Record instances and dollar amounts of fines to skilled nursing facilities just made public last month highlight the tense regulatory environment operators are managing through. Despite federal “provider...
Latest federal mandate denial sets stage for possible Supreme Court appeal
By
Kimberly Marselas
Dec 15, 2021
The battle over a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers is primed for its Supreme Court debut, now that a federal appeals court has ruled a temporary injunction should remain in place.
CMS leaning on providers to form new PDPM pay rates
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 16, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is relying on data metrics regarding trends or changes in provider behavior, payments and beneficiary care quality as it considers potential adjustments to...
Risk-bearing execs: Operators need to ‘make some noise’ to make some money
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 10, 2021
Skilled nursing providers looking to take on risk for long-term viability need to start getting creative, warn two executives in the business of connecting payers and providers in value-based partnerships.
Senate report details missteps in coronavirus nursing home response
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 28, 2020
Federal lawmakers recommended that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should revisit its infection control policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s severe impact on nursing homes.
Social Security numbers to be removed from Medicare beneficiary cards
By
John Hall
Apr 21, 2015
After more than 10 years of warnings by government investigators, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services now has a mandate to remove Social Security numbers from enrollees’ cards — a practice...
Editor’s desk: Stars losing their luster for ‘punished’ providers
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 06, 2015
One gets the feeling that federal regulators, no matter how proper the official talk went, took a bit of pleasure in sending a message to providers when recently rebasing their star ratings.
Inspector General blasts agency for ignoring ZPIC scrutiny
By
John Hall
Mar 19, 2015
Ignoring a four-year-old warning to more thoroughly evaluate Medicare auditing contractors is among the pile of unheeded advice that could have saved the Medicare program billions of dollars in recent...
CMS should push Congress on therapy rate upgrades: AHCA
By
Tim Mullaney
Nov 01, 2014
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should openly urge Congress to change therapy reimbursement, the nation’s largest long-term care provider association stated in recent written comments...
Looking at dementia beyond drugs and disease
By
G. Allen Power, M.D.
Aug 01, 2014
The emerging literature on “nonpharmacological interventions” has not succeeded in providing long-term solutions for many people, such that expressions of need continue to recur on a regular...