Congress advisers back permanent telehealth expansions, look to nix in-person rule for behavioral telehealth...
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 12, 2024
Maintaining Medicare beneficiaries’ access to telehealth services, especially for behavioral health, must remain an initial priority over payment reform or quality measurement, members of a congressional...
Why CMS is shifting its infection control focus to sepsis
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 11, 2024
BALTIMORE — Quality experts at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be taking a closer look at sepsis rates in nursing homes while continuing broader efforts to improve infection control,...
Alleged DNR mix-up death highlights concerns for nursing homes
By
Josh Henreckson
Apr 11, 2024
The untimely death of a Connecticut nursing home resident in September was the result of mistakenly applying a roommate’s do-not-resuscitate order, alleges a lawsuit filed by that resident’s daughter...
White House promises staffing rule is near as Biden courts fresh attention for caregiving agenda
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 10, 2024
President Joe Biden said Tuesday his administration plans to finalize its nursing home staffing rule in “coming weeks,” just one element of a platform meant to transform caregiving for patients and...
New patient safety measures imminent as risk of harm evolves: CMS
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 10, 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services remains acutely focused on patient harm and will introduce new measures addressing patient safety later this year, agency leaders said at an event in Baltimore...
Eschewing a ‘sweet spot’ for boutique-like service at any size: Creative Solutions’ Gary Blake
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 09, 2024
Gary Blake’s nameplate might say CEO, but in some ways, he envisions himself more as chief quality officer of Creative Solutions for Healthcare, the sprawling 159-facility skilled nursing company he...
Former nursing home CEO gets 2.5 years, must pay $11 million restitution for neglecting payroll taxes
By
Josh Henreckson
Apr 09, 2024
The former CEO of a healthcare administrative services company was sentenced Friday to 30 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for failing to pay more than $10 million in payroll...
LTC pharmacies forced to borrow to buy patient drugs, close as drug middlemen tighten grip on sector
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 08, 2024
Nursing home patient access to prescription drugs is being squeezed as several market and regulatory factors have combined to increase the power pharmacy benefit managers have over long-term care pharmacies,...
Major unions, including SEIU, maintain momentum following 2023 strike upswing
By
Josh Henreckson
Apr 05, 2024
New analysis of US Department of Labor data shows that large unions such as the SEIU were able to leverage heightened labor activity to recruit new workers in 2023.
Behavior problems — not financial motivation — most often precede forced SNF discharges: OIG
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 04, 2024
Nursing homes most often initiated a discharge because a resident’s behavior endangered the resident or others in the facility, a rationale fully within their rights, a government watchdog reported Wednesday.