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.
Federal agencies at odds: Medicare payment error rate much higher than first reported
Aug 27, 2008
The Office of the Inspector General has issued a report claiming that the Medicare payment error rate for durable medical equipment in 2006 was significantly higher than the 7.5% rate claimed by the Centers...
HHS extends coverage for COVID-19 screening at nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 01, 2020
Nursing homes in states that prohibit the use of point-of-care COVID-19 tests to screen for the disease can now do so after the Department of Health and Human Services extended coverage to include congregate...
BREAKING: CMS says all healthcare staff must be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 04, 2021
Long-term care staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 under a new healthcare worker vaccination rule released early Thursday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
New CMS guidance allows focused COVID testing during outbreak investigations
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 13, 2021
Updated guidance released Friday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gives nursing homes more options for conducting a COVID-19 outbreak investigation after a positive test occurs.
Proposal would require HHS to create nursing home strike teams for infection control
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 29, 2020
The Department of Health and Human Services would have to develop strike teams that would help nursing homes test residents for COVID-19 and assist with infection control practices under the GOP’s newly...
OIG partly blames CMS for Life Care Centers deficiencies
By
Joe Bush
Sep 20, 2022
A federal watchdog said a lack of communication by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may have caused infection control deficiency citations at Life Care Centers of America nursing homes between...
One-time universal testing at nursing homes would cost $440M, AHCA says; most nursing homes on track...
By
Danielle Brown
May 21, 2020
Just one round of testing every nursing home resident and staff member would cost about $440 million nationwide, according to data released Wednesday by the American Health Care Association/National Center...
CMS official confirms agency considering direct care spending minimums for nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Jun 13, 2022
Federal health officials hinted that nursing home providers may soon be forced to spend a minimum of their Medicaid funding on direct care.
Feds’ proposal to extend COVID-19 waivers would keep some telehealth expansions but could deliver rehab...
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 04, 2020
As expected and hoped for by many healthcare providers, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Monday proposed permanently adopting some telehealth and therapy coverage expansions during the COVID-19...