NEW YORK — The New York State Department of Health has come under fire for its perceived soft enforcement of fines against nursing homes.
Life Care must face trial in 2 of nation’s earliest COVID deaths
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jan 31, 2023
Life Care Centers of America and one of its operating partners must face a wrongful death trial for alleged lapses in protocol at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a federal judge ruled Friday.
No time to file CMP waiver? CMS rule could grant providers 35% relief anyway.
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 18, 2019
Even as complaint-based investigations tick up, federal regulators this week proposed several regulatory changes that would make it easier for skilled nursing providers to handle complaints and limit penalties....
What nursing homes can learn from a ‘troubling’ court decision on sexual consent
By
Marty Stempniak
Dec 18, 2018
Navigating the nuances of nursing home resident sexual encounters has to be an extremely difficult proposition for administrators, and things just got a little thornier after a recent court ruling. The...
CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
Supreme Court levels the playing field for SNFs
By
Alan C. Horowitz, Esq., RN
May 01, 2023
As part of its survey process, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is authorized to take several enforcement actions, including but not limited to imposing civil money penalties (CMP), denials...
Providers call for broader antipsychotic exclusions to help reduce schizophrenia diagnoses
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 31, 2023
Providers and quality experts are questioning why the agency hasn’t done more to review its quality measure for antipsychotic drug use.
CMS posts alleged deficiencies on Nursing Home Care Compare
By
Alan C. Horowitz, Esq., RN
Jan 25, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services conveys its policies (and directives) through its Quality, Safety & Oversight (QSO) memos. On Jan. 18, 2023, CMS announced that beginning on Jan. 25, 2023,...
‘Unfair’ posting of disputed citations will tarnish operators: experts
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jan 19, 2023
The decision to post disputed nursing home citations on a government website for consumers riled providers and legal experts Wednesday.
Surveyors haven’t dropped the hammer on new nursing home arbitration rules, but threats persist
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 08, 2024
Two years after surveyors began enforcing new arbitration rules, they have not pursued skilled nursing operators with the vigor some expected.