As states in Hurricane Helene’s path grapple with its devastating effects days after it made landfall in Florida Thursday evening, nursing home operators are dealing with significant repair and maintenance challenges that could last a while – particularly in states like North Carolina. Damage to transportation, power and utilities could make recovery in some states […]
Long-term care facilities are struggling to evacuate patients due to logistical hurdles, as Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall on Thursday night. Some Florida nursing homes, however, have successfully evacuated their residents and are following protocol, according Kristen Knapp, senior director of strategy and communications for the Florida Health Care Association. “Our members have […]
Nursing home operators in Florida will see an 8% increase in their Medicaid funding, or $247.8 million – that amounts to $470,000 per facility. Gov. Ron DeSantis this week signed the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, which included the significant Medicaid funding increase to support the growing demand for caregivers and […]
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) […]
Violations linked to Florida nursing homes have doubled in the last four years, according to an investigation by the Tampa Bay Times. Last year, Florida nursing homes were cited 83 times for putting their older adult residents at risk of immediate danger, and more than half of the serious violations involved staff shortages or insufficient […]
The nation’s highest court has declined to weigh in on a case involving a federal arbitration rule that nursing home industry groups argue places “burdensome” requirements on facilities. The U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition on Monday for a writ of certiorari in the case of Northport Health Services of Arkansas, LLC v. Department of […]
Florida nursing homes, already strapped for staff while the sector continues to face a historic workforce crisis on a national level, now are enduring Hurricane Ian and bracing for its aftermath. The storm was making its way north and across the state on Wednesday. The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) said facilities have been preparing […]
While nursing home operators and industry trade groups appreciate the Biden administration’s proposal to use Medicaid as a tool to boost staff wages in the industry, some wonder if the federal government’s approach is too broad for an increasingly diverse industry. Facilities vary widely based on region and community demographics, company culture and size. Still, […]
As state and federal policymakers clamor to set nursing home minimum staffing standards – most recently in the Biden administration’s expansive reform proposals – leaders in the space are asking a pointed question: Why now? The industry has already lost nearly 238,000 caregivers in the last two years – an issue that has only been […]
Staff recruiting and retention, at least when it comes to general education about the skilled nursing industry, is starting at a much earlier age in part due to the ongoing staffing crisis, along with the “silver tsunami” that is aging baby boomers. More operators have plans to partner with community school districts to teach kids […]
With one of the lowest staff vaccination rates in the country — 45.8% compared to the national average of 59.3% —Florida operators may have a tough road ahead of them as the emergence of the delta variant and an easing of state and federal mandates has created a flood of new cases at local hospitals. […]
Health care providers across the continuum have grappled with major challenges in providing care for patients with COVID-19, and several states have taken steps to shield them from lawsuits related to care provided during the national emergency. Skilled nursing facilities are often included in those liability protections, but the extent to which the protections apply […]
The danger that COVID-19 poses to residents in the skilled nursing setting was well-documented in the fallout from an outbreak in a facility in the state of Washington. But as cases mount and hospital beds fill up, health officials across the country are starting to indicate that SNFs need to be ready to take patients […]
The Florida House last week approved House Bill 21, which would repeal certificate of need (CON) laws for health care facilities in the state, including hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices. The bill now goes to the state Senate, which has historically opposed CON repeal, the Tampa Bay Times noted. The Senate bill, however, does not […]
As the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off, skilled nursing providers in Florida have been working to meet the requirements of the state’s new nursing home generator law. There have been hurdles along the way. The law, first proposed in the wake of the deaths that followed Hurricane Irma at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, became […]
The Florida skilled nursing industry has collectively agreed to a modified rule that requires operators in the state to have access to backup electricity sources in the event of a power outage. The decision concludes months of discussion among skilled nursing providers and the state legislature regarding a rule proposed by Gov. Rick Scott following […]
A “granny cam” provision has been tucked into a bill under consideration in Florida, following the deaths of 13 skilled nursing residents in due to a power outage after Hurricane Irma. Rep. Katie Edwards (D-Plantation) and Sen. Gary Farmer (D-Fort Lauderdale) filed the legislation Tuesday in the Florida House and Senate, respectively. The Florida deaths […]
News about the nursing home deaths in Hollywood, Fla. continues to unfold, with each day bringing more information about the scene inside the facility — and the longer-lasting impact that the tragedy at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills will have on the skilled nursing industry as whole. The latest: Industry leaders met at a […]
The state of Florida this week announced new emergency preparedness rules for skilled nursing facilities, as officials continue to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. SNFs in the Sunshine State will now need to prove that they have enough fuel to power a backup generator for 96 hours, keeping ambient temperatures below 80 degrees for […]
It’s been a difficult week in the world of skilled nursing, with investigators still attempting to determine what went wrong at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills in Hollywood, Fla., where a lack of power in the wake of Hurricane Irma led to the deaths of eight residents. As of Friday morning, about 50 of […]
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