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.
LTC, other providers embrace new vaccine mandate that covers all healthcare workers
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 10, 2021
President Joe Biden’s administration on Thursday expanded its federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate to all healthcare settings — instead of singling out nursing homes — and industry advocates immediately...
CMS provides glimpse into potential vaccine mandate enforcement
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 26, 2021
Providers who fail to quickly comply with a forthcoming federal staff vaccine mandate likely won’t be stripped immediately of their Medicare and Medicaid program eligibility, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...
Medicare nursing home residents more likely to be diagnosed, hospitalized and die from COVID-19 than...
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 25, 2021
Despite nursing home residents accounting for just 2% of the Medicare population, the group is disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 when compared to community beneficiaries, according to preliminary...
It’s time to put up or shut up on vaccine mandates
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 20, 2021
Will Wednesday’s White House announcement that COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandated for nursing home employees be a dealbreaker? It depends.
Panel on non-invasive ventilation seeks to simplify ‘maze’ of regulation for device coverage
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 20, 2021
Recommendations aimed at expediting CMS coverage determinations for non-invasive ventilation devices could help ensure that LTCF residents and others get quick access to lifesaving treatments.
Zimmet warns: PDPM ‘reprieve’ could mean 10 percent cuts next year
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 12, 2021
Providers basking in what appeared to be a major bright spot of the 2022 SNF PPS final pay rule still have plenty to be worried about, one of the industry’s leading payment experts warned Wednesday.
CMS: Providers themselves hold the key to regulators’ ultimate PDPM decision
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 06, 2021
Provider comments will be vital in determining the fate of potential pay adjustments to the Patient Driven Payment Model, federal health officials said Thursday.
CMS keeping ‘cards close to their chest’ on PDPM pay cuts: expert
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 02, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ decision to hold off adjusting Patient Driven Payment Model payment rates could be the agency’s way of “playing their cards close to their chest” as...
Higher nursing home fines expected after CMS returns to per-day penalties
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 02, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is no longer issuing fines to nursing homes solely on a per-instance basis, reversing 2017 guidance issued under the Trump administration.