State promotes testing visitors for COVID-19 before entering nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 23, 2020
Connecticut health officials and long-term care leaders are encouraging providers to adopt visitor COVID-19 testing policies in order to prevent outbreaks at facilities.
Prepare now for upcoming COVID testing, reporting rules and new penalties
By
Amy Wilmot Schrader
Stefanie J. Doyle
Oct 22, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ wide-ranging rule bolstering its regulatory authority to address issues relating to the COVID-19 public health emergency contains two notable directives...
‘Urgent hiring initiative’ to combat nursing home worker shortage would pay aides up to $25 per hour
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 22, 2020
The state of Minnesota has launched an “urgent hiring initiative” to help long-term care facilities struggling with staffing amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, top officials announced this week.
Nearly half of nursing home residents with COVID-19 show no symptoms, national study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 21, 2020
A multi-state study in Genesis HealthCare facilities found that more than 40% of nursing home residents with COVID-19 are asymptomatic. Facility-wide testing was more successful in detecting these lurking...
CMS: A quarter of Medicare recipients skipped needed healthcare during pandemic
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 21, 2020
Fully 21% of beneficiaries have forgone needed healthcare for something other than COVID-19. Nearly half say they did not want to risk being at a medical facility, according to CMS.
Opt-in COVID vaccine program kicks off; Feds partner with CVS, Walgreens
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 19, 2020
Long-term care facilities nationwide can voluntarily opt in to a free pharmacy partnership program that will provide and administer future COVID-19 vaccines on site, federal officials announced Friday.
Sign-ups start today for feds’ new free COVID-19 vaccine program for nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 19, 2020
Long-term care providers are being urged to participate in a federal vaccination program that would provide COVID-19 vaccines to residents and staff members with no out-of-pocket costs.
Parkinson: 2020 a ‘clinical nightmare and financial disaster’ but ‘we will get back’
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 19, 2020
Long-term care providers entered 2020 thinking it was going to be one of the best years ever for the sector, but their hopes were quickly shattered following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in late...
BREAKING: Feds partner with CVS, Walgreens to provide pending COVID-19 vaccinations to all senior care...
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 16, 2020
Residents and workers of all long-term care settings will receive free vaccinations against the coronavirus onsite under a special public-private partnership with pharmaceutical giants CVS and Walgreens,...
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...