AARP’s COVID-19 Dashboard shows an alarming increase in COVID-19 infections among nursing home residents and staff during the four weeks ending August 20, 2023, with cases doubling and deaths increasing by 80%, compared to the previous four weeks. … [Read more...] about COVID-19 Is Increasing Among Nursing Home Residents and Staff
COVID-19
Information on New COVID Vaccines for Fall 2023
On September 11, the FDA approved and authorized for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines are formulated to more closely target COVID-19 variants that are currently circulating. The CDC recommends everyone … [Read more...] about Information on New COVID Vaccines for Fall 2023
Home for the Holidays | Leaving the Nursing Home During a Medicare-Covered Stay
Summer brings various holidays and family vacations. Nursing home residents often want to participate in these gatherings but may worry that they will lose Medicare coverage if they leave the facility to do so. Over the years, the Center for Medicare … [Read more...] about Home for the Holidays | Leaving the Nursing Home During a Medicare-Covered Stay
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”
COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration Ends May 11, 2023
The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), declared in early 2020, triggered new flexibilities for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to address the pandemic in the Medicare program. In the subsequent weeks, CMS issued numerous Public … [Read more...] about COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration Ends May 11, 2023
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
HHS Office of Inspector General: Nursing Home COVID-19 Underscores Need for Better Staffing and Improved Surveys
According to the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), nursing facilities were not prepared for the pandemic and could not “stem the devastation once it was evident that nursing homes were especially vulnerable.” In “More than a Thousand Nursing … [Read more...] about HHS Office of Inspector General: Nursing Home COVID-19 Underscores Need for Better Staffing and Improved Surveys
Medicare Provisions in Year-End Spending Bill
The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), 2023 (H.R. 2617, now Public Law 117-328), which funds federal government operations for the 2023 fiscal year, was signed into law by President Biden on December 29, 2022. The CAA contains a number of … [Read more...] about Medicare Provisions in Year-End Spending Bill
Vaccinated Staff Equals Fewer Nursing Home Deaths – Require Boosters
A new study documents that vaccinations of nursing home staff resulted in fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths among residents and fewer COVID-19 cases among staff in the early part of the coronavirus pandemic. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid … [Read more...] about Vaccinated Staff Equals Fewer Nursing Home Deaths – Require Boosters