COVID pill could prevent 9 in 10 hospitalizations, Pfizer says
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 09, 2021
The antiviral Paxlovid reduced the rate of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 by nearly 90% in a clinical trial. A similar oral antiviral made by Merck currently is under review by the FDA.
Free LTC infection prevention tool from Yale aims to help nursing home staff save time
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 09, 2021
A one-stop set of infection prevention resources is meant to make work a bit easier for direct care providers, administrators, managers and support staff, say the Yale School of Nursing and the New York...
Clinical briefs for Tuesday, Nov. 9
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 09, 2021
CMS to nursing homes: Start reviewing, planning and tracking staff COVID vaccinations now … Study: 9 out of 10 patients left skilled nursing for home during pandemic … New COVID-19 antiviral pills...
CMS urges: Start reviewing, planning and tracking staff COVID vaccinations now
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 08, 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is calling on providers to immediately start reviewing the newly proposed healthcare worker COVID-19 vaccination regulation. They also should actually begin...
Resourceless vaccine rule could have ‘disastrous’ impact on long-term care
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 05, 2021
Long-term care providers fear the federal government’s interim final rule requiring COVID-19 vaccination for all staff at Medicare- and Medicaid-funded facilities could have dire workforce consequences...
Sabra operators eyeing vaccine mandate as workforce threat or recruiting tool
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 05, 2021
While just 40% of operators running facilities in the Sabra Health Care REIT issued a self-imposed COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the company reported on Thursday that 80% of its operators’ overall workforce...
CMS: No test-out option for health worker vax mandate
By
James M. Berklan
Nov 05, 2021
Healthcare workers may seek a medical or religious exemption under the new emergency federal COVID-19 vaccination mandate, but a test opt-out does not exist, a top Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...
BREAKING: CMS says all healthcare staff must be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 04, 2021
Long-term care staff must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4 under a new healthcare worker vaccination rule released early Thursday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
New rule’s 15% pay cuts for therapy assistants called ‘devastating’
By
Danielle Brown
Nov 04, 2021
The day after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule final rule, Industry stakeholders were searching for bright spots. Potentially “devastating” 15%...
Drug pricing reform deal may allow Medicare to negotiate with drug firms for first time
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 04, 2021
The Democrats’ deal also would limit insulin costs and cap annual out-of-pocket spending at $2,000 for seniors. Pharmacy benefit managers would face transparency requirements as well.