ACOs saved Medicare more than $700 million in 2016
By
Oct 27, 2017
Accountable care organizations participating in Medicare’s Shared Savings and Pioneer models saved the program roughly $713 million last year — nearly double the amount of savings recorded in 2015.
Members of Congress ratchet up pressure on nursing homes
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 03, 2018
Four influential Republican Congressmen sent a letter to federal regulators Tuesday, requesting sweeping answers about the agency’s oversight of nursing homes.
Yarwood: Five-star rating system, card-check legislation loom large
Oct 07, 2008
While the nursing home industry can be proud of its accomplishments in Washington over the last year, many challenges await. These include card-check legislation in Congress and a problematic five-star...
CMS work group recommends approach for employing former criminals in long-term care settings
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 19, 2013
Long-term care providers and states should agree on what a “direct access employee” is and whether that person has a criminal conviction that should keep him or her from working in a nursing...
‘Confounded’ providers urge mandated COVID-19 testing for hospital workers, surveyors
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 01, 2020
Healthcare stakeholders who regularly come into contact with skilled nursing residents should be subject to COVID-19 testing mandates similar to those for nursing home employees, a prominent long-term...
COVID infection and mortality rates will trigger provider payouts of $2B in relief funding
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 04, 2020
A nursing home’s ability to keep COVID-19 infection and mortality rates low among residents will be the key indicator as to whether it will qualify for slices of $2 billion in newly available federal...
Five-star nursing home rating system kicks off with controversy
Dec 18, 2008
The head of one provider organization reacted negatively Wednesday to the way the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has handled the launch of a new five-star rating system for nursing homes. The...
Dementia mortality skyrockets since lockdowns; CMS loosens visitor restrictions
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 18, 2020
An excessive number of deaths due to dementia have occurred since shelter-in-place orders went into effect this spring, a new analysis finds. Meanwhile, CMS has proposed a framework for nursing homes...
SNF victory in federal appeals court expected to cause review of other deficiency cases
By
John Hall
Mar 09, 2015
A federal appeals court has upheld fines emanating from a pair of deficiencies found and affirmed at a California nursing home. But the provider and its legal counsel are thrilled because the court also...
Officials: More additions and rebasings of nursing home ratings to come
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 23, 2015
Nearly one-third of the nation’s skilled nursing facilities lost a rating star due purely to administrative changes Friday, when regulators also emphasized that more quality measures will be added...