As the staffing minimum mandate inches closer to an official release, associations with ties to the nursing home industry continue to meet this week with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – the government agency currently reviewing the proposal. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) transferred the proposal to OMB for review […]
AHCA
Nursing home and labor leaders believe more labor organizing will happen in conjunction with the forthcoming federal staffing minimum mandate, as the sector has historically seen a low proportion of workers covered by union contracts. Having a federal standard in place could begin collective bargaining efforts, or maybe remove this sticking point in labor negotiations, […]
Infection prevention and control is always front and center at nursing homes and ever more so now in the midst of growing concerns over drug-resistant superbugs, such as Candida auris. While these infections are on the rise, a change to Covid-era protocols has meant less money for infection prevention efforts. However, clinical experts say that […]
As shifting state staffing mandates and looming federal requirements run up against the ongoing nursing home workforce shortage, industry leaders are taking a closer look at how exactly staffing requirements have affected quality of care. AARP Florida on Monday released a report outlining the state’s direct care requirements for the last decade – and how […]
As the Biden administration becomes increasingly frustrated with lagging nursing home booster numbers, the White House seeks to take renewed action. That’s according to an article published by Politico on Thursday; redoubled efforts have been taken to send lists of senior facilities with zero people vaccinated – potential penalties and fines could be attached, according […]
In an upset for the nursing home industry, the U.S. Supreme Court this week declined to hear a bid from California operator Glenhaven Healthcare to avoid a lawsuit under federal immunity provisions. The case hinged on the scope of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act), which authorizes the federal government to shield […]
Despite the federal government’s likely decision to keep the public health emergency (PHE) in place past January, the nursing home industry continues to prepare for operations without the safety net of certain waivers. Leaders in the space say any continuation of PHE waivers – temporary or permanent – should be dependent on cost and patient […]
Larger implications surrounding a nursing home case to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 8 has both operators and civil rights activists anxiously awaiting a decision. For SNF operators, the case could determine whether state-owned nursing homes are shielded from federal lawsuits. Far-reaching questions regarding Medicaid beneficiaries and their rights in federal […]
A lot of temporary measures will dry up or disappear when the public health emergency (PHE) comes to an end, but one thing that may become permanent is the Medicaid rate bumps states put in place to alleviate pressures nursing home operators face. At least that’s the hope for industry leaders and advocacy groups. Right […]
As pandemic era waivers are winding down and the public health emergency (PHE) will eventually come to an end, CMS officials are urging nursing home leaders to begin getting used to no longer relying on the Covid-related flexibilities. “We are encouraging health care providers to prepare for the end of the flexibilities and begin to […]
As a flurry of regulations and mandates descend upon the nursing home sector, such changes could create legal obstacles, and suggest yet another difficult and onerous year for providers. Staffing mandates, the aftermath of the end of the public health emergency (PHE), Covid liability and the PREP Act, all create “existential threats” for skilled nursing […]
Nursing homes across the country are anxiously waiting for the federal government to approve temporary nurse aide (TNA) waivers just days before the program is set to expire. Massachusetts, Washington, Indiana and Louisiana have had their statewide waiver requests approved so far, but more than 10 states were still waiting for further information to be […]
The nursing home industry was thrust back into the national spotlight this week as federal lawmakers called out for-profit ownership for their lack of resources during the early months of the pandemic and confounding corporate structures. The Congressional Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, chaired by Rep. James Clyburn, held a hearing on Wednesday to […]
Nursing home operators were able to tell the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) directly how much certain waivers helped their organizations during the pandemic, with the temporary nurse aide (TNA) and three-day stay waivers being the most beneficial. SNF industry leaders also made their case for extending waivers or making some permanent during […]
The U.S. Supreme Court will have to decide whether it will hear a nursing home Covid-19 wrongful death case involving the PREP Act — potentially interpreting the federal statute for the first time. California-based nursing home operator Glenhaven Healthcare asked the Supreme Court to consider taking up the case in late August after the 9th […]
The federal government has continued its efforts toward intensive scrutiny into the skilled nursing sector with a push against illegal nursing home debt collection practices. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a joint letter to operators and debt collectors, as a reminder that a nursing […]
In line with the Biden administration’s nursing home reform initiatives outlined in February, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is encouraging states to allocate Medicaid dollars toward improving staffing, and help the federal agency fully realize its goal of strengthening quality of care, accountability and transparency in the sector. The agency listed several […]
While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposes to make some of the most significant changes to its accountable care organization (ACO) model since it was finalized in 2011, it doesn’t appear that such updates will have a lasting impact on the broader skilled nursing industry. If anything, only operators with their own […]
Looming cuts to Medicare funding for nursing homes has garnered attention from a group of congressional leaders. Two separate letters penned by 22 senators and 18 members of the house were sent to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) late last month, calling on the federal agency to phase-in the proposed $320 million […]
While the skilled nursing sector has seen a seller’s market the past couple years, brokers believe the pendulum is swinging the other way, toward more of an equilibrium and normalization of prices. Increased expenses tied to inflation, the ongoing staffing crisis and lackluster occupancy are all contributing to a less favorable market for sellers, while […]