Providers on $523M in COVID-19 incentive payments: ‘A testament to the perseverance and commitment...
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 08, 2020
More than two-thirds of eligible nursing homes will receive incentive payments this week for successfully reducing COVID-related infections and deaths between September and October.
99% of SNFs have signed up for federal coronavirus vaccine program
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 19, 2020
Nearly all of the nation’s more than 15,000 nursing homes have opted into the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution program that would provide the medication to long-term care facilities...
Feds now expanding distribution of BinaxNOW test kits to ‘green’ counties
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 17, 2020
Nursing homes in areas that have low COVID-19 positivity rates are now receiving additional rapid testing options from the federal government for the first time, according to a top health official.
AMDA to feds: Delay antibody treatment in nursing homes, engage LTC medical directors
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 09, 2020
“This is the right therapy, but it needs more study … and it needs engaged medical director oversight and supervision,” says AMDA’s Executive Director Chris Laxton. Emergency approval of COVID...
‘Supply far exceeds demands’: Feds deliver 7.3 million more rapid COVID-19 tests to nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 27, 2020
The federal government has delivered about 7.3 million Abbott BinaxNOW rapid tests to nursing homes across the country, a top health official announced Monday. Supply “far exceeds demands from nursing...
‘We want more tests, not less’: HHS doubles down on COVID antigen testing
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 27, 2020
Testing is critical to keeping the coronavirus in check in long-term care facilities as U.S. case counts trend back upward, said Adm. Brett Giroir, M.D. Federal agencies continue to deliver antigen tests...
HHS updates Provider Relief Fund reporting requirements
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 26, 2020
The federal government is no longer limiting providers’ use of Provider Relief Funds for covering lost revenue due to the coronavirus, according to an updated memo issued late last week.
Sign-ups start today for feds’ new free COVID-19 vaccine program for nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 19, 2020
Long-term care providers are being urged to participate in a federal vaccination program that would provide COVID-19 vaccines to residents and staff members with no out-of-pocket costs.
States prohibiting point-of-care COVID-19 testing devices face trouble, HHS warns
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 13, 2020
States that prohibit long-term care providers from using rapid, point-of-care antigen testing devices are in violation of federal law and could face serious consequences from public health authorities,...
Stop antigen testing in skilled nursing facilities, Nevada tells operators
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 09, 2020
Nursing facilities in Nevada have been ordered to stop using COVID-19 rapid antigen tests due to apparent diagnostic inaccuracies. Health officials say they will gather more data before issuing updated...