The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is in the “rulemaking” stage of its development of a federal vaccine mandate for all health care workers employed by Medicare or Medicaid funded facilities, according to a CMS official. Dr. Lee Fleisher, CMS’ chief medical officer and director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality […]
Out of 124 nursing facilities in the state of Minnesota, 70% are limiting admissions due to not having enough staff to care for their residents, according to a survey from the Long-Term Care Imperative, a legislative collaborative between Care Providers of Minnesota and LeadingAge Minnesota. That’s up from 41% in July. Currently about 20% of […]
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave the green light to a federal regulation that allows nursing homes to use arbitration agreements with residents, but prevents them from making the agreements a prerequisite for admission. The court’s opinion, issued Friday by a three-judge panel, rejected arguments made by a group of nursing homes who […]
How long the next wave of Provider Relief Funds will last nursing home operators remains to be seen but American Health Care Association president and CEO Mark Parkinson expects it to be nothing more than a short-term fix for the industry. “It is at best a three month to six month solution if that,” he […]
The delta variant and staffing challenges have slowed occupancy gains over the summer, yet skilled nursing still saw an increase in occupancy for the sixth month in a row as of July. NIC MAP® Data, released by NIC MAP Vision, found occupancy increased 58 basis points from June to July to land at 75%. It’s […]
The cost of providing long-term care services has increased faster than the rate of inflation since 2004, according to a report issued this month by the Bipartisan Policy Center, with the annual costs ranging from $19,240 for adult day health care to $105,850 for a private room in a nursing home. Cost increases — which […]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made headway separating metrics changes in the past year-and-a-half, tying some to the pandemic and others to implementation of the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM). John Kane, technical advisor and SNF payment team lead for CMS, helped the skilled nursing industry better understand the impacts of PDPM […]
Although nursing home operators have gotten a bit of a respite with the federal vaccine mandate expansion announced on Thursday, some say that doesn’t deter their efforts to educate staff and get as many vaccinated as possible prior to the federal government releasing further guidance in October. The Biden administration mandated the COVID-19 vaccine for […]
Value-based care management company AllyAlign Health last week announced it will offer two new co-branded Medicare Advantage plans to members of LeadingAge California, thanks to a partnership with the senior advocacy state group. The plans — institutional equivalent special needs plan (I-SNP) Align Thrive, and chronic conditions special needs plan (C-SNP) Align Connect — will […]
Occupancy continued to grow through the month of June for nursing homes — five months in a row — according to NIC MAP data released Thursday by NIC MAP Vision. That’s 297 basis points up from the industry’s low of 71.2% in January. June’s occupancy percentage was 74.2%. Investors are optimistic for the future of […]
During a discussion to drive home the importance of more government funding for the aging services space, providers across the long-term care continuum, skilled nursing among them, said they are having to turn away referrals due to dwindling staff. President and CEO of LeadingAge Texas George Linial said 60% of his members have been unable […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ regulation requiring staff vaccination for Medicare and Medicaid participating long-term care facilities is expected in late September, and officials say it is aimed at leveling the playing field. “We know that there have been concerns about staff leaving based on the vaccine requirement, and we believe that this […]
Following the Biden administration’s announcement that all nursing home staff must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or risk losing Medicare and Medicaid funding, operators and senior living organization leaders fear singling out one group of health care workers will only exacerbate a continued staffing crisis. Some state mandates, on the other hand, call on all health […]
Occupancy is still increasing month to month, but at a slower pace compared to earlier this year, according to a new data analysis from the data service affiliated with the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC). From April to May the NIC MAP Vision report found occupancy rose 23 basis points to […]
At a time when the patient population is becoming increasingly complex and conversations continue to be had over where clinical care is best provided, ArchCare President and CEO Scott LaRue believes now is the time for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to pick up steam. LaRue has been at the helm […]
Skilled nursing facilities need a boost in Medicaid reimbursement rates to pay for increased caregiver compensation, as well as an overhaul of the current payer structure, according to a six-strategy vision report from the senior care advocacy group LeadingAge. LeadingAge released the report, “Feeling Valued Because They are Valued,” on Thursday, a timely push as […]
With more than half of nursing homes currently operating at a loss, only a quarter are confident that they can last a year or more. That’s according to a survey of 616 skilled nursing facilities conducted by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). The organization posted its findings on […]
Of 616 nursing homes surveyed by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), 94% said they are experiencing a staffing shortage. Nearly three-fourths of respondents indicated that their workforce situation has worsened compared to 2020, largely due to higher turnover associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Facilities are actively trying to […]
Skilled nursing operators in the state of Texas have had a lifeline in the form of an add-on to the daily reimbursement rate for their Medicaid patients, one that dates back to the earliest months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with COVID-19 cases down precipitously from the beginning of 2021, it’s not clear how long […]
The ultimate role skilled nursing facilities will play in the post-acute care continuum coming out of COVID-19 remains to be seen. Home-based care utilization has skyrocketed over the past year, partly due to favorable policies out of the Biden administration and shifting referral-source preferences. Meanwhile, most SNF operators continue to battle back from the sudden […]
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