As the nursing home industry finally gets a first look at the long-awaited proposed minimum staffing mandate released early Friday, leaders across the sector say that its most critical aspects deal with implementation timing, a “good faith” provision, and requirements for registered nurses (RNs). As it stands, the proposed rule has major implications for access […]
The issue of formally requiring patient surveys for nursing homes, similar to surveys mandated in other segments of health care, has long been a source of debate – one getting stirred up again after federal policy makers decided to nix patient satisfaction measures from the recently issued final prospective payment rule for 2024. The Centers […]
In a 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court on Thursday morning ruled that nursing home residents and their families can sue publicly-owned nursing home facilities under the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act. The case presented the question of whether Medicaid beneficiaries can seek relief in federal court when they believe their rights are being violated by […]
Nursing homes are past the “nightmare” caused by Covid-19, but now are facing “a real business problem” that could be considerably worsened by the coming federal staffing mandate. That’s according to Mark Parkinson, CEO and president of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). He spoke Tuesday of the urgent need to […]
President Joe Biden’s executive order that aims to implement minimum staffing standards and tie Medicare payments to staff retention drew frustration from nursing home industry operators and advocates, who said that the well meaning directives would likely compound the staffing crisis and lead to closures unless policies are aimed at resolving its root causes, and […]
A Congressional advisory body on Wednesday put forth recommendations for closer assessment of nursing facility Medicaid payments, including whether they are sufficient to cover costs of care. The proposals could allow for a finer tuning of Medicaid rates and therefore could benefit the sector, as long as they do not put greater administrative costs and […]
The high renovation costs associated with adopting new rules for room occupancy limits are forcing some operators to close their doors, as was recently the case with Northeast Health Group in Massachusetts. Many of these vulnerable facilities, built in the 1960s and 1970s and designed for three to four residents per room, are already in […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Monday a proposed rule to require nursing homes to disclose more information regarding their ownership and management, including information related to assets held by real estate investment trusts (REITs) and private equity firms. Nursing homes will be expected to disclose this information as part of the […]
The gap between current skilled nursing occupancy and pre-pandemic occupancy is “99%” due to lack of staff, and addressing the sector’s workforce crisis is clearly the top priority for 2023. That’s according to Phil Fogg Jr., president and CEO of Marquis Companies and chairman of the American Health Care Association. Milwaukie, Oregon-based Marquis owns and […]
For the nursing home industry, 2022 will go down as a historic year, in no small part because the Biden administration announced a comprehensive list of nursing home reforms. The proposals include provisions for minimum staffing requirements, increased financial transparency for operators, and programs to target ‘bad actors’ with financial penalties and increased scrutiny. Not […]
Wisconsin nursing home operators are the latest to see an increase to the state’s Medicaid rate at a time when providers across the country are still battling back from significant workforce shortages and historic inflation. Medicaid cost coverage will increase from 77% for fiscal year 2022 to 91% for fiscal year 2023. The new rate […]
Covid-19 infections and deaths in nursing homes plummeted after the omicron variant receded and efforts were undertaken to ensure staff and residents were vaccinated, boosted and masked. Yet as fall fades into winter, many operators are bracing for the likelihood of a tripledemic: Covid-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and influenza all at once. Mandatory masking […]
As the nursing home workforce crisis continues to have far-reaching consequences for settings along the care continuum, associations outside of long-term care are adding their support for more permanent solutions. The American Hospital Association (AHA), for one, is the latest to throw its weight behind the Building America’s Health Care Workforce Act, a bill that […]
A case that could determine whether state-owned nursing homes are shielded from federal lawsuits filed by residents will be heard by the nation’s top court in just a few weeks despite calls from activists and lawmakers to dismiss the case entirely. While members of Health & Hospital Corp. of Marion County, the county’s public health […]
It’s hard to pin down how nursing home operators should be feeling as the end of the year approaches. The best way I could describe it, one week after attending the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) conference in Nashville, is a combination of optimism and pessimism that fluctuates depending on the […]
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has earmarked $50 million in funding for the state’s nursing homes and hospitals to ease workforce challenges and other Covid-related obstacles. “This additional funding will help further ease some of the burdens the COVID-19 pandemic has caused our hospitals and skilled nursing facilities across the state,” Maryland Department of Health Secretary […]
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 […]
Nursing home leaders have largely steered clear of making predictions given the events of the last two-plus years, but the head of the sector’s largest trade group confidently made one Monday. “One thing that I am sure about, and that I see very clearly is my prediction, and that is that you and your team […]
Ahead of a federal minimum staffing ratio to be proposed for the nation’s nursing homes, data continues to show a shortfall of available staff to meet such requirements. Many operators are in favor of higher staffing levels, but not without state or federal funding to hire and retain the appropriate level of staff. Others hope […]
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 […]
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