Nursing home advocates ask CMS to amend visitation guidelines as COVID-19 spikes
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Dec 22, 2021
With the rapid spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus and a spike in COVID-19 infections overall nationwide, nursing home advocates are asking the federal government to allow providers more discretion...
Court precedents support Biden’s vaccine mandate for workers, experts say
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Sep 28, 2021
The Republican National Committee and 24 state attorneys general have threatened to sue the Biden administration over the forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine mandate, but experts say legal precedent could be...
Ending state of emergency won’t change staffing needs, provider group says
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Sep 22, 2022
ency on Oct. 31, long-term care staffing needs have not abated, and lifting the order could affect regulations that have permitted additional flexibility in staffing. That’s according to the Washington...
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...
Feds include nursing homes, businesses in new COVID vaccination effort
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 27, 2022
President Biden on Tuesday called on more Americans, especially older adults, to get the updated COVID-19 booster shot ahead of upcoming holidays. In response, Albertson’s grocery store pharmacies and...
50 National Guard members activated to help Utah LTC facilities, hospitals ease staffing shortages
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Feb 03, 2022
The Utah National Guard’s COVID-19 Joint Task Force has activated approximately 50 service members statewide, according to Tuesday’s official statement from the National Guard. The move is meant to...
Wisconsin commits $500M for reimbursements to nursing homes, also increases HCBS reimbursement
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jan 13, 2022
Wisconsin will commit more than $500 million for payments and incentives to nursing homes by increasing reimbursement rates, Gov. Tony Evers (D) said Tuesday.
Governor bans vaccine mandates by ‘any entity’ in Texas
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 13, 2021
Lone Star State Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued an executive order Monday evening prohibiting “any entity in Texas” from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for an employee or consumer “who objects to such...
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...