Providers find few silver linings, stew over minimum staffing demands
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 05, 2023
The initial jolt of the newly proposed nursing home staffing mandate has softened little over the long holiday weekend and now those tasked with making it work — providers — are coming to grips with...
A blow to CMS’s credibility … thank goodness
By
James M. Berklan
Jun 21, 2023
Now that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has blown a hole in its credibility balloon, speculation about a federal staffing mandate can run rampant.
Ending the year with some long-term care gifts and resolutions
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 20, 2022
When many are exchanging gifts and making New Year’s resolutions, I’ve come up with my wish list for key long-term care players and stakeholders.
White House to extend PHE designation through April, reports say
By
James M. Berklan
Nov 14, 2022
The federal government will extend the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration until at least April, according to published reports.
CMS doubles down: Surveyors do not have to be COVID vaccinated
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 07, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has held audiences with skilled nursing providers, made presentations and entertained comments in recent months to assure operators that regulatory actions...
CMS: Phase 3 final guidance imminent, ‘a lot coming’
By
James M. Berklan
Jun 29, 2022
NEW ORLEANS — Nursing home operators can expect long-awaited final guidance on Phase 3 Requirements of Participation “very, very soon,” the federal government’s top skilled nursing official said...
There’s more than one way to park a car — or come into CMS compliance
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 17, 2022
Providers have shown a strong interest in compliance exemptions for the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate lately. Now it gets interesting.
BREAKING: CMS sets new vaccination targets for another 24 states
By
James M. Berklan
Kimberly Marselas
Jan 14, 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Friday that providers in 24 states added to the federal vaccine mandate roster Thursday have until March 15 to become fully vaccinated.
Supreme Court leaves providers to grapple with vaccine mandate, takes other employers off the hook
By
Kimberly Marselas
James M. Berklan
Jan 13, 2022
Nursing home operators were already bracing late Thursday for the fallout of a nationwide staff vaccine mandate, just hours after the Supreme Court ruled a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rule...
BREAKING: CMS vaccine mandate upheld
By
Kimberly Marselas
James M. Berklan
Jan 13, 2022
A vaccine requirement for staff at all U.S. nursing homes and other federally funded healthcare facilities can proceed, the Supreme Court said in a 5-4 decision Thursday afternoon.