New COVID testing shortages and delays evoke comparisons to earlier pandemic days
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 03, 2021
A national shortage of COVID-19 testing supplies — stretched thin after a months-long delta variant surge — is once again threatening safety at nursing homes dependent on testing to stay ahead...
Skilled nursing specialties are very much alive — and thriving — after COVID-19
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 01, 2021
Here’s how providers are integrating with key partners and combining clinical prowess with new technology to go after more complex patients and create census-driving powerhouses.
Breakthrough COVID-19 cases are increasing, but experts say deadly outbreaks aren’t inevitable
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 12, 2021
Eight months and thousands of vaccinations made an “amazing” difference in two COVID-19 outbreaks at Masonicare’s Wallingford, CT, campus.
Skilled nursing census-drivers found, but integration more critical than ever due to COVID
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 03, 2021
When Virtua Health has a COPD patient ready to leave one of its New Jersey hospitals but not ready for home, discharge planners can tap into a growing network of rehabilitation specialists.
Even with PHE extension, providers worry about early demise of nurse aide waiver
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 21, 2021
The ongoing Public Health Emergency extends CMS waivers related to hiring, admissions and assessment practices. But as the agency has already shown, it has the authority to revoke those Section 1135 waivers...
After acquiring NJ properties from Genesis, Complete Care gets hit with labor board complaints
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 21, 2021
A major union announced Tuesday it had filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Complete Care Management over concerns about how the company is spending supplemental Medicaid funding...
Shrinking lender pool could threaten a hot LTC market, Ziegler warns
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 08, 2021
A declining pool of lenders may have undercut some deals during what was otherwise a fast-paced quarter for mergers and acquisitions in long-term care and seniors housing.
Let’s put normalcy on seniors’ itinerary
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 23, 2021
It would be hard to argue that any group suffered — and in some cases, continues to suffer — more than U.S. nursing home residents.
Providers tell CMS it’s ‘decidedly’ the wrong time to toy with PDPM rates
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 03, 2021
Providers need more time before the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would implement any adjustments to PDPM payment rates, operators and associations have told the agency in official comments.
CMS proposes 1.3% pay increase — with plenty of strings attached
By
Kimberly Marselas
Danielle Brown
Apr 09, 2021
A proposal that would boost Medicare payments to skilled nursing providers by 1.3% next fiscal year also could trigger additional reporting requirements and increase the potential for penalties.