BREAKING: CMS issues new guidance, opening up nursing home visitation
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 17, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued new guidance for visitation in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Providers ‘very encouraged’ after meeting with CMS leader on nursing home reform
By
Danielle Brown
James M. Berklan
Mar 30, 2022
After initial dismay upon hearing the administration’s strategies for sweeping new nursing home reform plans last month, providers were more optimistic after meeting with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...
New COVID staffing study points to improved paradigm for SNFs against outbreaks
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 15, 2021
More is not always better, especially when talking about the number of employees in a nursing home trying to battle infectious outbreaks such as COVID-19, or even less dangerous annual influenza strains.
White House message on COVID-19 bivalent booster: ‘Don’t wait’
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Dec 12, 2022
Getting the updated bivalent COVID-19 booster is the single most important thing that older adults can do to protect their health, COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha, MD, MPH, said during a White...
UPDATED: Healthcare worker vaccine mandate back on for 26 states
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 16, 2021
Long-term care providers in 26 states will still have to comply with a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate after a federal appeals court on Wednesday reversed a nationwide block against the rule.
BREAKING: Feds increase COVID-19 funding dedicated to nursing homes to nearly $10 billion
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 22, 2020
The administration will be more than doubling funding dedicated directly to nursing homes to fight the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to an additional $5 billion announced by President Trump at a briefing...
Wait-and-see staffing rule exemptions meant to ‘safeguard’ residents: CMS
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 25, 2024
Skilled nursing providers will not have to go through a stand-alone application process to be exempted from provisions of a new federal staffing mandate, an official with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...
BREAKING: CMS increases hours to 3.48 in final staffing rule
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 22, 2024
Nursing homes will be required to deliver 3.48 hours daily of direct patient care under a final staffing mandate issued this morning.
Nurse ratios to drop
Apr 01, 2008
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) issued a mandate last month to lower the ratio of nurses to residents in nursing homes.
Feds’ ‘dramatic expansion’ of telehealth widens payment coverage; HIPAA rules are relaxed for COVID-19
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 18, 2020
The federal government removed Medicare restrictions for telehealth coverage nationwide Tuesday while also temporarily relaxing HIPAA obligations for providers. The latter opens the door for doctors’...