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...
Citing staffing concerns, 2 governors ask for ‘relief’ from CMS vaccine mandate
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Feb 02, 2022
Republican governors Jim Justice of West Virginia and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia requested “relief” Monday in the form of broader exemptions from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ vaccine...
COVID cases rise among nursing home staff, NIC says; AMDA releases new guidance
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jan 19, 2022
Weekly COVID-19 cases among skilled nursing home staff members and residents set new records earlier this month, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care.
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.
In absence of Supreme Court ruling, work toward compliance with OSHA rule, experts advise
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jan 11, 2022
With the Occupational Safety and Health Administration withdrawing part of its COVID-19 healthcare emergency temporary standard, the agency’s vaccination-and-testing mandate for employers with 100 or...
Ohio nursing homes get $300M for nursing home workforce
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Dec 13, 2021
The Ohio Legislature sent Gov. Mike DeWine (R) a bill Thursday afternoon that sets aside $300 million of more than $4 billion in federal coronavirus relief funding toward the state’s nursing homes.
Federal workers with natural COVID-19 immunity file class action suit
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Nov 09, 2021
Attorneys from the New Civil Liberties Alliance and Austin, TX-based Texas Public Policy Foundation are representing almost a dozen federal workers in a class action lawsuit against their employer, the...
Few COVID-displaced direct care workers return: study
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 14, 2021
Approximlately 4% of direct care workers were displaced during the second quarter of 2020. A year later, few had returned to direct care, according to a new study by PHI and the Health Workforce Research...
HIPAA privacy rule permits employer inquiries of vaccination status: HHS
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 05, 2021
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act does not prohibit an individual or business from asking whether someone has received a particular vaccine, including a COVID-19 vaccine, nor does...
Long-term care sector must reinvest, rebuild workforce to meet ‘long tail’ COVID challenges: report
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Sep 10, 2021
Long-term care providers — in senior living, skilled nursing, home care and adult day services — must invest in their workforces if they are to survive the difficult circumstances facing the sector...