Do CMS’s minimum staffing requirements align with Five-Star metrics? A closer look
By
Steven Littlehale
Aug 16, 2024
In the ever-evolving landscape of skilled nursing facilities, staffing requirements remain a focal point of discussion and debate. With the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services setting forth...
The impact of survey delays on nursing home quality and consumer information
By
Steven Littlehale
May 24, 2024
In a column published by McKnight’s in December 2023, “Revamping CMS Survey Data Integration Amid Regulatory Lag in Nursing Home Oversight,” I urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...
CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
Data lapses did not affect Five-Star ratings, CMS says as providers call for review of agency’s...
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 13, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Wednesday it was taking “seriously” a damning report that questioned the accuracy of information it posted on its Care Compare site, but added that...
Revamping CMS survey data integration amid regulatory lag in nursing home oversight
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 08, 2023
The report titled “Uninspected and Neglected” by the majority staff of the US Senate Special Committee on Aging brings attention to a pressing issue: the severe understaffing of inspection agencies...
Moon landings and the MDS. What gives?
By
Joel VanEaton
Mar 19, 2024
You may be aware that on Feb. 22, Houston-based Intuitive Machines landed a spacecraft on the moon, making history as the first commercial craft to reach the lunar surface and the first U.S. spacecraft...
Redefining the role of agency staff in nursing homes: Unveiling new realities
By
Steven Littlehale
Jan 05, 2024
In the ever-evolving landscape of nursing home care, the use of agency staff has long been a topic of scrutiny, historically linked to concerns about inferior outcomes. However, as we navigate the aftermath...
Bill would use CMS’s Five-Star system to punish consistently 1-star nursing homes
By
Joe Bush
Oct 10, 2022
A bill that would use the federal government’s Five-Star ratings system as a means to identify and punish poor quality nursing homes passed a New Jersey senate committee Thursday, drawing criticism in...
Fasten your seatbelts: It MIGHT be a bumpy ride
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 13, 2023
It’s been a flurry of activity leading up to the implementation of the “new MDS.” For months our industry has been doing what we do best — rising to the occasion. Countless MDS training sessions,...
Unraveling the impact: PDPM Medicaid case-mix index and potential Five-Star Rating challenges
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 01, 2024
The landscape of Medicaid reimbursement for nursing homes is undergoing significant changes. Presently, eight states have adopted the PDPM case-mix index (CMI) model, and an additional 31 states are set...