As CMS tightens vise on Medicare Advantage, providers argue for even more help
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 15, 2023
Forty-five days after proposing changes that attempt to rein in some of the most-criticized practices of Medicare Advantage plans, federal officials now must filter through nearly 1,000 formal comments.
‘Unfair’ posting of disputed citations will tarnish operators: experts
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jan 19, 2023
The decision to post disputed nursing home citations on a government website for consumers riled providers and legal experts Wednesday.
States push CMS to repeal COVID-19 vaccine mandate
By
Kimberly Marselas
Lois A. Bowers
Nov 18, 2022
A coalition of 22 states is taking a new angle in its attempts to overturn a national mandate requiring that healthcare workers be vaccinated against COVID-19: They’re simply asking federal regulators...
With new CDC guidance, providers duck ‘up-to-date’ vaccination concerns
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 27, 2022
While masking and screening of nursing home workers and visitors may no longer be required in areas with lower COVID-19 transmission rates, vaccination and testing efforts will be crucial if providers...
Next nursing home reform target: Emergency preparedness?
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 02, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may soon intensify its reform agenda focus on emergency planning, one of many areas targeted in President Biden’s 21-point nursing home plan unveiled earlier...
States need to step up with nurse aide waiver clearer, providers say
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 31, 2022
The formal extension of a waiver program that relaxes certification requirements for some nurse aides was widely embraced by providers a day after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced...
CMS outlines 4-pronged minimum staffing study
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 23, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Monday revealed more details about how it will use nursing home site visits, data and other tools to formulate a minimum staffing standard, one that is meant...
CMS urges states to link accountability, Medicaid funding
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 23, 2022
While providers largely agreed with Monday’s new federal call for states to tie increased Medicaid funding to accountability, they remained concerned about what that could mean for nursing homes in states...
Part-time option means more juggling for infection control staff
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 04, 2022
While nursing homes have had six years to prepare for new infection preventionist guidance, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services revealed last week they will not necessarily need to appoint someone...
Feds’ spotlight on owners could detract from patient focus, experts warn
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 21, 2022
An effort to improve transparency into nursing home ownership took a major leap forward when federal officials posted previously non-public data Wednesday. But providers and legal experts cautioned that...