The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is proposing some major structural changes, according to an internal agency e-mail recently obtained by the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care.

The House this week voted to extend the therapy caps exceptions process and delay a 21.2% Medicare physician pay cut through April 30.

A national program designed to increase transparency and reporting standards among healthcare facilities has led to a significant decrease in healthcare associated infections (HAIs) in France over the last six years, according to the results of a program review.

Long-term care advocates Wednesday applauded Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for acknowledging "inherent flaws" in the Five-Star Quality Rating System. The fourth annual McKnight's Online Expo will kick off March 24 with a webcast discussing issues related to nursing home quality.

State and federal lawmakers should find a way to legally recognize same-sex elderly couples to extend social supports, financial security and healthcare benefits to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender seniors, a new report contends.

Giving nursing home workers a flu vaccine is ineffective at preventing the spread of influenza among residents, a new Canadian study suggests.

The nation's first nursing home rating system is an important tool for consumers, but changes can be expected, said the country's highest health official on Tuesday. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said criticism about always assigning certain percentages of facilities "excellent" or "failing" grades is "serious" and deserves further consideration.

Between 1997 and 2007, the number of nursing homes providing training and certification programs for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) fell by more than a third, according to a recent report.

Some states will receive additional funding for insurance information programs for seniors after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services terminated a federal contract with Fox Insurance Company.

The average price per bed for skilled nursing facilities rose slightly in 2009, while the price per bed in assisted living facilities fell, according to the 15th edition of the Senior Care Acquisition Report from Irving Levin Associates Inc.