Latest federal mandate denial sets stage for possible Supreme Court appeal
By
Kimberly Marselas
Dec 15, 2021
The battle over a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers is primed for its Supreme Court debut, now that a federal appeals court has ruled a temporary injunction should remain in place.
What long-term care operators are doing to comply with federal vaccination rule by first deadline
By
Danielle Brown
Kimberly Marselas
Nov 11, 2021
It’s all hands on deck as long-term care operators quickly develop implementation plans to comply with the new federal COVID-19 vaccination rule for workers with the first deadline just over three weeks...
Federal Trade Commission must protect short-staffed providers from price gouging: AHCA
By
Danielle Brown
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 22, 2021
The nation’s largest nursing home association this week added its voice to calls for federal intervention in alleged price gouging by direct care staffing agencies amid labor shortages exacerbated by...
Price-gouging, poaching and thin patience: LTC providers seek fixes for anti-competitive staffing agencies
By
Kimberly Marselas
James M. Berklan
Oct 15, 2021
As the bidding war over frontline workers escalates, provider organizations across the country are seeking government intervention to force temporary staffing agencies to play by similar rules as nursing...
Local vaccine mandates adding punishing pressure
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 14, 2021
Philadelphia is among several cities and states to adopt their own mandates ahead of federal rule for healthcare workers that is expected later this month. Fast-approaching deadlines may trigger an avalanche...
As antipsychotic use appears to backslide among nursing home residents, risks mount
By
Kimberly Marselas
Oct 11, 2021
For more than a decade, patient advocates and federal regulators have called for a reduction in nursing homes’ use of antipsychotic medications, a class of drugs once widely associated with controlling...
BREAKING: HHS releases $25.5 billion in additional provider relief funds
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 10, 2021
Providers can begin applying for their share of an additional $25.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funds starting Sept. 29, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday morning.
Breakthrough COVID-19 cases are increasing, but experts say deadly outbreaks aren’t inevitable
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 12, 2021
Eight months and thousands of vaccinations made an “amazing” difference in two COVID-19 outbreaks at Masonicare’s Wallingford, CT, campus.
Providers tell CMS it’s ‘decidedly’ the wrong time to toy with PDPM rates
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 03, 2021
Providers need more time before the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would implement any adjustments to PDPM payment rates, operators and associations have told the agency in official comments.
How QIOs, strike teams helped in COVID-19 trenches with majority of nursing homes
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 04, 2021
Federal strike teams and quality improvement contractors, acting in expanded roles, helped reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection by guiding interventions at more than half of all U.S. nursing homes, said...