BREAKING: Feds: Nursing homes must test staff, offer residents COVID-19 testing under new rules
By
James M. Berklan
Danielle Brown
Aug 25, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced sweeping regulatory changes Tuesday afternoon for nursing homes and other providers dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks.
CMS to deliver ‘point-of-care’ COVID-19 test kits to all nursing homes
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 14, 2020
Thousands of nursing homes across the country will be given “point of care” COVID-19 tests by the administration starting next week, officials announced Tuesday.
New CMS vaccination reporting mandate could drive nursing homes to reach 75% staff goal
By
Danielle Brown
May 12, 2021
Providers say they are onboard with a new COVID-19 vaccination reporting mandate announced by federal health officials on Tuesday — calling the additional transparency “critical” for the industry...
Nursing homes face threats of citations, penalties if they restrict visitor access without good cause
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 18, 2020
Providers who fail to facilitate in-person visitations “without a reasonable clinical or safety cause” could be cited and face other penalties under new guidance issued Thursday by the Centers for...
Nursing homes with staffing shortages more susceptible to COVID-19 spread: study
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 13, 2020
Facilities with higher Five-star ratings for nurse staffing were less likely to have COVID-19 cases when compared with lower-rated providers, according to a new research letter published in the Journal...
CMS now using 14 days of data to calculate COVID-19 county positivity rate; HHS could improve nursing...
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 23, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid has modified its methodology used for classifying county-level COVID-19 data that determines how often nursing homes will have to test staff members for the disease.
BREAKING: CMS announces details of ‘unprecedented’ national nursing home training program...
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 25, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced details of “unprecedented” training for nursing homes Tuesday morning to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Opponents of the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers are pursuing two fresh pathways to defeat it. Both challenges cite the pandemic’s current, less critical stage...
BREAKING: CMS resumes routine inspections for nursing home providers
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 17, 2020
After nearly five months, federal officials disclosed Monday that they are resuming routine inspections for all Medicare- and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers.
QIOs uncertain how newly announced CMS plans will help many nursing homes
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 16, 2020
QIOs and major provider organizations were caught off-guard by CMS’s declaration that expansive help would be provided to facilities across the country.