Next nursing home reform target: Emergency preparedness?
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 02, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may soon intensify its reform agenda focus on emergency planning, one of many areas targeted in President Biden’s 21-point nursing home plan unveiled earlier...
Providers both relieved and angry after CMS changes course on pay rates, extends phase-in period
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 01, 2022
Although many skilled nursing providers let out a sigh of relief after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a 2.7% net pay increase for SNFs in 2023 on Friday, others were still expressing...
Workforce improvement No. 1 target in final OIG report on nursing home pandemic effects
By
Josh Henreckson
Mar 01, 2024
Steep challenges faced by nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic continue to hinder their ability to provide quality care and adequate staffing, according to new report findings from the US Department...
BREAKING: CMS finalizes 2.7% pay raise, two year phase-in for PDPM cuts
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 29, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Friday afternoon announced a finalized cut to nursing home Medicare pay rates for fiscal 2023.
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...
CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
After dry spells, providers get vital Medicaid increases. Now the big fear: Will they be ‘1-and-done’?
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 12, 2023
As Medicaid negotiations successfully continue in various states, worries are already arising about how to sustain increases
The introduction of a Senate bill intended to block the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from implementing its proposed nursing home staffing mandate was met roundly with applause from providers...
Providers tepidly embrace CMS plan to revoke ‘no longer needed’ vax mandate
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 03, 2023
Skilled nursing providers on Tuesday cheered the federal government’s decision to revoke its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.
House committee split raises new questions on nursing home staffing rule’s future
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 01, 2024
Some House lawmakers Tuesday painted their effort to repeal a new nursing home staffing mandate as a bid to ensure access to care and to stake their authority over a rogue regulatory agency at the same...