The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) on Tuesday, and while the changes are minimal, clinical and reimbursement experts noted that they could lead to reduced control over certain quality reporting measures. However, the earlier-than-anticipated release also suggests that the federal agency aims to give operators a […]
For its Quality Reporting Program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is exploring the possibility of expanding nursing home data collection and submission to all residents, regardless of payer type. Officials heard feedback on the challenges and benefits of such a move during a listening session held on Tuesday. If the federal agency […]
As states in Hurricane Helene’s path grapple with its devastating effects days after it made landfall in Florida Thursday evening, nursing home operators are dealing with significant repair and maintenance challenges that could last a while – particularly in states like North Carolina. Damage to transportation, power and utilities could make recovery in some states […]
As Florida prepares for yet another hurricane, it serves as a reminder that nursing homes in the area, as well as in other regions prone to extreme weather events, face rising risks and must maintain continued vigilance in following and developing rigorous emergency preparedness plans. Research highlights that older adults are particularly vulnerable during climate-related […]
Newsweek released its list of top nursing homes for 2025 on Wednesday, ranking facilities within each state according to number of beds. Newsweek recognized 1,050 nursing homes across 25 states with the highest number of facilities, using data published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in partnership with the global research firm […]
The U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision regarding civil monetary penalties (CMPs), which allows defendants the right to present their case to a federal jury when a federal agency is seeking financial penalties, may seem like a win for nursing homes at first glance. However, many providers are unlikely to pursue this path. The CMP decision […]
More than two-dozen skilled nursing facilities in Iowa are under new ownership, following the closing of a historic transaction this month. The sale is the largest SNF deal ever recorded in The Hawkeye State, according to Marcus & Millichap, which closed the transaction. ABCM sold its skilled nursing and assisted living assets to Chicago-based private […]
Customer service, staff wellbeing, and tackling low reimbursement rates are some of the top priorities for nursing home operators as they prepare for the future. And educating and supporting care teams is especially important in order to strategize with the quality measures that will be implemented in the coming years, as these will have an […]
An ongoing depletion of knowledgeable nursing staff at nursing homes, such as the Minimum Data Set (MDS) coordinators, is leading to errors and confusion with facility surveys and ratings. This, in turn, is impacting operations and the ability to acquire and improve distressed facilities. A high turnover among those close to the survey process is […]
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, along with some of his top aides at the time, may have allegedly made false or misleading statements during the pandemic or in their testimony to Congress, including manipulating Covid nursing home data. The investigation, helmed by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, concluded that Cuomo and […]
As federal agencies push for ownership transparency, nursing home ownership changes have been linked to a decrease in staffing hours and in turn a drop in Five-Star rating scores, at least for a short period of time following acquisition. Most acquired facilities showed indications of financial struggles, including lower star ratings and occupancy, plus a […]
Nursing homes may incur an additional $25 million in fees annually and $164,900 in annual administrative costs to federal and state agencies as a result of expanded enforcement policies for civil monetary penalties included in the finalized Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS). Meanwhile, value-based purchasing updates are expected to result in an […]
The Centralized recruitment model is gaining momentum across long-term care communities and nursing homes, and more operators amid consolidation in the sector, are attesting to its success. Operators like Covenant Living Communities and Services understand well, however, that success is only as good as the region and setting. “I don’t necessarily think there’s a magic […]
About one in four for-profit nursing homes may not have complied with federal requirements regarding infection preventionists, according to an audit from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The federal watchdog agency found that, out of a 100 for-profit facility sample size, 17 potentially didn’t comply with the requirement that the infection preventionist complete […]
As the Medicaid payment system transitions across states from RUGS to the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), nursing home operators must be wary of misconceptions – including that the transitions will always lead to additional Medicaid funds being available – while putting in place the right practices to ensure appropriate payments. The complexities of Medicaid transitions […]
Allowing nursing home staff experiencing mild Covid symptoms to work, masked, appears to be better for resident welfare than furloughing infected workers. Missing tasks outweighed increased harm from Covid transmission in a simulated scenario, according to a study published Monday morning in JAMA Network Open. Understaffing was associated with missed tasks, resident hospitalizations and deaths, […]
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against federal agencies over the minimum staffing rule for nursing homes, claiming the rule’s implementation without clear congressional authorization constitutes an overreach of regulatory power. The Texas lawsuit argues that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) staffing mandate violates the Major Questions Doctrine […]
The quality of care and spending among skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) across the U.S. varies widely, particularly for dual-eligible residents – those who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare – according to federal data released on Wednesday. In its National Summary Report, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shared metrics related to discharge […]
A resolution to the lawsuit challenging the nursing home federal minimum staffing mandate could be reached as early as January, if the court finalizes a proposed schedule put forth by the American Health Care Association (AHCA), LeadingAge and other industry leaders. If this turns out to be the case, the lawsuit would be resolved more […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) issuance of civil monetary penalties is in the crosshairs of litigators, as increasingly gained enforcement power comes up against a Supreme Court decision. In the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) v. Jarkesy case, SCOTUS ruled that defendants have a constitutional right to make their case to a […]
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