The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted Washington state a waiver of the 120-day or 4-month rule through the end of the PHE (May 11, 2023).
The end of the PHE yesterday means the “clock” for nursing assistants working in nursing homes started yesterday. This means nursing assistants-registered (NARs) currently working in nursing homes need to complete training, testing, and certification within 120 days (or 4 months—which is early September) in order to continue working in the nursing home.
This also means NARs who start working in nursing homes after today need to complete training, testing, and certification in 120 days (or 4 months) from their start date. As an example, an NAR starting on June 30 would need to complete these activities by the end of October.