Care facilities and hospitals would allow some visits during outbreaks

Assisted living facilities and nursing homes would have to allow at least one essential visitor in compassionate care situations and at least one clergy visit. These rules would apply when an assisted living facility or nursing home limits visitors because of a communicable disease outbreak or epidemic in its community. Essential visitors include a person designated by the resident or the resident’s guardian or health care agent, as well as the guardian or agent. The essential visitor must follow the facility’s health and infection-control rules. A facility may deny a visit for specified safety or infection risks when reasonable precautions are unavailable, or if the resident objects. If federal disease-control or Medicare and Medicaid guidance is stricter, the facility may follow that guidance instead. The rules would apply whenever visitor limits are imposed because of a community outbreak or epidemic.

Hospitals would have to allow certain visits from clergy and essential visitors. These rules would apply when a hospital limits visitors because of a communicable disease outbreak or epidemic in its community. Clergy may visit to pray or offer spiritual support when a patient is near end of life, is grieving and asks for support, or has a listed life-threatening condition and asks for support. An essential visitor may visit when the patient is near end of life, is grieving, or the attending health professional judges that the benefits outweigh possible harms. A hospital may deny a visit for specified safety or infection risks when reasonable precautions are unavailable, if the patient objects, if required consent is missing, or if a law enforcement officer refuses access to a patient in custody. Stricter federal guidance may be followed instead. The rules would apply whenever visitor limits are imposed because of a community outbreak or epidemic.