Whistleblower loses appeal to pocket more of $45M nursing home settlement
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Nov 09, 2023
A nursing home whistleblower who prevailed in a $45 million case against the facilities’ owners lost his appeal when the government rejected his argument that the judgment wasn’t big enough.
Senators call on CMS to end push for mandatory staffing in nursing homes
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jan 24, 2023
A bipartisan group of US senators representing rural states is calling on the Biden administration to halt its plan to mandate staffing levels in nursing homes, saying it’s the wrong step to take as...
Coalition finalizing action plans to improve nursing homes based on National Academies report
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jul 10, 2023
More than a year after a national report condemned nursing homes for not providing the kind of safe and caring environments residents require, a coalition is readying nine action plans to address inadequacies. ...
Doctors in Congress working on Medicare payment fix
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jan 23, 2023
The unofficial Doctors Caucus in the US House of Representatives thinks the time is right to overhaul Medicare payments to physicians, which could lead to a boost in provider pay.
Head of collapsed Skyline empire gets another reprieve in federal court
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Nov 07, 2023
The owner of a fast-rising and even faster-falling nursing home empire has been granted a temporary reprieve in federal court.
Rare nursing home sessions on grief, isolation seek solutions for patients, staff
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Feb 06, 2023
A rare series of structured conversations on bereavement and grief in nursing homes is revealing key insights into the emotional, physical and psychological trauma of repeated loss experienced by residents...
Bad federal and state responses paved way for nursing homes’ sad pandemic outcomes, Harvard researcher...
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Aug 22, 2023
The national response to the pandemic failed to protect residents — and their caregivers — emphasized a prominent healthcare policy researcher Monday.
38 nursing homes agree to stop denying admissions to patients being treated for opioid use
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Sep 25, 2023
Three Pennsylvania nursing homes and four provider groups operating numerous facilities have agreed to comply with an order from the state attorney general to admit individuals managing opioid use disorder.
Provider orgs caution finalized physician rule would be ‘existential threat’ to patient care
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Sep 11, 2023
A plan to cut doctors’ pay and bring more clinical oversight into nursing homes will decrease patient care and therapy, groups are warning.
Feds should require full-time infection control specialists at nursing homes, association says
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jun 20, 2023
The federal government should require a full-time infection preventionist in every nursing home, say leaders of a large ICP association.