States overlooking untapped potential of dual-eligible special needs plans: report
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Oct 28, 2021
The American Rescue Plan Act is expected to infuse $11 billion in federal dollars to states to bolster home- and community-based services in Medicaid. But few states are connecting the dots on how integrated...
Assisted living providers balance care and service delivery, compliance with complex policies: speaker
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Oct 27, 2021
ATLANTA — Assisted living and life plan communities have had much to deal with in the past 18 months, including fair housing challenges, vaccine mandates and exemptions, COVID-19 liability lawsuits,...
EEOC: Employers must accommodate religious objections to COVID vaccine mandates
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 27, 2021
Employers with COVID-19 vaccine mandates must accommodate workers’ “sincerely held religious beliefs, practices and observances” against such requirements unless doing so would create an “undue...
Business briefs, Oct. 27
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 27, 2021
SNFs in 3 states ordered to spend more on direct care ahead of other expenses … Minnesota Department of Health takes temporary control of Minneapolis SNF … OSHA
confirms first leader since 2017 …...
Federal investigators confirm that UnitedHealth short-changed suppliers that administered COVID-19 vaccinations...
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 26, 2021
UnitedHealth Group will reprocess all of its commercial claims related to COVID-19 vaccine administration, after federal investigators confirmed that the nation’s largest insurer paid “millions”...
What’s better for senior living and care — the market or government?
By
Stephen A. Moses
Oct 25, 2021
By most measures, the more market-based independent and assisted living sectors fare better economically over time than the more government-dependent sectors. Why?
‘Pervasive’ staffing shortage poses dilemmas for skilled nursing sector
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 25, 2021
Staffing shortages have become “pervasive” nationwide since the pandemic began, and the acute shortage of nursing staff and aides in skilled nursing facilities likely has not hit rock bottom yet, National...
Erickson’s Medicare Advantage plan earns 5-Star CMS rating for second consecutive year
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 25, 2021
Erickson Advantage, Erickson Senior Living’s resident-only Medicare Advantage plan, has received top recognition from the Centers for Medicare & Med
Business briefs, Oct. 25
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 25, 2021
CMS issues guidance to states regarding COVID-19-related treatment without cost-sharing in Medicaid, other programs … National Senior Campuses retains top spot on 2021 LeadingAge Ziegler 200 list …...
Michigan data show routine vaccinations plummeted in early pandemic
Oct 22, 2021
Authors say that catch-up vaccinations of doses missed throughout the pandemic are needed to stem outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.