Unraveling the impact: PDPM Medicaid case-mix index and potential Five-Star Rating challenges
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 01, 2024
The landscape of Medicaid reimbursement for nursing homes is undergoing significant changes. Presently, eight states have adopted the PDPM case-mix index (CMI) model, and an additional 31 states are set...
Expect another Five-Star freeze amid nursing home survey delays, experts warn
By
Kimberly Marselas
Feb 20, 2024
Staffing measures used to calculate nursing homes’ federal ratings will freeze in April, further complicating a system based on often outdated and constantly changing metrics, experts warned last week.
Embracing end-of-life choices: A journey with Grandma
By
Steven Littlehale
Feb 02, 2024
At the beginning of the year, my grandmother found herself in an acute-care hospital, addressing blood clots in her legs and lungs. Having just recovered from COVID-19 at the age of 100, uncertainty loomed...
Redefining the role of agency staff in nursing homes: Unveiling new realities
By
Steven Littlehale
Jan 05, 2024
In the ever-evolving landscape of nursing home care, the use of agency staff has long been a topic of scrutiny, historically linked to concerns about inferior outcomes. However, as we navigate the aftermath...
MDS, quality reporting changes give providers a ‘bumpy road’ ahead
By
Kimberly Marselas
Dec 21, 2023
Major changes to resident assessment tools, increasing quality reporting requirements and new state Medicaid payment tools will continue to dog providers well into 2024, a trio of clinical and reimbursement...
Thirty elite long-term care leaders have been elected to the second annual class of McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards winners, organizers announced Monday.
Revamping CMS survey data integration amid regulatory lag in nursing home oversight
By
Steven Littlehale
Dec 08, 2023
The report titled “Uninspected and Neglected” by the majority staff of the US Senate Special Committee on Aging brings attention to a pressing issue: the severe understaffing of inspection agencies...
Data and empathy: The unseen defenders of nursing homes
By
Steven Littlehale
Nov 10, 2023
Back in September, I shared my insights in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News about the importance of being your own data defender. In that blog, I expressed a viewpoint that I believe strongly in: Every...
Fasten your seatbelts: It MIGHT be a bumpy ride
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 13, 2023
It’s been a flurry of activity leading up to the implementation of the “new MDS.” For months our industry has been doing what we do best — rising to the occasion. Countless MDS training sessions,...
Be your own data defender
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 15, 2023
“Well, it’s clear that you’ve never set foot into a nursing home.” I know you’ve thought that while reading a memo from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services or your state agency, taking...