With termination notices ramping up for nursing homes on the Special Focus Facilities (SFF) list, operators and legal counsel close to the matter say the time is ripe for an overhaul of the program. For starters, the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process needs to be revised, and a more timely appeals process should be essential. […]
Staffing and certain compliance issues related to updated survey guidance coming in late March, particularly those that relate to patient discharges as well as use of psychotropic medications, are top of mind for nursing home clinical leaders in 2025. Panelists at Skilled Nursing News’ annual CLINICAL conference, which took place early this week in Fort […]
Existing and new roadblocks to construction and innovation in the nursing home sector are being felt across the country, with the repeal of certificate of need (CON) top of mind for providers in certain states, as higher tariffs are also expected to impose challenges down the road. The CON law generally requires providers to receive […]
The newly installed Trump administration late Tuesday prompted federal health agencies, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), to pause external communications through Feb. 1. That includes regular scientific reports, updates to websites and health advisories – communication that those in the nursing home industry regularly rely upon. Nursing home associations including the […]
Among the myriad executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on Inauguration Day Monday was one that freezes new regulations. A welcome relief for nursing home providers, the executive order reflects the new Republican administration’s overall preference for less regulation. However, it is worth noting that this executive order will not derail the staffing mandate […]
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 […]
Sufficient reimbursement, less regulation and adequate staffing are all attractive features for dealmaking, impacting operator decisions on which states and regions offer the path of least resistance when it comes to expanding their footprint. It may boil down to price per bed and the ease of the change of ownership (CHOW) process when determining desirability […]
Uncertainty surrounding the information required for the new nursing home Medicare revalidation process has led to high levels of concern, particularly among for-profit operators, who view it as yet another punitive measure. Following letters from nursing home advocates about the rushed timing of the off-cycle revalidations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has […]
Finance and operator voices alike are cautiously optimistic about prospects for the nursing home sector as the Trump administration prepares to enter the White House in January, alongside a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate that has historically been sympathetic to nursing home issues. When it comes to the federal minimum staffing mandate, Cascadia Healthcare’s […]
The U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision regarding civil monetary penalties (CMPs), which allows defendants the right to present their case to a federal jury when a federal agency is seeking financial penalties, may seem like a win for nursing homes at first glance. However, many providers are unlikely to pursue this path. The CMP decision […]
The timing and feasibility of the federal staffing mandate continue to haunt nursing home operators and communities, particularly those in rural areas, where providers across the health care continuum are competing to find clinical staff. Take for example, the case of a nursing home owned by Diversicare Healthcare Services in Yorktown, Texas, which is one […]
An ongoing depletion of knowledgeable nursing staff at nursing homes, such as the Minimum Data Set (MDS) coordinators, is leading to errors and confusion with facility surveys and ratings. This, in turn, is impacting operations and the ability to acquire and improve distressed facilities. A high turnover among those close to the survey process is […]
While hopeful that the Supreme Court’s recent Chevron decision will undermine the federal staffing mandate and lead to a more rational regulatory environment, leaders in the nursing home sector also are warning that the ruling could create a period of uncertainty and tumult. Steve LaForte, director of corporate affairs and general counsel for Idaho-based Cascadia […]
In an era when surveys – and delay in surveys – have been the cause for much stress among nursing home operators, a sometimes undervalued and overlooked strategy to minimize survey risk involves operators developing strong relationships with their state survey agencies. That’s certainly an easier task compared to getting approval from national agencies like […]
As regulatory, operational and legal risks abound for nursing home operators, strong relationships with commercial insurance carriers and brokers continue to be key in countering costs. Operators facing higher insurance premiums and greater administrative burdens have turned to using strong commercial insurance risk management companies as well as data-driven solutions that factor in the new […]
The new facility assessment requirements that federal agencies are expecting will guide decisions on staffing levels are also garnering concerns about potential administrative and financial burdens, particularly for smaller-sized nursing home chains. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) modified the existing requirements in late June, issuing expanded guidance to include metrics that are […]
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 […]
Many skilled nursing operators will need to reclassify their existing relationships with independent contractors and rethink future ones in the wake of a final rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) on Tuesday. The DOL’s new rule revises guidance on how to determine who is an employee and who is an independent contractor under […]
Managing personal technology devices is a common concern among staff at businesses across the nation, and nursing homes are no exception. While policies for personal technology use at nursing home organizations run the gamut – from completely restricting cell phone use to limited use to even encouraging use among employees – nursing homes have had […]
As operators mull problems on staying up to date with new or upcoming rules, legal and compliance executives believe that the federal government’s staffing proposal and focus on healthcare fraud prosecution are among the top challenges facing the sector. Speaking at Skilled Nursing News’ Risk Summit, leaders from Cascadia Healthcare and American Senior Communities, discussed […]
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