‘Impossible’ Medicare Advantage denials decried during Senate hearing
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 18, 2023
A Senate subcommittee Wednesday sent letters to the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage insurers, demanding they reveal internal documents that illustrate how they make coverage determinations.
Death toll rises as nursing home operator faces 7 closures, legal scrutiny over hurricane evacuation
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 07, 2021
Seven nursing home residents have now died after being shipped to a warehouse in advance of Hurricane Ida, and Louisiana officials have ordered the temporary closure of the seven nursing homes where they...
States need to step up with nurse aide waiver clearer, providers say
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 31, 2022
The formal extension of a waiver program that relaxes certification requirements for some nurse aides was widely embraced by providers a day after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced...
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...
Layering of fines amid state, federal staffing rule conflicts tops providers’ worry list
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 02, 2024
Providers in states that have recently increased their own nursing home staffing requirements may soon find themselves playing a complicated penalties and numbers game — and buried in additional paperwork.
Bill to block staffing rule, other LTC measures to headline Congressional hearing
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 29, 2024
A bill that many providers view as the best bet to upend the federal nursing home staffing mandate finalized last week will get another hearing in Congress Tuesday.
Nursing homes reimagine frontline roles, seek smoother regulatory pathways
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 22, 2023
In the wake of a historic shortage of nurses and assistants, America’s nursing homes have been forced to get creative when it comes to hiring, scheduling and retaining workers.
Extended survey delays threaten providers
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 25, 2022
When a major government watchdog blasted the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in January for a lack of timely survey activity, it detailed extensively what providers on the ground were experiencing...
MedPAC members rip ‘brute force test’ of staffing mandate, ponder consequences and possible gaming
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 06, 2023
A key Congressional advisory panel expressed deep skepticism Thursday over the proposed federal nursing home staffing mandate and whether it would address ongoing quality concerns in the post-acute care...
[UPDATED] CMS issues first-ever nursing home staffing mandate
By
James M. Berklan
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 01, 2023
US nursing homes would have at least three years to provide a minimum of 0.55 hours of care by a registered nurse and 2.45 hours by a nurse aide per resident day under a first-ever proposed federal staffing...