No BinaxNOW despite ‘red’ zone designation? Contact HHS, federal testing czar says
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 06, 2020
Eldercare facility operators who believe they are qualified but have not yet received shipments of BinaxNOW Ag Card tests for COVID-19 may email the agency at a dedicated address, Adm. Brett Giroir said...
Mandated COVID-19 testing for surveyors, ombudsmen ‘under active consideration’: HHS official
By
Danielle Brown
Oct 06, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service is currently investigating whether it should require surveyors and ombudsmen to be subject to similar COVID-19 testing mandates as nursing home workers, a top...
Current COVID-19 testing requirements and costs ‘unsustainable,’ LTC operator warns
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 10, 2020
Even with additional testing resources from the federal government, nursing home operators say current costs combined with new surveillance requirements are unsustainable.
HHS authorizes state-licensed pharmacists to order, administer COVID-19 vaccines
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 10, 2020
Qualified pharmacists serving long-term care facilities will now be able to administer COVID-19 vaccines to residents and staff members once the serum is ready, under new guidance announced Wednesday by...
BREAKING: HHS reveals provider incentive plan for remaining $2 billion in relief funding
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 03, 2020
The Department of Health and Human Services announced it will use infection and mortality rates to determine nursing home incentive pay when distributing a previously announced $2 billion Provider Relief...
HHS details how to allocate latest $2.5B in relief funding
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 31, 2020
Nursing home operators received additional detail on how much control they’ll have over their portion of the $2.5 billion in coronavirus relief funding released to them last week.
Feds to release next $2.5 billion, 1.5 million N95 masks to nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 27, 2020
The federal government is shipping 1.5 million N95 respirators from the national stockpile to nursing homes reporting supply shortages.
All nursing homes should have POC testing devices by end of September
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 27, 2020
About 5,600 point-of-care testing devices have been shipped to nursing homes so far, a top federal official revealed this week.
Clinical Briefs for Tuesday, May 26
By
Alicia Lasek
May 25, 2020
HHS announces $4.9 billion fund for skilled nursing pandemic efforts; senior living gets $0 … Data on COVID-19 in nursing homes is key to stopping spread; race a factor in facility outbreaks: expert...
Provider groups push for RAC reform
By
John Hall
Feb 06, 2015
Hospital industry groups said Thursday they’d rather the government reform the Recovery Audit Contractor program than simply throw more money at fixing an onerous backlog of more than 800,000 Medicare...