September 8, 2025
CMS has announced updates to its Policy & Memos to States and CMS Locations page. As part of this update, several previously issued memos have officially expired and are no longer in effect, including the following:
- 10-28-NH – Point of Care Devices and Infection Control in Nursing Homes
- S&C 13-09-NH – Clarification of Interpretive Guidance at F Tag 441 – Laundry and Infection Control
- QSO-21-19-NH – Interim Final Rule – COVID-19 Vaccine Immunization Requirements for Residents and Staff
- QSO-24-08-NH – Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Nursing Homes to Prevent Spread of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms (MDROs)
- S&C 17-30-Hospitals/CAHs/NHs – Requirement to Reduce Legionella Risk in Healthcare Facility Water Systems
- S&C 12-22-NH – Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Prevention Program – Environmental Scan of State Survey Agency
- S&C 14-25-NH – Single Use Device Reprocessing under Tag F441 – Revisions to Interpretive Guidance in Appendix PP, SOM on Infection Control
While these memos are no longer active, they remain available on the CMS website for reference.
For those who need to access other guidance, CMS continues to maintain online archives of previously issued memos. Quality, Safety, and Oversight (QSO) memos, administrative information memos, and quality and safety special alerts can all be found on the CMS website. These resources remain useful for providers and surveyors who want to review past communications and policy directions.
In addition to these updates, CMS has launched an important new training tool: the Quality in Focus video series. These interactive videos, each lasting 10 to 15 minutes, are designed to help providers address the most common deficiencies cited during CMS surveys. Topics include areas such as infection control and accident prevention—two issues that are consistently critical for resident safety and quality of care. The series is tailored to provider types and offers practical strategies to meet compliance expectations.
Through Quality in Focus, providers can better understand how surveyors evaluate compliance, recognize common deficiencies, and apply solutions that can be integrated into everyday care practices. The video series is available through the Quality, Safety & Education Portal Training Catalog under the Quality in Focus section.