Nursing homes received another quality drubbing last month after the Government Accountability Office revealed that state inspectors often understate deficiencies, including those about malnutrition, bedsores...
Healthcare officials eliminate nursing home assessment protocols
May 29, 2009
It’s a wrap on RAPs. Resident Assessment Protocols (RAPs) will be eliminated under a new assessment regimen in development, an official with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced...
New law eliminates fines for nursing homes that fix problems
May 29, 2009
Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (D) this week enacted a law that eliminates fines against nursing homes that identify and correct health and safety issues on their own accord. The law sets out new rules and guidelines...
Nursing-home study: Inspection system ‘broken and can’t be fixed’
Aug 13, 2008
A leading nursing-home association is calling for an independent panel to come up with new methods for overseeing nursing facilities. The association’s task force issued 31 recommendations Tuesday,...
Initial results of five-star ratings: Nonprofit nursing homes deliver better care, analysis shows
Dec 19, 2008
Nonprofit nursing homes provide a higher quality of care than for-profit facilities, according to an analysis by USA Today of the first ratings of nursing homes by the government’s five-star rating...
CMS lists poor performing nursing homes on consumer Web site
Apr 25, 2008
Federal regulators’ “Nursing Home Compare” Web site now lists facilities that rank in the lowest 10% in quality based on state inspection results, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...
Ask the payment expert
By
Patricia Boyer
May 01, 2008
I understand that many facilities are being cited during state surveys for not following standards of clinical practice. That citation is frequently cross-referenced to the assessment process. What can...
Shame is powerful motivator
By
John O'Connor
Sep 01, 2007
About a decade ago, I wrote a controversial column that offended some readers. In it, I suggested the industry start policing itself by identifying and reprimanding the bad actors in this field, lest the...
CMS to update ‘worst’ nursing home list quarterly, list all names
Feb 13, 2008
All nursing homes on a federal watch list for poor performing facilities will now be publicized on a government Web site, Bush administration officials announced Tuesday.
CMS warns: Medicare therapy caps back in full effect soon
May 23, 2008
A process that shields most nursing home residents from therapy payment caps is set to expire at the end of next month, federal regulators told providers Thursday during a special conference call. Officials...