CMS shaves 2022 PPS pay rates to 1.2%, won’t mess with PDPM cuts – for now
By
James M. Berklan
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 30, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced late Thursday that it will delay adjusting Patient Driven Payment Model payment rates until next year. The agency also will give nursing homes just...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced late Thursday that it will delay adjustments to nursing homes’ Patient Driven Payment System pay rates until next year. It also will be giving providers...
Even with PHE extension, providers worry about early demise of nurse aide waiver
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 21, 2021
The ongoing Public Health Emergency extends CMS waivers related to hiring, admissions and assessment practices. But as the agency has already shown, it has the authority to revoke those Section 1135 waivers...
Oh where, oh where have the annual surveys gone?
By
Jessica Curtis
Jul 16, 2021
During the height of the pandemic, annual surveys of skilled nursing facilities understandably skidded to a stop. Flash forward to August 2020, when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services directed...
Already public COVID vaccination data could get high-profile makeover as pressure mounts
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 16, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is facing pressure to publicize nursing home COVID-19 vaccination data in a more consumer-friendly manner.
Feds called on to adopt less restrictive provider fire and life safety codes
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 15, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is being urged to adopt an updated life safety code regulation after providers warned the edition slated to go into effect could cause “unnecessary nursing...
CMS surprises with therapy pay levels in 2022 Medicare physician fee rule
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 14, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services pleasantly surprised long-term care therapy providers with several parts of the new 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule that it released Tuesday.
Clinical briefs for Thursday, July 8
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 08, 2021
New CMS Medicare chief was health system exec, former HHS health reform director … More falls may occur in SNFs after admitting residents with existing cognitive decline: study … New health benefits...
CMS per-incident penalties for providers soar — and could be headed higher
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 01, 2021
The total amount of fines the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has collected through per-incident penalties has increased more than eight-fold from 2016 to 2020, and the figure is projected to...
Only 4 states have hit 75 percent LTC staff vaccination goal, new CMS data reveal
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 30, 2021
States that have achieved the industry’s June 30 goal are Hawaii, Vermont, Alaska and California, with staff member vaccination rates ranging from 83% to 75%. By contrast, the lowest-ranked state...