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, […]
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 […]
Medicare Advantage plans might lower their payments to nursing homes in 2025, to absorb the federal government’s benchmark rate cut to insurers. Nursing home advocacy groups are worried that this move by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to cut Medicare Advantage rates may be passed on to nursing home providers. The Medicare […]
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 […]
Despite ongoing investments from operators, the nursing home industry is struggling to rebuild its workforce and recover from the pandemic. Meanwhile, operators are concerned that the federal minimum staffing proposal, once finalized, will make operational challenges worse even as nursing homes limit admissions and are concerned about closures. Such findings were outlined in the American […]
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 […]
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is recommending that the federal government bolster its support to nursing homes – including through policies that help strengthen the workforce – in order to improve quality of care. In its latest report, which draws upon lessons learned during the pandemic, OIG lays forth a set of five […]
Mark Parkinson, CEO and president of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), on Tuesday announced plans for retirement after 13 years with the association, and leading its members through the pandemic. Parkinson plans to stay on until Jan. 15 of next year, as the association launches its search for […]
Rural and small market areas continue to experience growing “nursing home deserts,” an increasing crisis for local officials and beneficiaries facing access issues. In Nebraska, for one, state data shows 29 facilities closed their doors in the past three years, leaving pockets of “nursing home deserts” across 20 counties, according to a report from KETV […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is placing limits on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in denials of claims related to Medicare Advantage plans, and adding more guidance to health care providers on post-acute care admissions. The agency issued an FAQ Tuesday to address concerns related to coverage criteria and utilization […]
Piece by piece, nursing home operators are seeing stricter government oversight of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, a welcome relief given that partnerships with such managed care plans have become a huge source of administrative burden for providers in the sector, especially as workforce shortages persist. Most recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) […]
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 […]
Potential changes to the nursing home survey process being mulled over by federal authorities – and aimed at standardization across states – have many operators feeling optimistic for the years ahead, especially given that regional differences in implementation can lead to extra administrative burdens and survey backlogs. Toward the end of 2023, the Centers for […]
Nursing home leaders from across the nation, including the largest advocacy groups for the sector, plan to oversee efforts in 2024 to increase funding – both from the federal government and through improved revenue streams as operating pressures ease slightly. At the center of these efforts is an attempt at influencing the political will and […]
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its Secretary, Xavier Becerra, need to “do its part” to increase Covid vaccination rates among nursing home residents, starting with easing logistical issues that continue to be barriers to uptake. That’s according to LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan, who also cited the benefits of […]
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 […]
The past year or two have seen big wins in terms of increased Medicaid funding for nursing homes – a welcome relief as the sector faces staffing shortages amid a looming minimum staffing proposal, higher inflationary costs and rising acuity of resident needs. The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) […]
As advocacy efforts to oppose the federal government’s proposed staffing mandate continue, the National Association for Licensed Practical Nurses (NALPN) is lending its voice towards the withdrawal of the mandate by sharing a joint letter it sent to the federal agency. The role of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) has been chopped off from the proposal, […]
More than two months after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its minimum staffing proposal for the skilled nursing industry, commentary from stakeholders came to a close Monday with a staggering 40,000-plus comments received. Reviewing the hefty load of comments on the proposal may take as long as a year, according to […]
Nearly 100 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to reconsider the proposed federal nursing home staffing mandate. The lawmakers on Friday sent a letter to CMS describing their concerns with the mandate. “Finalizing this proposal would result in limited access to care for seniors, […]
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