CMS no longer requiring surveyors to be fully vaccinated in order to inspect facilities
By
Danielle Brown
Jun 17, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has rescinded guidance that says surveyors who are not fully vaccinated shouldn’t participate on the onsite survey team when inspecting certified providers.
CMS withholds another $1-plus million over vaccine mandate compliance
By
Danielle Brown
Jun 14, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has withheld $1.2 million in funding from Florida over the state’s refusal to monitor facilities ability to meet the federal COVID-19 vaccine requirement...
Providers demand federal action as temporary nurse aide waiver comes to an end
By
Danielle Brown
Jun 06, 2022
The federal government must take permanent action to address the long-term care workforce shortage as providers brace themselves for severe consequences following the end of the temporary nurse aide waiver...
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...
CMS ‘heartless’ for its big nursing home pay cut proposal
By
Danielle Brown
Apr 12, 2022
Providers are struggling with the federal government’s “heartless” decision to decrease pay for SNFs by $320 million in fiscal 2023.
CMS revises COVID-19 vaccine mandate guidance
By
Danielle Brown
Apr 06, 2022
Workers at skilled nursing and other long-term care facilities that have been suspended or are on extended leave won’t count against the providers as “unvaccinated staff,” according to new updated...
Providers decry major ‘crack down’ without major funding
By
Danielle Brown
Mar 01, 2022
A historic slate of reforms that would set federal staffing standards and ratchet up penalties at poor-performing facilities — but not pay more for on-site upgrades — was widely criticized by providers...
CMS shares LTC booster data; coverage among residents meets national average
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 10, 2022
Nursing home booster vaccination data is now available on the Medicare.gov Care Compare website as part of CMS’s effort to help increase facility vaccination coverage, the agency said Wednesday.
CMS warns states: Survey fully or suffer consequences
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 10, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Wednesday sternly warned state survey agencies they must enforce all aspects of the federal program’s health and safety requirements by long-standing agreement.
First vaccine deadline arrives for healthcare workers in half the nation
By
Danielle Brown
Jan 28, 2022
Surveyors can now evaluate long-term care providers’ compliance with a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate covering healthcare workers in half of the United States. Many long-term care providers are ready...