Study’s amazing discovery: COVID-19 was not very good for long-term care
By
John O'Connor
Aug 05, 2023
Mama used to say the only good thing about being sick is that you’ll feel better later — if you live.
‘We will not go back’ to early pandemic restriction, CMS leader says
By
Kimberly Marselas
Joe Bush
Oct 17, 2022
Promoting a return to normalcy, a top CMS official said Sunday that nursing homes will not return to the stringent isolation policies of the early pandemic.
Congress should pass this provider-endorsed Medicare bill, and then go further
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 11, 2023
Despite today’s hyper-partisan divisions, there’s one nursing home-focused measure that should be a slam dunk among members of both major political parties.
Providers warned: Ongoing relief fund audits may bring unprecedented info demands
By
Joe Bush
Nov 21, 2022
Provider Relief Fund audits have started in earnest, with the threat of federal investigators demanding more and different data than most skilled nursing providers have ever been asked to account for.
Feds should require full-time infection control specialists at nursing homes, association says
By
Jessica R. Towhey
Jun 20, 2023
The federal government should require a full-time infection preventionist in every nursing home, say leaders of a large ICP association.
States push CMS to repeal COVID-19 vaccine mandate
By
Kimberly Marselas
Lois A. Bowers
Nov 18, 2022
A coalition of 22 states is taking a new angle in its attempts to overturn a national mandate requiring that healthcare workers be vaccinated against COVID-19: They’re simply asking federal regulators...
New patient safety measures imminent as risk of harm evolves: CMS
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 10, 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services remains acutely focused on patient harm and will introduce new measures addressing patient safety later this year, agency leaders said at an event in Baltimore...
A Medicare Advantage fix: What took so long?
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 12, 2024
Providers hoping that policy makers might some day show some backbone when dealing with Medicare Advantage plans can take heart. Well, at least a little.
CMS pledges to use ‘full array’ of tools to enforce 2024 Medicare Advantage rules
By
Josh Henreckson
Jan 12, 2024
Despite early fears, long-term care leaders have some reason to be optimistic that changes to Medicare Advantage rules for 2024 will be enforced.
Medicare Advantage rule finalizes independent appeals process, helping providers ‘stuck in the middle’
By
Josh Henreckson
Apr 08, 2024
A final rule announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Thursday revised the appeals process for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who have been denied coverage. The new rule should be a...