‘This could have been a nightmare’ — evacuation plan succeeds during LTC facility’s gas disaster
By
Marty Stempniak
Jan 28, 2019
A Rhode Island provider is thanking its lucky stars that it had practiced evacuation drills after a recent loss of heat forced the facility to activate an emergency plan.
Grassley joins the chorus of lawmakers demanding answers on nursing home ‘oversight failures’
By
Marty Stempniak
Sep 21, 2018
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a former chairman of the Special Committee on Aging and a long-time nursing home watchdog, has become the latest federal lawmaker to zero in on whether the federal government...
CMS proposes changes to help bolster Medicaid managed care; providers see a mixed bag
By
Marty Stempniak
Nov 09, 2018
The federal government is proposing “significant” changes to private Medicaid plans that it hopes will relieve regulatory burdens and allow states more flexibility. Skilled care providers, however,...
Gardening therapy blooms with provider-vendor pact
By
Marty Stempniak
Jun 08, 2018
A Long Island nursing home is the latest in the field to partner with a Seattle startup based nearly 3,000 miles away to use gardening as a remedy for its residents. Parker Jewish Institute of New Hyde...
Former HHS chief: Nursing homes playing a part in Medicare ‘drifting toward disaster’
By
Marty Stempniak
Jan 17, 2019
A former secretary of Health and Human Services and Utah governor believes Medicare is “drifting toward disaster,” requiring immediate attention from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
SNF workers say they’ll strike if $40M isn’t added to the state’s budget
By
Marty Stempniak
Apr 17, 2019
About 2,500 skilled nursing facility workers from across Connecticut say they are prepared to go on strike, unless the governor adds millions into the budget for the field.
Nursing facility fines down by nearly a third since Trump took office
By
Marty Stempniak
Mar 18, 2019
Nursing facilities have seen their fines drop by about 31% during the Trump administration, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis, released on Friday.
CMS grants skilled nursing $820 million raise in final payment rule
By
Marty Stempniak
Aug 01, 2018
As anticipated, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued its final rule for paying skilled nursing providers on Tuesday. Providers will see an $820 million raise for fiscal 2019, which begins...
Nursing home stakeholders fire back at Medicare ‘drifting toward disaster’ claims
By
Marty Stempniak
Jan 18, 2019
Provider advocates came out swinging Thursday over a McKnight’s story relaying a former government official’s claims that nursing homes share the blame in Medicare’s alleged “drifting toward disaster.”
Provider claims victory in ‘blockbuster’ battle with state regulators
By
Marty Stempniak
Oct 26, 2018
A Maryland skilled care provider has settled a long-running court dispute with state officials, agreeing to halt operations and pay back a small portion of what state regulators had originally sought.