Expect another Five-Star freeze amid nursing home survey delays, experts warn
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 20, 2024
Staffing measures used to calculate nursing homes’ federal ratings will freeze in April, further complicating a system based on often outdated and constantly changing metrics, experts warned last week.
[UPDATED] BREAKING: CMS proposes 4.1 percent nursing homes pay boost; staffing minimum not addressed
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 29, 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Thursday proposed a 4.1% pay increase for nursing homes in fiscal 2025 but declined to issue an update on its staffing minimum proposal as part of its annual...
UPDATED: Healthcare worker vaccine mandate back on for 26 states
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 16, 2021
Long-term care providers in 26 states will still have to comply with a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate after a federal appeals court on Wednesday reversed a nationwide block against the rule.
No longer the CMS boss, Verma sounds more like provider friend than foe
By
James M. Berklan
Nov 03, 2023
Dwell on the past too much at your own peril, but providers could be forgiven if Seema Verma had them fondly looking back Wednesday.
The MDS reminds me of something in Narnia?
By
Joel VanEaton
May 16, 2023
I am a fan of C.S. Lewis. If you have not read “The Chronicles of Narnia,” you should. You may have seen the more recent three films based on these books. As good as they were, as is usually the case,...
Wait-and-see staffing rule exemptions meant to ‘safeguard’ residents: CMS
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 25, 2024
Skilled nursing providers will not have to go through a stand-alone application process to be exempted from provisions of a new federal staffing mandate, an official with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...
BREAKING: Federal regulators tout $15M in fines, tripling of ‘Immediate Jeopardy’ citations against...
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 14, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Friday afternoon that it has levied more than $15 million in fines and tripled the most severe type of citations to nursing homes during the six months...
BREAKING: CMS finalizes 2.7% pay raise, two year phase-in for PDPM cuts
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 29, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Friday afternoon announced a finalized cut to nursing home Medicare pay rates for fiscal 2023.
Back from the brink: Inside the battle to save nation’s second-largest nursing home
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 15, 2024
BALTIMORE — Two years after federal officials stripped the nation’s second largest nursing home of its Medicare and Medicaid certification, officials have outlined the 960-step plan it took to walk...
What long-term care operators are doing to comply with federal vaccination rule by first deadline
By
Danielle Brown
Kimberly Marselas
Nov 11, 2021
It’s all hands on deck as long-term care operators quickly develop implementation plans to comply with the new federal COVID-19 vaccination rule for workers with the first deadline just over three weeks...