House approves bill to streamline Medicare Advantage prior authorization process… Physician who worked with SNFs sentenced for Medicare foul-ups and letting employees issue prescriptions in his absence
New nursing home staffing headache? CMS and GAO agree new requirements needed for infection preventionists
By
Joe Bush
Sep 15, 2022
First came the federal requirement that every nursing home must have an infection control preventionist on staff. Now, a government watchdog says that minimum training requirements should be established...
Nursing homes fire back after CMS warning about ‘exploitative’ debt-collection practices
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 12, 2022
A warning letter sent late last week by federal regulators about nursing home debt collection practices was overblown and obscured another significant problem, nursing home operations experts said over...
Governor signs bill that gives nursing homes $700 million funding boost
By
Danielle Brown
Jun 02, 2022
A $700 million Medicaid funding boost is coming to Illinois providers after Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) on Tuesday signed nursing home reform legislation that ties the Medicaid increases to higher staffing...
Nursing homes face threats of citations, penalties if they restrict visitor access without good cause
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 18, 2020
Providers who fail to facilitate in-person visitations “without a reasonable clinical or safety cause” could be cited and face other penalties under new guidance issued Thursday by the Centers for...
‘Top to bottom’ review of LTC bureau ordered after months of abuse and neglect claims not investigated
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 25, 2020
A thorough review of the Illinois Bureau of Long-Term Care is being conducted after the department failed to properly process and investigate abuse and neglect complaints at facilities for about three...
Specifics of point-of-care COVID-19 testing coming to all U.S. nursing homes; providers welcome move
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 15, 2020
The federal government’s plan to provide “point-of-care” COVID-19 tests to every single U.S. nursing home is “welcome news for long-term care residents, staff and providers.”
New CMS guidance dictates nursing homes must report COVID-19 cases to CDC, residents and families
By
Liza Berger
Apr 20, 2020
In new but anticipated guidance released Sunday night, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is requiring nursing homes to report any COVID-19 cases directly to the Centers for Disease Control and...
‘We have to do better’ on infection prevention, CMS official tells LTC nurse managers during...
By
Marty Stempniak
Jun 29, 2018
Nursing homes’s new survey routine seems to be going smoothly, about half a year in, but infection prevention problems continue to plague the field.
Preparedness is key
By
Matthew Gallardo
May 18, 2015
There are numerous resources available on the Internet to help you choose the right nursing home for an ailing parent or loved one.