Leaving Money on the Table: Nursing Home Appraisals, if Adopted by Legislators, Could Bolster Medicaid Reimbursement

As so many in the nursing home space focus on Medicaid reimbursement, others are taking a closer look at improving rate setting methodology and how it can be optimized for facilities. Medicaid rates are in part influenced by fair rental value, which is determined after experienced housing experts perform an in-depth market valuation on the […]

Nursing Home Use of Ancillary Businesses Spur State Action on Financial Transparency – With Forensic Audits

As financial transparency continues to be one of the top nursing home reform initiatives of state and federal officials, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has taken this push one step further with the potential use of forensic audits. Gov. Lamont introduced a bill to authorize the use of forensic audits when the state Department of Social […]

Senators Blast Nursing Homes’ Staffing Proposal in Finance Meeting, Citing Lack of Funding, Staff

Some Republican senators blasted the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) minimum staffing proposal for nursing homes in a recent finance committee meeting, noting the paltry $75 million to bolster staffing isn’t enough to support upcoming regulations. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) pointed out that four of five facilities won’t be able to comply with […]

Nebraska Lawmakers Pursue Amendment for Millions in Federal Funds to Save Nursing Homes

State lawmakers in Nebraska are working on an amendment to secure millions in extra federal funds to prevent skilled nursing facilities from closing, according to an article in the Nebraska Examiner. The move comes amidst closures of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, particularly in rural areas across the U.S. The proposed amendment, spearheaded by […]

House Advances Legislation To Block Nursing Home Federal Staffing Proposal 

Legislation to block the federal minimum staffing proposal for nursing homes reached a milestone today, passing in the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee. The Protecting America’s Seniors’ Access to Care Act (H.R. 7513) was first introduced by Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) and would prevent the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from finalizing […]

Thousands of Nursing Home Leaders Pen Letter to Congress, Again Urging Rejection of Federal Staffing Proposal

More than 1,000 nursing home leaders, along with associations like LeadingAge and the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), sent a joint letter to House Ways and Means Committee leaders to reject the federal minimum staffing proposal. The letter, spearheaded by AHCA/NCAL, was sent late Thursday and signed by state […]

AHCA’s Clif Porter: Nursing Home Staffing Proposal May Be Finalized in Summer, Felt Like an Unpleasant ‘Bucket of Cold Water’

CMS isn’t expected to finalize the minimum staffing proposal until the summer at the earliest, with the agency having to wade through more than 40,000 comments before moving forward with the rule. The voices of skilled nursing providers, along with coalition partners like the American Hospital Association, will hopefully have been heard by CMS and […]

As Medicare Advantage Policies Compound, More Regulatory Activity Expected in Coming Months for Nursing Homes

Nursing home operators can expect to see a lot more regulatory activity in the next few months, with rules and regulations being finalized prior to a potential presidential administration change, with that administration taking office in 2025. A slew of proposed and finalized rules were issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) […]

Iowa Might Join 14 States in Allowing Room Cameras in Nursing Homes

Iowa nursing homes may see cameras in resident rooms – with state legislators progressing a bill on the matter. The legislation will allow the use of “granny cams” despite many operator misgivings, providing families with a video feed of activity inside a resident’s room, according to a report published in the Iowa Capital Dispatch. Fourteen […]

‘Concerning’ Link Found Between Reduced Nursing Home Staffing Hours and Hospitalizations

There were more hospitalizations for residents in Florida nursing homes, following legislation which lowered the number of nursing hours per resident. That’s according to a report from AARP Florida, the third report the advocacy group for older adults has released since staffing hours were changed in 2022. Between 2019 to 2020 and 2022 to 2023, […]

OIG Report Highlights Critical Deficiencies at Oklahoma Nursing Homes, Staff Turnover, Limited Resources To Blame

A new Office of Inspector General (OIG) report points to significant deficiencies that could jeopardize the health and safety of residents, staff, and visitors in Oklahoma nursing homes. The OIG audit on the state’s nursing homes focused on compliance with federal regulations for life safety, emergency preparedness, and infection control. It reveals deficiencies across all […]

DOL’s Final Rule on Worker Classification To Increase Legal Woes, Administrative Burdens for Nursing Homes

Many skilled nursing operators will need to reclassify their existing relationships with independent contractors and rethink future ones in the wake of a final rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) on Tuesday. The DOL’s new rule revises guidance on how to determine who is an employee and who is an independent contractor under […]

California Law Aims to Aid Appeals Process for Nursing Home Discharges

A new California law effective Wednesday will require nursing homes to offer residents copies of any information on their eviction, helping make appeals against the discharge easier to file. Evictions are one of the most common complaints reported to California’s Long Term Care Ombudsman programs, noted a report produced by CalMatters. In the past five […]

New CMS Medicare Appeals Proposal Falls Short of Addressing Nursing Homes’ 3-Day Stay Issue

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a proposed rule that aims to establish appeals processes for certain Medicare beneficiaries in Original Medicare who undergo a change in their hospital status, often triggering a denial of inpatient and skilled nursing care. The proposed rule is a result of a 2011 nationwide class action […]

Legislation That Mattered to Long-Term Care in 2023: A State and National List

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the majority of nursing home legislation introduced or passed this year had to do with staffing. At the national level, Congressional efforts to block the federal minimum staffing proposal gained steam at the end of the year. State legislation ran the gamut, with California raising the minimum wage to $25 per hour for […]

The Quotes That Defined 2023 in Skilled Nursing — and Hint at What’s Ahead

As the Covid-19 public health emergency officially ended in 2023, the nursing home sector continued to face lingering troubles across many facets of the business even if spread of disease – and death resulting from it – diminished as a concern. Chief among troubles that continued to plague nursing homes included workforce shortages and expansion […]

LeadingAge CEO Calls Out Political Inaction on ‘Dangerously Broken’ Nursing Home Funding System

Decades-long underfunding of nursing homes continues to create unnecessary hardships for aging Americans as access issues deepen. And yet, attempts to change the current financial system have fallen on deaf ears. In an effort to get the attention of lawmakers in Washington, LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan took aim with this view at […]

Bipartisan Legislation Aims to Block CMS Staffing Proposal – Most Recently With Senate Bill

Legislation to block the nursing home minimum staffing proposal gained major traction this week, as a bill introduced on the Senate floor late Tuesday received more bipartisan support. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) led the way with the Protecting Rural Seniors’ Access to Care Act, which aims to stop the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services […]

Legislation to Block CMS’ Nursing Home Staffing Mandate Gaining Steam Among Senators

Companion legislation to block the nursing home minimum staffing proposal is due to be introduced next week by Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) – more co-sponsors are anticipated, delaying the bill’s introduction to some time next week. That’s according to Sen. Fischer’s office. It’s a good delay to have, a spokesperson said in an email to […]