espaillat (D),  Lois Frankel (D),  Marcia Fudge (D),  Chuy García (D),  Raúl Grijalva (D),  Debra Haaland (D),  Alcee Hastings (D),  Jahana Hayes (D),  Sheila Jackson-Lee (D),  Eddie Johnson (D),  Hank Johnson (D),  Joseph Kennedy (D),  Dan Kildee (D),  Conor Lamb (D),  John Larson (D),  Al Lawson (D),  Alan Lowenthal (D),  Sean Maloney (D),  Doris Matsui (D),  Jim McGovern (D),  Jerry McNerney (D),  Gregory Meeks (D),  Grace Meng (D),  Kweisi Mfume (D),  Jerry Nadler (D),  Eleanor Holmes Norton (D),  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D),  Ilhan Omar (D),  Mark Pocan (D),  Ayanna Pressley (D),  David Price (D),  Jamie Raskin (D),  Lucille Roybal-Allard (D),  Mary Gay Scanlon (D),  Dina Titus (D),  Rashida Tlaib (D),  Lauren Underwood (D),  Nydia Velázquez (D),  Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D),  Maxine Waters (D), 

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (on 05/05/2020)

Official Document