What’s happening: Today, October 6, 2022, is the last day to request a Nurse Aide Training Waiver extension.

• We are aware that some members have not received responses to their requests for waiver extension for training and certification of nurse aides currently working in nursing facilities.

CMS shared this message today: We are processing all waiver requests received from the States and individual nursing homes on a daily basis. Many requests did not include the required documentation as outlined in the QSO MEMO on pages 5 and 6.  Once all documentation is received, the review and decision will be completed.  Please feel free to have the facilities send any questions regarding their waiver requests to our mailbox, Emergencies@cms.hhs.gov. If a facility has not received a response by Friday, 10/7, they need to maintain a copy of the documentation they submitted and the letter they received with their case number to demonstrate their efforts.

Action for facilities: We recommend that members who submitted facility-based waivers reach out to CMS by responding to the communication you received when you submitted the waiver and forward that correspondence to Emergencies@cms.hhs.gov.

• Ask for an immediate response on the status of your waiver request in light of the impending deadline.