Survey

GAO: Problems with survey methodology, guidance factor into understatement of deficiencies at nursing homes

January 04, 2010

General weaknesses in the nursing home survey process contribute to the understatement of deficiencies at nursing homes, a newly released report from the Government Accountability Office found.

Healthcare officials eliminate nursing home assessment protocols

May 28, 2009

It's a wrap on RAPs. Resident Assessment Protocols (RAPs) will be eliminated under a new assessment regimen in development, an official with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced on Thursday.

New law eliminates fines for nursing homes that fix problems

May 28, 2009

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (D) this week enacted a law that eliminates fines against nursing homes that identify and correct health and safety issues on their own accord. The law sets out new rules and guidelines for a "quality assurance assessment" program.

CMS to test cash incentives for nursing home quality, efficiency efforts

March 30, 2009

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Friday announced a new, four-state demonstration project to test whether cash incentives will help improve quality and efficiency in nursing homes.

Initial results of five-star ratings: Nonprofit nursing homes deliver better care, analysis shows

December 19, 2008

Nonprofit nursing homes provide a higher quality of care than for-profit facilities, according to an analysis by USA Today of the first ratings of nursing homes by the government's five-star rating system.

CMS asks 30,000 Medicare providers to take part in survey

December 17, 2008

The fourth annual Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services healthcare provider satisfaction survey is on its way, the agency announced Tuesday.

For most nursing assistants, it's about answering the call, study finds

August 29, 2008

Most nursing assistants in nursing homes enter the field to help others, according to the National Nursing Assistant Survey, a detailed sampling of the attitudes and opinions of nursing assistants. Released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the survey was prepared by the Division of Health Care Statistics, Long-Term Care Statistics Branch.

Regulators go overtime fielding comments and questions on nursing home star-rating system

June 25, 2008

While the focus of regulators' "Open Door Forum" conference call Tuesday might have first appeared to be about getting ready for the December rollout of a new nursing home ranking system, officials quickly made it clear much more was at stake.

Nursing home operators lose 93% of appeals: report

June 04, 2008

The federal government won 66 of 71 appeals cases brought by nursing home providers last year according to a recent report from the Center for Medicare Advocacy. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services won all 18 cases decided on the merits at the Appellate Division; it won 48 of 53 cases at the Civil Remedies Division.

GAO nursing home survey not accurate, Oklahoma officials say

May 20, 2008

Many in the nursing home field have been taken aback by the Government Accountability Office report released last week. Now one state, which ranks among the worst in the country in terms of nursing home inspections, according to the report, is speaking out against the GAO's findings.

Poll: Public's concern over healthcare costs rising

April 30, 2008

Healthcare costs are the third-most common economic problem for U.S. residents, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation. More than one-fourth (28%) of respondents said the changing economy has caused them a serious problem paying for either insurance or healthcare.

CMS lists poor performing nursing homes on consumer Web site

April 25, 2008

Federal regulators' "Nursing Home Compare" Web site now lists facilities that rank in the lowest 10% in quality based on state inspection results, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services disclosed Thursday.

Boomers healthy, conservative, new report finds

January 07, 2008

A quick glance at the oldest baby boomers: They've been married only once; they have 2.4 children average; and conservatives outnumber liberals by two to one.