Main News

Life Care must face trial in 2 of nation’s earliest COVID deaths

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 31, 2023

Life Care Centers of America and one of its operating partners must face a wrongful death trial for alleged lapses in protocol at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Republicans coming again for healthcare worker vaccine mandate

By

Jessica R. Towhey

Jan 31, 2023

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives is expected to vote on two bills today that would have significant impacts for nursing homes.

Also in the News for Tuesday, Jan. 31

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 31, 2023

CT social services officials delay decision on major nursing home Medicaid request … NY reconsiders essential caregiver bill … OSHA signals ‘increased aggressiveness’ in combating hazardous workplace…

BREAKING: Public Health Emergency to end May 11

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 30, 2023

President Joe Biden has told members of Congress that he will end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on May 11, about a month after the current extension expires.

Nursing homes finally seeing benefits of Medicare Advantage supplemental services

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 30, 2023

Supplemental benefits designed to address seniors’ health and well-being have long targeted community-dwelling beneficiaries. They have grown from simple dental and vision add-ons to a wide swath of…

Without 20 percent Medicaid boost, state’s providers say bed reductions will continue

By

Jessica R. Towhey

Jan 30, 2023

New York state nursing home advocates want a 20% increase in Medicaid rates, a demand struggling for traction against home-based services. 

Lawsuit alleging ‘warehousing’ of disabled people in nursing homes shining light on national issue 

By

Jessica R. Towhey

Jan 30, 2023

A federal class-action lawsuit is highlighting a challenge felt nationwide: the housing people with disabilities in nursing homes without proper resources or a plan to transition them to more appropriate…

Also in the News for Monday, Jan. 30

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 30, 2023

ACHCA names Knapp, Savard, Siebel to Hall of Fame … State recommends license revocation for nursing home administrator behind alleged COVID testing fraud … VA to convert shuttered hospital into skilled…

Strategy to ‘harmonize’ COVID vaccine opens door to mandate, flu shot changes

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 27, 2023

An effort to streamline the national COVID-19 vaccination approach and shift to single, annual shots for most people may have major implications for nursing home staff.

Raising minimum wage 10% would avert 15,000 nursing deaths yearly: study

By

Jessica R. Towhey

Jan 27, 2023

Raising the minimum wage by 10% would prevent approximately 15,000 deaths in nursing homes per year, according to research examining how wage hikes can improve outcomes and conditions in skilled nursing…

Inner city, rural SNFs need more help from policymakers, must better cultivate local resources: analysis

By

Jessica R. Towhey

Jan 27, 2023

Nursing home policymakers should direct greater interventions to inner city and rural facilities while providers cultivate local school relationships, according to a new policy brief from LeadingAge.  

Also in the News for Friday, Jan. 27

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 27, 2023

REIT ownership linked to decline in RN staffing, increases in LPN, CNA use … State official asks Sanford Health, Good Samaritan Society’s parent company, to delay merger with Fairview Health … Brazen…

Federal bill returning temporary nurse aide waiver gets new life

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 26, 2023

A bill that would allow non-certified nurse aides to work in nursing homes longer than four months has been reintroduced in the House of Representatives.

CMS begins publicizing disputed nursing home deficiencies

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 26, 2023

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Wednesday started showing whether facilities were formally disputing cited deficiencies.

$30 million judgment hits nursing home that failed to document, reposition rehab patient

By

Jessica R. Towhey

Jan 26, 2023

The lack of instructions on repositioning an elderly man who spent two weeks in a nursing home for rehabilitation after a fall contributed to his death, and a $30 million judgment against the facility…

Also in the News for Thursday, Jan. 26

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 26, 2023

Antipsychotic prescribing for dementia soared at COVID’s start and hasn’t fallen since: study … Houston-area nursing home destroyed by tornado … Report: Healthcare sector top target for data breaches…

CMS completes minimum staffing study; targeting ‘onerous’ MA authorizations

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 25, 2023

Two proposed rules should help patients improve their Medicare Advantage plan selections while standardizing expectations for skilled nursing and other healthcare providers, federal officials reiterated…

Many LTC pill thefts still under the radar: study

By

Jessica R. Towhey

Jan 25, 2023

Nurses played a critical role in identifying the theft of more than 11,000 tablets from residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, investigators report. 

Under strike threat, nursing homes still awaiting $67 million in promised staffing grants

By

Jessica R. Towhey

Jan 25, 2023

A December deadline to begin distributing $67 million from the state of Michigan to nursing homes came and went with zero dollars going to providers. 

Also in the News for Wednesday, Jan. 25

By

Kimberly Marselas

Jan 25, 2023

States sue HHS over WHO public health emergency influence … The Nathaniel Witherell gets $900,000 personal bequest, one of the town-owned nursing home’s largest ever … Fire suppression system contains…