HHS chief returns focus of low COVID-19 vax rates to nursing homes
By
James M. Berklan
Jan 04, 2024
The nation’s top health official met with US nursing home leaders for the second time in two weeks Wednesday to discuss what he called concerningly low COVID-19 vaccination rates among long-term care...
CMS proposes appeals process for Medicare patients placed on observation stay
By
Josh Henreckson
Jan 02, 2024
Medicare patients initially admitted to hospitals as inpatients but later reclassified as outpatients under observation would finally have a process to appeal those decisions, thanks to a long-awaited...
OIG urges CMS to use claims to uncover abuse of Medicare patients
By
Kimberly Marselas
Nov 10, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has pledged to issue new guidance on resident abuse after a federal watchdog found the agency was failing to use claims data to spot potential cases of neglect...
CMS ‘naive’ about staffing minimum proposal details, professor claims
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Sep 20, 2023
The proposed federal staffing rule is “shockingly low” and will not measurably improve working and care conditions in nursing homes, consumer advocates claimed during a webinar that was conducted without...
With every SNF already under scrutiny, federal task force aims to cut healthcare spending, eliminate...
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Aug 30, 2023
A new task force from the US House Budget Committee will look at how to reduce healthcare spending, including ways to modernize healthcare and support access to care.
CMS 5-claim audits so far a ‘debacle’
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Aug 22, 2023
A new federal review process designed to lower the rate of improper government payments is sending provider staffs scurrying to justify their coding.
Medicare Advantage plan settles upcoding allegations for $22.5M
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 02, 2023
A Medicare Advantage plan will pay $22.5 million to settle allegations that it systematically reviewed patient charts to tack on additional charges before submitting claims to Medicare, federal law enforcement...
Aging committee chair delivers another broadside about nursing home surveys
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jul 28, 2023
A powerful US senator is bringing added firepower in his quest to fix what he sees as major issues with state surveys of nursing homes. It’s an effort that had one leading advocate channeling Alanis...
Watchdog urges Medicaid to bolster overpayment collection efforts
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 30, 2023
The Government Accountability Office is urging Medicaid overseers to do a better job of recouping overpayments, citing their allegedly lenient oversight of state auditing efforts.
(Updated) CMS uncovers affiliated nursing homes with new ownership tools
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 29, 2023
Providers had a mixed response Wednesday afternoon to a new effort to create more public awareness of nursing home ownership, in particular when facilities share a parent organization.