CMS urges: Start reviewing, planning and tracking staff COVID vaccinations now
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 08, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is calling on providers to immediately start reviewing the newly proposed healthcare worker COVID-19 vaccination regulation. They also should actually begin...
CMS: No test-out option for health worker vax mandate
By
James M. Berklan
Nov 05, 2021
Healthcare workers may seek a medical or religious exemption under the new emergency federal COVID-19 vaccination mandate, but a test opt-out does not exist, a top Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...
BREAKING: CMS says all healthcare staff must be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 04, 2021
Long-term care staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 under a new healthcare worker vaccination rule released early Thursday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Survey: Short-stay residents want more help with meds, clinician connections upon discharge
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 03, 2021
Fully 80% of respondents said they received and understood their discharge instructions. But at least two-thirds would have liked more help with their medication regimen, physician referrals, and other...
BREAKING: CMS finalizes therapy pay cuts in 2022 Physician Pay Rule, and extends COVID reporting period
By
Danielle Brown
James M. Berklan
Nov 02, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized a 15% payment reduction for physical and occupational therapy assistants, and extended temporary telehealth services added to Medicare during the...
Nursing homes’ infection control oversight still called feds’ No. 1 problem
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 28, 2021
A federal watchdog agency remains hot on its investigation of nursing homes’ compliance with infection control regulations — and how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services oversees their progress.
Expect ‘explosion’ of operator partnerships to follow COVID-fueled collaboration, experts say
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 28, 2021
COVID-19 has accelerated partnerships in long-term care, but experts predict the industry is likely to see even more dramatic merger activity as providers realize the benefits of shared leadership, clinical...
New guidance affirms providers’ right to reject religious exemptions for COVID vaccinations due to...
By
Danielle Brown
James M. Berklan
Oct 27, 2021
Long-term care providers shouldn’t read too much into updated COVID-19 vaccination guidance on religious exemptions released this week by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to...
Resizing operations an option for providers struggling to rebound
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 27, 2021
COVID-19’s severe impact on the long-term care industry has forced many providers to resize operations while they weather the storm — but the key to succeeding depends on how well operators know their...
With Phase 3 guidance nearing, skilled nursing providers advised ‘don’t wait’ on infection preventionist,...
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 22, 2021
Final, long-awaited guidance related to nursing home Requirements of Participation may soon be here. The rules were fundamentally rewritten and implemented in three phases starting in 2016 but still have...