Research supports COVID-19 booster shot mandates for SNF workers
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 01, 2022
With the prospect of new strains of the COVID-19 virus looming, researchers are making a case for states to impose vaccination booster shot mandates on nursing home employees.
Providers brace for new 5-Star era
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 19, 2019
Highly anticipated changes to the federal Five-Star Quality Rating System for nursing homes are set to kick in Wednesday, which is when a freeze on survey results will expire
Also in the News for Wednesday, July 5
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 05, 2023
Proposed task force would advise Congress, the White House on how to address nursing shortage … LTC staff struggled, had ‘notable difficulties’ in providing palliative care during pandemic … Home...
Officials: More additions and rebasings of nursing home ratings to come
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 23, 2015
Nearly one-third of the nation’s skilled nursing facilities lost a rating star due purely to administrative changes Friday, when regulators also emphasized that more quality measures will be added...
Trump wants masks on all nursing home workers, temperature checks for all, and separate COVID-19 units
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 03, 2020
Jarred by the rapid spread of COVID-19 among fragile nursing home residents, the Trump administration on Thursday issued a new set of “critical recommendations” to operators and their governing entities.
BREAKING: CMS nursing home staffing mandate in question after study leaks
By
James M. Berklan
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 29, 2023
The accidental online posting Tuesday afternoon of a study commissioned by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services seems to indicate that the White House’s grand plans for a first-ever nursing home...
CMS drops ‘enormous’ MDS changes in surprise move
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 06, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services surprised nursing home operators Friday by quietly posting a draft of updated Minimum Data Set specifications.
[UPDATED] BREAKING: CMS proposes 4.1 percent nursing homes pay boost; staffing minimum not addressed
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 29, 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Thursday proposed a 4.1% pay increase for nursing homes in fiscal 2025 but declined to issue an update on its staffing minimum proposal as part of its annual...
Show them the money? No, give them more staff: McKnight’s survey reveals nursing home leaders’ new...
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 09, 2021
The depth of the staffing crisis in nursing homes around the U.S. can be summarized in one observation: Far more industry leaders now say adding staff would improve their personal job satisfaction more...
Skilled nursing angst, grit emerge after PHE end date announced
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 01, 2023
Nursing home leaders were scrambling to understand the full implications of the newly announced end to the public health emergency while also making plans to fight the return of some less flexible conditions.