Biden Medicare regulations favor hospitals over skilled nursing facilities
By
Lisa Grabert
Jun 02, 2021
On an annual basis, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services updates various payment systems within the Traditional (fee-for-service) Medicare program. This regulatory season is more entertaining than...
Providers welcome ‘strong choice’ Brooks-LaSure as CMS administrator following confirmation
By
Danielle Brown
May 26, 2021
Long-term care stakeholders said they’re eager to work with the next administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid after she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.
BREAKING: Brooks-LaSure approved as permanent CMS head
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 25, 2021
Chiquita Brooks-LaSure was confirmed as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by the U.S. Senate Tuesday morning. Her nomination was approved 55-44 with four yes votes from Republicans,...
CMS: Surveyors looking for education, not expertise, under COVID-19 vaccine rule that starts today
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 21, 2021
Nursing homes will not be expected to turn their staff members into vaccine experts under a new rule that requires all workers to be offered COVID-19 shots and to be educated about them, a federal official...
CMS: Educate, vaccinate and be ready to prove it
By
Danielle Brown
May 14, 2021
Nursing home operators must be ready to prove they provided education and offered both residents and staff the COVID-19 vaccine once enforcement of a new interim rule begins next month.
New CMS vaccination reporting mandate could drive nursing homes to reach 75% staff goal
By
Danielle Brown
May 12, 2021
Providers say they are onboard with a new COVID-19 vaccination reporting mandate announced by federal health officials on Tuesday — calling the additional transparency “critical” for the industry...
BREAKING: New CMS rule requires LTC providers to report weekly COVID vaccine data, which will be made...
By
Danielle Brown
May 11, 2021
Long-term care facilities will be required to report weekly data on COVID-19 vaccination status for both residents and staff, and it will be made public, under a new federal rule released Tuesday.
CMS now offering cognitive, mood assessment training for SNF providers
By
Alicia Lasek
May 10, 2021
The training includes four virtual, on-demand courses that give providers an overview of key clinical considerations for performing these assessments in the nursing home setting, the agency announced.
‘High stakes’ as providers still face brisk infection control surveys, brace for return of standard...
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 10, 2021
Nursing homes across the country are still being hit with near-routine Focused Infection Control surveys, nine months after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that surveyors should...
CMS must refine data on antipsychotic drug use in nursing homes, OIG says
By
Alicia Lasek
May 07, 2021
The Minimum Data Set should not be CMS’ sole source for determining the number of nursing home residents using antipsychotic drugs, according to a new report from HHS’ Office of the Inspector General.