Some nursing homes in New York may be forced to close their doors without an increase in Medicaid funding, a dire warning as the state legislature starts its budget hearings. Elemental Management Group, which owns and operates eight nursing homes in Upstate New York, is losing about $2 million annually as costs rise and operators […]
Category: Staffing
While the Trump Administration’s latest executive orders on immigration are expected to continue threatening fragile gains in the nursing home workforce, providers are successfully using refugee workers to bolster their staff. The nursing home workforce is “infused with foreign-born workers,” Janine Finck-Boyle, vice president of health policy at LeadingAge, said in an email to Skilled […]
At a time when healthcare policy changes and potential Medicaid cuts create uncertainty for nursing homes, Signature HealthCARE is forging ahead with initiatives that will result in certain wins for providers. According to Kathy Gallin, vice president of legislative affairs and health policy at Signature HealthCARE, key legislative priorities for the organization include workforce solutions […]
Medicines, such as antivirals and vaccines, which had more solid evidence showing they were effective compared to other types of safety measures, were underutilized during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings are based on a JAMA study released Friday. Overall, pharmacologic measures including vaccination and antiviral treatment had a more robust efficacy than nonpharmacologic interventions like […]
All across the U.S., from California to Massachusetts and Wisconsin and Minnesota, especially in states with large rural communities, experts are worried that President Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration, along with his pledge to lead the largest deportation effort in history, will compound the worker shortage the nursing home sector currently faces. President Trump’s […]
States and local associations haven’t given up on using policy changes to immigration as a major tool to combat the staffing crisis in nursing homes, despite the Trump administration launching the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. Immigrant workers in nursing homes all across the U.S. have proven to be a strong solution to […]
As providers focus on building up the nursing home workforce, and in turn protecting access to care, many leaders in 2025 are prioritizing shift flexibility for staff while also launching new programs to better support hiring and retention. At the same time, investments in integrated health services and behavioral health are top of mind for […]
Viral illnesses have been on the rise this winter across the U.S., with norovirus – or stomach bug – infections nearly doubling from a year ago. Nursing home infection prevention experts are suggesting bringing back certain common sense protocols to curb spread of disease in nursing homes. Each year, over half of all norovirus outbreaks […]
In the aftermath of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) response to a pending lawsuit against the federal minimum staffing mandate, nursing home sector experts are stressing that legally defeating the mandate – and effectively canceling it – remains crucial. “The section [in HHS’s response] relating to the limitation on the relief is […]
A federal judge has rejected a request to temporarily stop the implementation of the federal nursing home staffing mandate in a much-awaited ruling issued Thursday. Judge Leonard T. Strand of the U.S. District Court for Northern Iowa found that the preliminary injunction – sought by 20 states, 17 LeadingAge affiliates and two Kansas nursing home facilities […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) compiled an ambitious checklist of changes for the nursing home industry as part of its 2025 mission and priorities document released this week, but a lack of details on staffing-related issues and infection protocols is raising concerns about a fair survey process. Surveyor guidance was a major […]
While 2025 remains a bit uncertain due to the federal staffing mandate and a new White House administration, leaders in the nursing home industry plan to continue working toward improving quality of care, addressing workforce challenges and advocating for fair regulation and reimbursements. Clif Porter, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association/National Center […]
While many providers offer a continuum of care for older adults, Trilogy Health Services CEO Leigh Ann Barney describes the company as something of a “unicorn” in its commitment to offering a full continuum — including skilled nursing — at scale. Indeed, the commitment to skilled nursing as part of a larger continuum is part […]
The Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG) will be adding eight facilities from Providence Home and Community Care across four states: Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California. This marks the first time the San Juan Capistrano, California-based company is expanding into Alaska and Oregon, Ensign Chief Investment Officer Chad Keetch said in a statement. This brings Ensign’s growing […]
The American Health Care Association, LeadingAge and other nursing home stakeholders involved in the lawsuit against the federal minimum staffing mandate filed their final argument against the rule late on Friday, asking a federal judge to deny the federal agency’s cross-motion for summary judgement. Given that a judgement is expected early in the new year, […]
It’s no surprise that the Biden administration’s minimum staffing mandate was the source of Skilled Nursing News’ most-read story of 2024. From the proposal stage to its final form, our stories on the staffing mandate covered all aspects of its requirements as well as the legal and legislative challenges against it. Our stories about the […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued details on a national staffing campaign for the nursing home sector, aimed at increasing the number of nurses working in nursing homes and at state agencies that inspect nursing homes for compliance. The campaign continues the initiatives outlined in April, which ties $75 million funded […]
The nursing home industry has been on a wild ride this past year, with major regulation up in the air and a flip in the White House leaving operators unsure of whether they should applaud or brace for impact. Rhetoric surrounding the federal minimum staffing mandate has changed drastically throughout the year, with leaders condemning […]
Tim Lehner steps in as Signature HealthCARE’s new chief operating officer (COO), effective Jan. 1, the Kentucky-based nursing home company announced Thursday. Lehner, a veteran leader in the long-term care sector, most recently served as Consulate Health Care’s CEO, a role he took on this year. At Consulate, Lehner oversaw initiatives in technology integration and […]
Nursing home leaders are anticipating big changes to the sector with President Donald Trump’s inauguration drawing closer. The federal staffing mandate is likely to be on the chopping block, as Republicans eye $22 billion in savings if it is delayed or stopped. However, operators must balance this win, among potential others, with the incoming administration’s […]
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