SNFs have advantage with new provider relief funds, one key is filing early
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 13, 2021
Skilled nursing facilities should have the advantage against other healthcare providers in getting much needed additional COVID-19 relief funds being made available by the Department of Health and Human...
New CMS guidance allows focused COVID testing during outbreak investigations
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 13, 2021
Updated guidance released Friday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gives nursing homes more options for conducting a COVID-19 outbreak investigation after a positive test occurs.
BREAKING: HHS releases $25.5 billion in additional provider relief funds
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 10, 2021
Providers can begin applying for their share of an additional $25.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funds starting Sept. 29, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday morning.
BREAKING: Feds expand COVID vaccine mandate to all healthcare workers
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 09, 2021
Staff in all Medicare- and Medicaid-certified facilities will soon be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Thursday afternoon.
BREAKING: 16,000 COVID deaths missed in nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 09, 2021
More than 16,000 COVID-19 deaths and 68,000 cases among nursing home residents nationwide were omitted from federal data after officials made it optional for providers to submit some information during...
U.S. lawmakers ramp up scrutiny of FDA following agency’s approval of controversial Alzheimer’s drug
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 07, 2021
The FDA is being asked to help explain how Aduhelm (aducanumab) met accelerated approval criteria when so many experts — including internal advisers — have flagged insufficient safety and efficacy...
NAMS updates guidance for managing osteoporosis in older women
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 07, 2021
Lifelong treatment is required to keep osteoporosis under control in post-menopausal women, and hormone therapy is often the best choice to prevent further bone loss, according to the North American Menopause...
MedPAC presents alternatives for measuring performance in unified post-acute incentive program
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 07, 2021
A congressional advisory panel tasked with developing a unified post-acute value incentive program is struggling with how to set fair benchmarks across healthcare settings, given differences in patient...
Increases in non-COVID infections ‘wipe out’ decade of progress
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 03, 2021
The CDC’s new report of a spike in healthcare associated infections is alarming, says the nation’s leading infection control group. One bright spot for nursing homes: CDC found no increase in Clostridium...
SNF residents avoid repeat hospitalization with nurse-led heart failure program
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 03, 2021
Sixty days after admission, patients in the disease management program had a lower composite rate of rehospitalization, ED visits or mortality when compared with their peers who had usual care. The program...