Texas skilled nursing providers in May got their first increase in the Medicaid base rate in 10 years, along with supplemental funding to help providers stay afloat until that new rate kicks in this September.
MedPAC members rip ‘brute force test’ of staffing mandate, ponder consequences and possible gaming
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 06, 2023
A key Congressional advisory panel expressed deep skepticism Thursday over the proposed federal nursing home staffing mandate and whether it would address ongoing quality concerns in the post-acute care...
Nursing home staff, others fear CDC revisions to airborne transmission guidelines
By
Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News
Mar 21, 2024
Workers worry that the CDC is repeating past mistakes as it develops a crucial set of guidelines that hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, and other facilities that provide health care will apply to control...
[UPDATED] CMS issues first-ever nursing home staffing mandate
By
James M. Berklan
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 01, 2023
US nursing homes would have at least three years to provide a minimum of 0.55 hours of care by a registered nurse and 2.45 hours by a nurse aide per resident day under a first-ever proposed federal staffing...
Is pay pain reaching its peak after another year of impressive wage growth?
By
Kimberly Marselas
Nov 11, 2022
After a two-year stretch in which nursing homes’ largest employee group made salary gains approaching 20%, relief for cash-strapped providers may be in sight, even if far on the horizon.
The carrot vs. the stick
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 06, 2022
As many states have moved to tighten regulations in lockstep with the federal focus on nursing home reform, there’s often been an unexpected guest at the negotiating table.
Threat of devastating ‘bad debt’ grows as nursing home billing offices flounder
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 18, 2023
Unheard of staffing shortages in nursing home billing offices are leading to billing lapses and major uncollectible or ‘bad’ debt amounts. A $4 million case in Connecticut is fueling observers’ concerns...
Even as prevalence shrinks, PE chaos tarnishes nursing home sector
By
Kimberly Marselas
Dec 05, 2023
The plight of a private-equity backed, multi-state nursing home chain demonstrates the ugly challenges operators could face as officials ratchet up regulatory and transparency pressures and large-scale...
Physical therapy defections add another challenge to nursing home staffing
By
Mark Kreidler, KFF Health News
Nov 29, 2023
There’s a shortage of physical therapists in all settings, including hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes, and it’s likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
2022 McKnight’s Tech Awards + Summit shines
By
Kimberly Marselas
Dec 05, 2022
Following another year in which COVID-19 and staffing shortages forced skilled nursing operators to innovate, the McKnight’s Excellence in Technology Awards drew a record number of entries.