In May 1986, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing titled “Nursing Home Care: The Unfinished Agenda” and released a report finding “disturbing shortfalls in nursing home oversight” that place residents at risk. The average surveyor … [Read more...] about Understaffing at State Survey Agencies Places Nursing Home Residents at Risk
Skilled Nursing Facility
A Message to Nursing Home Trade Associations: Stop Scaring Residents and Staff About Nursing Home Staffing, Spend Public Reimbursement on Resident Care
In an alarmist State of the Nursing Home Sector, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) reports, yet again, dire news about nursing facilities. It claims that historic labor shortages have led to the lowest nursing home staffing levels since … [Read more...] about A Message to Nursing Home Trade Associations: Stop Scaring Residents and Staff About Nursing Home Staffing, Spend Public Reimbursement on Resident Care
Bipartisan Group of Senators and Representatives Support CMS’s Proposed Rule on Nursing Home Ownership Transparency and Urges CMS to Strengthen Rule in Seven Specific Ways
In a May 17, 2023 letter to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Senators Charles E. Grassley (R, IA), Elizabeth Warren (D, MA), and Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D, PA), and Representatives Katie Porter (D, CA) and Lloyd Doggett (D, TX) express support … [Read more...] about Bipartisan Group of Senators and Representatives Support CMS’s Proposed Rule on Nursing Home Ownership Transparency and Urges CMS to Strengthen Rule in Seven Specific Ways
Submit Comments on Part A Medicare Reimbursement For Skilled Nursing Facilities – Due June 5
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed annual update to Medicare Part A reimbursement for skilled nursing facilities, published in the Federal Register on April 10, 2023, includes policy issues of concern to advocates for … [Read more...] about Submit Comments on Part A Medicare Reimbursement For Skilled Nursing Facilities – Due June 5
Updated Factsheet: Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility Coverage Does Not Require Improvement
In 2013, a federal district court approved a settlement agreement in the case of Jimmo v. Sebelius that confirmed Medicare coverage should be determined by a beneficiary’s need for skilled care, not the individual’s potential for improvement.The … [Read more...] about Updated Factsheet: Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility Coverage Does Not Require Improvement
Elder Justice “No Harm” Newsletter | Volume 5, Issue 2 Now Available
In the Elder Justice Newsletter, we highlight citations, including deficiencies related to abuse, neglect, and substandard care, that have been identified as not causing any resident harm. The goal of this brief newsletter is to shed light on the … [Read more...] about Elder Justice “No Harm” Newsletter | Volume 5, Issue 2 Now Available
Health Affairs: International Nurses Won’t Solve U.S. Nurse Staffing Crisis
National nursing home trade associations call for increased immigration as key to solving their shortages in nursing staff. See LeadingAge’s recommendations to the Senate here, American Health Care Association’s letter to CMS Administrator here, and … [Read more...] about Health Affairs: International Nurses Won’t Solve U.S. Nurse Staffing Crisis
Study: Fewer Nurses in Nursing Homes Associated with More Resident Deaths
“Staffing Shortages, Staffing Hours, and Resident Deaths in U.S. Nursing Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic” finds that nursing facilities that self-reported nurse staffing shortages in fact had fewer registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and … [Read more...] about Study: Fewer Nurses in Nursing Homes Associated with More Resident Deaths
CMS Says Nursing Home Visitation “is Allowed for All residents at All Times”
Revising its September 2020 in order to align with the ending of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services confirms: “Visitation is allowed for all residents at all times.” CMS confirms that visitors may … [Read more...] about CMS Says Nursing Home Visitation “is Allowed for All residents at All Times”
Medicare Payments for Skilled Nursing Facility Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the public health emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) waived the statutory requirement, 42 U.S.C. §1395x(i), limiting Medicare Part A coverage in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to beneficiaries who have a prior … [Read more...] about Medicare Payments for Skilled Nursing Facility Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic