Health care cyber attacks have been an ever-present threat for providers, including nursing homes. But the most recent attacks on Change Healthcare have had ripple effects on the industry, prompting lobbying groups and federal agencies to action. The attack in February has affected cash flow and claims processes for some nursing home operators, associations said, […]
As the long-term care industry comes to terms with the nursing home staffing mandate, there are many factors for operators to consider as they plan for the coming years. The final rule on staffing, which has been received with harsh criticism from the industry, establishes updates to facility assessment standards on top of the minimum […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided more details Wednesday on the implementation of facility assessments and exemptions extended to nursing homes over the final staffing rule. In a national stakeholder call, CMS officials addressed these issues as well as the possibility of modifying the minimum staffing thresholds in the future along with […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) officials said Tuesday that they are confident that facilities will be able to meet the newly finalized staffing mandate’s requirements given the plan to implement it in three phases. “As the rule’s provisions are carefully calibrated and carefully phased in, we believe that with time, with the […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Monday unveiled the finalized minimum staffing standards for nursing homes, drawing sharp – and deeply apprehensive – responses from leaders in the sector. CEOs of nursing home owners and operators and leaders of industry associations were all but unanimous in their reactions; among those who spoke […]
While Medicare Advantage (MA) has grown steadily in the last several years, leaders in the nursing home sector speculate whether increased federal regulation – and perhaps even more importantly, changes in the consumer experience – will slow its growth. This would come as a welcome development to many nursing home leaders, who have been struggling […]
Robert W. Hurlbut, president of Hurlbut Care Communities, knows a thing or two about battling burnout among his workers. Paying staff well along with flexibility of work schedules and retaining a family atmosphere has proven to be sure shot strategies to beat turnover. And the proof of this strategy’s success is in the results. Hurlbut […]
Federal lawmakers have introduced the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act, in conjunction with a hearing that took place Tuesday, hosted by the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. The bill, if passed, would increase the number of direct care professionals, including in rural communities. Some associations representing the nursing home industry said the legislation managed […]
In light of the upcoming nursing home staffing mandate, industry leaders are concerned about how the measure will be enforced. And, they’re still trying to cope with what they describe as a punitive approach to surveys. On the plus side, labor pressures have started to ease, and workforce initiatives are bearing fruit. “It’s just hard […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced proposed expansions to CMS’ existing enforcement authority – including higher fines – related to financial penalties for nursing homes. The proposed SNF rule for 2025 will allow CMS more flexibility to impose penalties, within statutory limits. The potential alterations have raised concerns about the heightened […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is testing out a payment model that would cover all costs associated with an episode of care, including a skilled nursing stay, but it appears that select hospitals would be in the driver’s seat if approved. Certain surgical procedures will fall under the new model and include […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recently proposed Value-Based Purchasing Program updates include staffing provisions that are being met with provider concern, although other updates should be well received once the dust settles. Among recommended changes, CMS is proposing allowing SNFs to review and correct Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) data beginning with the fiscal […]
Skilled nursing facilities across the United States are facing mounting challenges related to transportation services, as low reimbursement rates and financial fallout from the pandemic caused some transportation companies to shut down. The challenges are so severe that some operators are opting to eat the cost of chartering their own buses, in lieu of having […]
The nursing home industry, along with other settings in long-term care, is expected to be a central campaign focus for presidential candidates in future elections. One reason is growth of the older population just as the Medicare trust fund is projected to show a deficit starting around 2026 when the oldest of baby boomers will […]
The federal government’s proposed Medicare payment increase for 2025 is not sitting well with the nursing home sector, with financial experts and operators raising concerns that the bump fails to compensate for inflation-induced operating costs – and a staffing proposal anticipated to cost in the billions each year. For some experts, the Centers for Medicare […]
North Dakota has some of the highest staffing levels in the country – no small feat considering the many pockets of rural communities. The state has achieved this because of a very supportive legislative body that recognizes the value of long-term care services, including skilled nursing, operators and associations say. Garth Rydland, president and CEO […]
Neil Pruitt, CEO of PruittHealth, believes that the movement toward creating all-private rooms for residents represents an industry shift to enhancing healing experiences and improving infection control. To that end, PruittHealth recently added a 104-bed luxury skilled nursing center in Beaufort, North Carolina, and a key feature of its layout emphasizes patient comfort and privacy […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) held an open door forum Tuesday, which addressed updates outlined in the proposed Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System rule (SNF PPS) for fiscal year 2025. Officials discussed payment provisions and market basket updates, along with changes to the Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and the new Social […]
As staffing challenges persist, operators are striving to make nursing homes a more attractive place to work and some simple, tried and true tactics are at play. Gauging employee well-being through annual surveys – administered quarterly for new hires – and acting on the feedback is proving to be a technique that has turned out […]
Skilled nursing operators are grappling with a distinctive set of challenges related to managed care’s growth and lower payment rates. The average managed care rate in SNFs remains $109 less than Medicare pay rates, which, combined with a surge in managed care enrollment, has impacted reimbursement rates. In a recent webinar hosted by Plante Moran, […]
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