With omicron spreading fast, officials implore nursing home providers to push COVID-19 booster shots
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 07, 2022
The surgeon general and CMS administrator Brooks-LaSure urged providers to “cut through the noise” about vaccines as outbreaks increase across facilities. Less than 28% of staff have gotten...
November 1: Will you be ready?
By
David Lashar
Sep 12, 2014
This year, it is the day after Halloween that might be scary. On November 1, prescribers, pharmacies and facilities in the long-term-care industry must cease the transmission of electronic medication orders...
Connecting the hospice compliance dots
By
Debbie Newsholme, CCEP, CHC
Mar 23, 2015
If someone asked you if your hospice was compliant with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Office of Inspector General’s Effective Compliance Program Guidance for Hospice, what would you tell them?
Nursing homes fire back after CMS warning about ‘exploitative’ debt-collection practices
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 12, 2022
A warning letter sent late last week by federal regulators about nursing home debt collection practices was overblown and obscured another significant problem, nursing home operations experts said over...
Providers prepare for new vaccine threats as mandate officially sunsets
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 03, 2023
The end of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccine healthcare worker mandate arrives Saturday, and with it new costly concerns as well.
Ending the year with some long-term care gifts and resolutions
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 20, 2022
When many are exchanging gifts and making New Year’s resolutions, I’ve come up with my wish list for key long-term care players and stakeholders.
When CMS follows through on a commitment
By
James M. Berklan
Jun 30, 2023
Well, we certainly can’t say the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services always misses with its promises.
Projected Medicare Advantage growth to bring more provider headaches, more congressional scrutiny
By
Joe Bush
Oct 05, 2022
Several large insurance providers are expanding their Medicare Advantage plans to new states and hundreds more counties, effective in 2023, adding pressure on skilled nursing operators as enrollment booms.
Debating the obscure parts of the final rule
Sep 30, 2016
If misery loves company, take comfort in knowing many of your long-term care colleagues are doing the same thing this week.
Nursing homes weigh pros, cons of new weight loss drugs as limited Medicare coverage kicks in
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 22, 2024
A recent decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to cover popular new weight loss drugs that provide additional health benefits could be a “game changer” for potentially thousands...