Providers: CMS should first fortify skilled nursing workforce before imposing minimum staffing measures
By
Danielle Brown
Jun 07, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must first help the long-term care industry build up its workforce before implementing a national minimum staffing standard for nursing homes, many providers...
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...
As skilled nursing ‘teeters,’ leaders look to DC for help on pay rule and more
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 02, 2022
More than 500 skilled nursing providers are expected to arrive in Washington, D.C., Monday ready to press federal lawmakers for solutions on staffing and revenue issues that threaten patient access across...
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...
The summer of our nursing homes’ discontent
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 01, 2022
Memorial Day weekend usually ushers in a feeling of lightness, but I’m weighed down by uncertainty this year. Will it be a summer of discontent?
LTC staff to receive free behavioral health training in new federal program
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
May 17, 2022
The new $15 million program will focus on workforce skills in an effort to strengthen behavioral healthcare delivery in long-term care facilities, HHS announced Monday.
In first nursing home visit, CMS admin gets straight talk on agencies, pay and performance
By
James M. Berklan
May 12, 2022
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure has visited nursing homes numerous times, but on Wednesday she did so for the first time in her current capacity as their top...
Lawmaker wants more surveys for Special Focus Facility nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
May 10, 2022
A key U.S. lawmaker is calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to address reported lags in surveys of nursing homes in the Special Focus Facility program after finding that 1 in 5 are overdue...
While regulators are working furiously to push through a comprehensive nursing home reform agenda backed by the Biden administration, providers remain concerned about an earlier change whose impact is...
New quality measure thresholds could lower providers’ star ratings, experts warn
By
Danielle Brown
Apr 28, 2022
Skilled nursing providers are worried they could see their star ratings drop following new changes to the quality measure rating threshold, according to a top expert.