CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
[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...
Federal bill returning temporary nurse aide waiver gets new life
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jan 26, 2023
A bill that would allow non-certified nurse aides to work in nursing homes longer than four months has been reintroduced in the House of Representatives.
New nursing home staffing headache? CMS and GAO agree new requirements needed for infection preventionists
By
Joe Bush
Sep 15, 2022
First came the federal requirement that every nursing home must have an infection control preventionist on staff. Now, a government watchdog says that minimum training requirements should be established...
CMS outlines 4-pronged minimum staffing study
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 23, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Monday revealed more details about how it will use nursing home site visits, data and other tools to formulate a minimum staffing standard, one that is meant...
Providers: Staffing rule a CMS ‘fairy tale’ that will ‘exacerbate’ nursing home access issue
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 23, 2024
Despite minor concessions in a staffing mandate issued Monday, many nursing home providers were shell-shocked by what they saw as federal regulators’ intractable stance on minimums at a time when nearly...
Providers tepidly embrace CMS plan to revoke ‘no longer needed’ vax mandate
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 03, 2023
Skilled nursing providers on Tuesday cheered the federal government’s decision to revoke its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.
[Updated] Providers bracing for CMS release of federal nursing home staffing mandate at ‘any time’
By
James M. Berklan
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 31, 2023
Nursing home leaders Wednesday were expecting details of a first-ever federal nursing home staffing mandate to be released at virtually any time.
First NHSN webinar on COVID-19 vaccination reporting changes is Monday
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 22, 2023
The national reporting system for nursing homes to submit COVID-19 vaccination data has set webinar dates to review important changes to the system.
More flexible CMS vaccine mandate enforcement cheers providers
By
Joe Bush
Oct 28, 2022
Nursing home advocates Thursday cheered news that federal regulators are relaxing their instructions to surveyors when checking for staff compliance with a federal vaccine mandate.