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...
Nursing homes must be on top of MDS changes, expert says
Sep 14, 2011
Nursing home operators need to make sure their MDS coordinators are paying close attention to the changes to the prospective payment system, an expert said yesterday during the last 2011 McKnight’s...
CMS official confirms agency considering direct care spending minimums for nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Jun 13, 2022
Federal health officials hinted that nursing home providers may soon be forced to spend a minimum of their Medicaid funding on direct care.
New CMS administrator among the expected changes, as Clinton and Trump set up transition teams
By
Elizabeth Newman
Aug 19, 2016
As Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump prepare their transition teams as part of their hoped-for march to the White House, one position is sure to catch long-term care officials’ notice: The future...
Presidential election, Medicaid expansion crucial to future of nursing home funding
By
McKnight's Staff
Sep 26, 2012
If President Obama is re-elected in November, governors who have resisted implementing the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion will likely change their tune, a former government official speculated...
Practical advice on reducing antipsychotics
By
Jerome Wilborn
May 08, 2015
Two CMS tags —F-Tag 329, which addresses unnecessarily using antipsychotic drugs, and F-Tag 309, which addresses taking steps to reduce antipsychotic drug use — are used by nursing home surveyors to...
Verma: CMS to ensure free COVID vaccine for seniors, Medicaid beneficiaries
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 16, 2020
The agency has a plan to expedite the new coverage and will provide more information before the end of October, Verma said. CMS is also working on appropriate Medicare fees for administration of potential...
CMS updates coding instructions for hospice site of service, principal diagnosis
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 02, 2014
A new Medicare hospice manual update includes instructions for which principal diagnosis codes are acceptable, and clarifies which codes should be used for services in a skilled versus non-skilled nursing...
LeadingAge rallies against proposed Medicare, Medicaid changes
By
John Hall
Aug 24, 2015
A leading nursing home advocate is mustering support to combat massive changes the administration has proposed for Medicare and Medicaid participation.
Antipsychotics report will have severe side effects
By
John O'Connor
Jul 13, 2012
Antipsychotic drugs are often used to calm residents with dementia. This reality is common knowledge among most people who have spent more than a few minutes in a nursing facility. But it is apparently...