Connecticut Latest State to Propose Higher Staffing Ratios, Transparency for SNFs – But Without Funding Support

Following states like Illinois and New York, Connecticut is the latest state to introduce a bill aimed at transforming staffing and requiring transparency changes among area nursing homes. Proposed changes would apply to the more than 200 nursing homes across the state. One change involves boosting minimum staffing hours from 3 to 4.1 per person […]

Nursing Home Citations Double in Florida Since 2019

Violations linked to Florida nursing homes have doubled in the last four years, according to an investigation by the Tampa Bay Times. Last year, Florida nursing homes were cited 83 times for putting their older adult residents at risk of immediate danger, and more than half of the serious violations involved staff shortages or insufficient […]

Spending More Revenue on Labor Not Guaranteed to Achieve ‘Adequate’ Nursing Home Staffing

Pushing nursing homes to allocate more money to increase staffing levels will not necessarily achieve the goals of the proposed minimum staffing standard unless aided by other regulatory interventions, according to a new study. The study, published in Health Affairs, examined spending and staffing data from more than 12,000 nursing homes and looked at the […]

Legal Theory Could Have Sweeping Implications for Nursing Homes’ Ability to Claim Medicaid Dollars

A Maryland court case could have expansive implications for Medicaid reimbursement policies related to nursing homes. A law firm specializing in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, sb2 Healthcare, has brought a case on behalf of 21 Maryland operators to address the denial or nonpayment of Medicaid claims without affording appeal rights for residents who have been […]

Ensign Going ‘Up the Acuity Chain,’ Expects Medicaid Support for Soft Landing as PHE Ends 

Following the Biden administration’s plans to end the public health emergency (PHE) on May 11, leaders at Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG) are bullish that state assistance will create a soft landing. Ensign CEO Barry Port has seen operators in the sector bolstered by enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding during the pandemic; this federally […]

GAO: Nursing Home Ownership Needs to be More Transparent on Care Compare

In an effort to make nursing home ownership information more transparent and readily available to the public, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) started compiling ownership data on Care Compare. But, the agency’s web-based tool falls short of transparency and ease of access goals, according to a study published by the U.S. Government […]

2023 Outlook for Skilled Nursing Shaped by Unfriendly Federal Policies, Confounding Deals, Labor Crisis

The gap between current skilled nursing occupancy and pre-pandemic occupancy is “99%” due to lack of staff, and addressing the sector’s workforce crisis is clearly the top priority for 2023. That’s according to Phil Fogg Jr., president and CEO of Marquis Companies and chairman of the American Health Care Association. Milwaukie, Oregon-based Marquis owns and […]

Nursing Home Providers Should Brace for Government Audits, Enforcement Actions Over Covid Relief Funding

Nursing home providers should expect more government scrutiny related to Covid-19 relief funding. This is one message from Matthew Murer, the health care, public policy and government investigations department chair for the national health care practice of law firm Polsinelli. “I think a lot of people are going to be surprised by audits of CARES […]

Nursing Homes Win 2-Year Delay on Staffing Mandate Penalties in Illinois

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker earlier this month signed an omnibus health care bill with some good news for nursing homes in the state, delaying fines tied to the state’s minimum staffing requirement for two-and-a-half more years. Pritzker’s decision gives those in the sector a glimpse into how a federal staffing mandate mightbe received and potentially […]

Cautionary Tale: Staffing Mandate Collides with Nursing Home Labor Crisis and Referral Bottleneck

As a federal minimum staffing standard looms over the nursing home industry, operators and their advocacy organizations look to learn from existing state mandates to better understand how things will play out on a national stage. New York is providing a cautionary tale at the moment, with a mandate exacerbating access to care, industry professionals […]

CDC: Up to 50% Higher Infection Risk for Nursing Home Residents Without Boosters

Nursing home residents who were not up-to-date with recommended COVID-19 vaccines had a 30% to 50% higher risk for contracting Covid compared with residents who were up-to-date with the vaccines, according to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Despite how successful that was, there really hasn’t been a […]

Mid-Atlantic Nursing Facilities More Likely to have Emergency Preparedness Deficiencies

As climate change increases the scope and severity of hurricanes and storms, nursing homes in hurricane risk zones may need to re-evaluate their emergency preparedness status. A study published in JAMA Geriatrics found that the association between exposure to hurricane-related inundation and nursing home emergency preparedness differs considerably across the Coastal Atlantic and Gulf regulatory […]

CMS Readies Nursing Home Staffing Mandate Proposal, Reviews Study Recommendations

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) confirmed Tuesday that it is currently reviewing a year-long study to determine “policy direction” and cost implications of its proposed federal staffing mandate. The study includes potential barriers to and unintended consequences of staffing recommendations, Jean Moody-Williams said during a call to stakeholders. Moody-Williams serves as deputy […]

13 U.S. Senators Warn CMS: Staffing Mandate May Worsen SNF Access

As the federal staffing minimum mandate proposal and study is due to be revealed in a matter of months, some state leaders are calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to rethink the mandate’s “one-size-fits-all” approach. Thirteen senators across nine rural states last week issued a letter addressed to CMS Administrator Chiquita […]

OIG: Pandemic Data Shows Major Changes Needed in Nursing Home Staffing, Surveys, Infection Control

A federal watchdog agency is calling for “significant changes” to nursing home operations and oversight in light of new data on Covid-19 infection rates. The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) calls on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to take action in a report issued Thursday. More […]

HHS Secretary on Nursing Home Boosters: ‘Stakes Still High,’ More LeadingAge Collaboration Possible

More partnerships seem likely between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and aging services organization LeadingAge – both entities looking to their All Hands on Deck Campaign as a future model. Collaborations to improve staffing issues, burnout and nursing home quality were mentioned by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, who joined LeadingAge members […]

[Updated] CMS to Publicly Post Disputed Nursing Home Citations, Tighten Antipsychotic Oversight and Penalties

With reporting from Shelby Grebbin and Amy Stulick The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a plan to publicly display survey citations that nursing homes are disputing, as well as new policies related to antipsychotic use and related penalties. Currently, disputed citations are not posted to Care Compare. This will change starting […]