Meet Kurt Merkelz, MD, 2024 McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards ‘Setting the Standard’ honoree
By
Jessica R. Towhey
May 09, 2024
Kurt Merkelz, MD, led the recent standardization of best practices throughout Compassus through the development of tools and procedures built into the organization’s interoperability platform. This effort...
New Supreme Court term has major implications for long-term care
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Oct 05, 2023
Three cases before the US Supreme Court this term could have significant repercussions for the long-term care sector, including how much authority federal agencies have to create and enforce regulations...
DEA appears ready to allow some providers expanded telehealth prescribing rights
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Aug 09, 2023
The US Drug Enforcement Agency will consider relaxing its rules on prescribing controlled substances via telehealth appointments, a move that could ease concerns of long-term care providers administering...
State weighing ‘living wage’ for all nursing home workers
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Mar 01, 2023
Companion bills moving through the Massachusetts House and Senate would require that MassHealth — the state’s Medicaid program — reimburse facilities enough to pay all employees a “living wage.”
Bill would require 2 annual nursing home inspections but advocates say it won’t improve quality
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Feb 08, 2023
Legislation moving through the Arizona state senate would privatize nursing home surveys and double the number of annual inspections, a shift that sector advocates said would jack up costs and not improve...
State’s nursing homes headed for terrible trifecta of fines, admissions freezes, Medicaid repayment
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Feb 14, 2023
A nursing home staffing mandate is a “death sentence” for facilities that could soon owe tens of millions of dollars in noncompliance fines in Rhode Island, according to a top advocate there.
State creates nursing home ownership transparency rules ahead of federal action
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jul 18, 2023
Connecticut has new transparency rules for nursing home owners and will require a “plain language” explanation of how Medicaid rates are set.
AHCA battles ‘crisis’ with new long-term care job education campaign
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jan 12, 2023
Nursing homes’ largest advocacy group on Wednesday launched a national campaign to boost hiring in the face of an unprecedented worker shortage that is curtailing capacity and threatening the ability...
Lawmakers pass on increasing nursing home staffing minimums but hike transparency requirements
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jun 20, 2023
Connecticut’s nursing home owners will be required to disclose ties to private equity companies or real estate investment trusts under new state rules.
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.