States renew request for U.S. Supreme Court to block healthcare worker vaccine mandate
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
May 17, 2022
Attorneys general from nine states on Thursday renewed their request for the U.S. Supreme Court to review the legality of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, which they...
SNF penalty change takes ‘precious resources’ from resident care, association says
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jul 30, 2021
Nursing homes could see greater penalties for safety violations now that a Trump administration policy limiting such penalties has been reversed, and one industry association says resident care could suffer...
Competition drives Medicare Advantage plans to expand nonmonetary benefits, which can save LTC providers...
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jan 21, 2022
The number of Medicare Advantage insurers has doubled over the past year, leading to expanded coverage beyond medical needs, according to a report released Wednesday from ATI Advisory. The nonmonetary...
Staff COVID-19 vaccinations have risen 25 percentage points under CMS mandate
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
May 18, 2022
COVID-19 vaccination rates among nursing home staff jumped 25 percentage points nationally thanks in no small part to a CMS mandate imposed earlier this year.
Federal vaccine mandate challenges mounted by states; court issues temporary stay
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Nov 08, 2021
Before even two days had passed after the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued COVID-19 vaccination requirements Thursday, a federal appeals court temporarily blocked...
Some Medicare Advantage organizations are denying or delaying services to beneficiaries covered under Medicare rules, according to a report issued Thursday by the Department of Health and Human Services...
Bipartisan BENES 2.0 Act could mean more money in the pockets of long-term care residents
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Feb 22, 2022
Older adults and long-term care residents could end up with more money in their pockets if the Senate’s bipartisan Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification 2.0 Act becomes law....
Medicare beneficiaries can appeal gap in nursing home coverage, court rules
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jan 31, 2022
Thursday ruling from a three-judge appellate federal court in Connecticut paves the way for hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries to appeal non-coverage of nursing home care after hospital stays.
Lawmakers re-introduce bill to waive 3-day stay requirement
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jun 03, 2021
A bipartisan cadre of lawmakers reintroduced the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2021 in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. If passed, the legislation would make permanent last year’s...
Medicare spending on SNFs up more than 4 percent, but use declines
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jun 03, 2022
Total Medicare spending for skilled nursing facilities increased $1.1 billion (4.4%) between 2019 and 2020, although 200,000 fewer traditional Medicare beneficiaries were using SNF services after the pandemic...