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Reminder About the Certification of Temporary Nurse Aides

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has a waiver in place that allows a nurse aide to work longer than four months without meeting certification requirements. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has developed a plan for certifying temporary nurse aides, which was published in provider letter 2021-19 and put into emergency rules.

HHSC is also putting the plan for certifying temporary nurse aides into permanent rules that were posted for public comment through October 11, 2021, and will be effective soon.

Independent of the status of HHSC’s guidance, the federal flexibility remains in effect, and providers may continue to employ temporary nurse aides as long as the public health emergency is in effect and for four months after it ends.