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...
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...
Biden administration asks Supreme Court for stay from injunctions against CMS vaccine mandate
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Dec 20, 2021
As lawsuits mount from multiple states, the Biden administration asked the Supreme Court Thursday to reinstate nationwide the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ emergency regulation mandating...
Business briefs, March 27
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Mar 27, 2023
Bill closes ‘loophole’ in provider background checks … USCIS lifts COVID-related flexibilities … Biden’s budget would strengthen Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, HCBS, senator says … ORA...
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.
Business briefs, July 11
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jul 11, 2023
CCRC salaries soaring: Nurses still in hottest demand but raises for all moderating … Unemployment rate sees little change at 3.8% in June: BLS … CA Supreme Court backs employers in ‘take-home’...
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.
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.
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...