Thousands of nursing homes face lower Five-Star ratings with changes to staffing stars
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 11, 2022
New Five-Star scoring metrics could penalize an estimated 10% to 16% of providers who have relied on staffing strengths to drive their overall ratings.
More states moving to add extra layers of nursing home scrutiny
By
Joe Bush
Nov 15, 2022
The debut of the most recent new state dashboard shows the lengths states are going to in order to increase transparency into nursing home quality and operations.
Opponents of the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers are pursuing two fresh pathways to defeat it. Both challenges cite the pandemic’s current, less critical stage...
Feds broaden nursing home quality campaign with new discharge, satisfaction and vaccination measures
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 10, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services made one thing clear when it issued its newly proposed nursing home pay rule last week: Promoting nursing home quality improvement is driving policy formation.
CMS, OIG agree on increasing scrutiny of psychotropic drug use
By
Joe Bush
Nov 18, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be increasing its oversight of the use of psychotropic drugs to pay closer attention to certain classes, warned the lead author of a federal report identifying...
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...
White House announces big nursing home COVID-19 vaccination push and providers push back
By
Joe Bush
Nov 23, 2022
The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a six-week $475 million campaign to raise the COVID-19 vaccination rate among nursing home residents, and the sector’s leaders responded immediately with...
CMS adds enhanced barrier precautions to infection control guidance
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 22, 2024
Nursing homes must begin to use enhanced barrier precautions to prevent broader transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms and to help protect patients with chronic wounds and indwelling devices, the...
BREAKING: CMS vaccine mandate upheld
By
Kimberly Marselas
James M. Berklan
Jan 13, 2022
A vaccine requirement for staff at all U.S. nursing homes and other federally funded healthcare facilities can proceed, the Supreme Court said in a 5-4 decision Thursday afternoon.
Providers warn of access issues as waivers near their end
By
Danielle Brown
Apr 08, 2022
Phasing out several COVID-related waivers, including one allowing temporary nurse aide training, over the next several weeks will further complicate workforce struggles, skilled nursing providers said...