Omicron variant, lack of booster prioritization could haunt SNFs as occupancy dips
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 10, 2021
Skilled nursing occupancy declined in September, weeks before the omicron variant of COVID-19 arrived and further threatened the industry’s recovery.
Long-term care providers get help from National Guard
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 06, 2021
Providers in New York and Minnesota are receiving additional help from National Guard forces to aid with severe staffing shortages amid worries about the omicron variant.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will not be enforcing its rule requiring healthcare workers at Medicare- and Medicaid-certified facilities to be vaccinated against COVID-19 while preliminary...
Staffing crunch leads to major investments, union wins
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 03, 2021
Long-term care workers in several regions are in line for significant wage increases after employees received substantial pledges from their respective operators.
CMS guidance on healthcare worker rule stuck amid legal challenges
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 02, 2021
Further guidance on the federal government’s healthcare worker COVID-19 vaccine rule that was expected to be issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services within the next two weeks could be...
Judge slaps nationwide freeze on healthcare worker COVID vax mandate
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 01, 2021
A Louisiana federal judge on Tuesday granted a preliminary injunction against the Biden administration’s mandate that says all healthcare workers involved in the Medicare or Medicaid programs must be...
National Guard a ‘short-term’ solution to a long-term LTC staffing problem, leader says
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 01, 2021
Long-term care providers in New York may soon get staffing reinforcement after Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Monday announced that the state is prepared to deploy National Guard members to help nursing homes...
Lack of PPE, outbreaks limited hospitals’ ability to discharge residents to SNFs: study
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 01, 2021
Skilled nursing facilities were “severely limited” during the early COVID-19 surge after a study found that a Massachusetts hospital referred just 10% of post-acute discharges to SNFs following a stay,...
Providers must make COVID booster shots available to all residents: governor
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 30, 2021
Long-term care providers should have no problem complying with a new emergency order issued by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) requiring facilities to provide access COVID-19 booster shot access to all...
Not so fast: 10 states suing CMS over healthcare worker vax mandate
By
James M. Berklan
Nov 12, 2021
Despite many legal analysts’ view that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ healthcare worker vaccination mandate will clear legal muster, a group of 10 states have filed suit to stop it.