Late November begins a time for gatherings with family and friends – Thanksgiving, soon followed by the December holidays. Nursing home residents often want to participate in these gatherings but may worry that they will lose Medicare coverage if … [Read more...] about Home for the Holidays | Leaving the Nursing Home During a Medicare-Covered Stay During the Coronavirus Pandemic
COVID-19
CMS Must Strengthen Oversight of Infection Prevention and Control in Nursing Home
GAO Report Shows Residents’ Conditions Worsened on Seven of Eight Key Indicators in 2020 In a performance audit, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that in seven of eight key indicators of nursing home residents’ mental and physical … [Read more...] about CMS Must Strengthen Oversight of Infection Prevention and Control in Nursing Home
CMS Encourages Health Care Providers to Prepare for the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
In an August 18, 2022 blog post, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) encourages health care providers “to prepare for the end [of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency] flexibilities as soon as possible and to begin moving forward … [Read more...] about CMS Encourages Health Care Providers to Prepare for the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Nurse Staffing Study Confirms Nursing Home Resident Deaths Increased When Nurse Staffing Levels Declined During Pandemic
An analysis of “severe outbreaks” of COVID-19 in nursing homes between January 1, 2017 and June 30, 2021 finds that “the contemporaneous increase in staffing shortages and resident non-COVID-19-related deaths is consistent with worsened resident … [Read more...] about Nurse Staffing Study Confirms Nursing Home Resident Deaths Increased When Nurse Staffing Levels Declined During Pandemic
Report: CDC Attempts to Overcome Limited and Incomplete COVID-19 Data to Address Health Disparities
Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, renewed the Public Health Emergency (PHE) on July 15th. [1] Over two-and-a-half years after the initial PHE was enacted, COVID-19 has infected almost one-third (27%)[2] of the people living in … [Read more...] about Report: CDC Attempts to Overcome Limited and Incomplete COVID-19 Data to Address Health Disparities
As Interstate Telehealth Emergency Licensure Waivers Expire, Study Examines Impact on Medicare Beneficiaries
The first COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) was passed on January 31, 2020.[1] Almost two-and-a-half years later, over one million people have lost their lives to the infectious disease, and the nation is still struggling to emerge from the … [Read more...] about As Interstate Telehealth Emergency Licensure Waivers Expire, Study Examines Impact on Medicare Beneficiaries
An Exploration of the Pandemic’s Full Impact on Racial and Ethnic Minorities from March to December 2020
The United States is on track to hit a grim COVID-19 milestone. Soon, over one million people will have lost their lives to the pandemic.[1],[2] While daily death rates have fallen, the average number of daily cases is back on the rise – increasing … [Read more...] about An Exploration of the Pandemic’s Full Impact on Racial and Ethnic Minorities from March to December 2020
Fewer Residents Died from COVID in Unionized Nursing Homes
An observational study of 13,350 nursing homes between June 8, 2020 and March 21, 2021 finds that facilities with unionized workers were associated with a 10.8% lower COVID-19 mortality rate among residents and a 6.8% lower COVID-19 infection rate … [Read more...] about Fewer Residents Died from COVID in Unionized Nursing Homes
Medicare Coverage of Over-the-Counter COVID Tests
On April 4, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a press release announcing that people with Medicare Part B – including those in Medicare Advantage plans – can get up to eight free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per … [Read more...] about Medicare Coverage of Over-the-Counter COVID Tests
Nearly Twice as Many Black COVID-19 Patients Categorized as Lowest Priority Group for Scarce Resources as Use of Crisis Standards of Care was Considered
At various times during the COVID-19 pandemic, including surges produced by the Delta and Omicron variants, hospitals around the nation experienced tremendous strain, creating a shortage of beds[1] and other resources such as staffing and medical … [Read more...] about Nearly Twice as Many Black COVID-19 Patients Categorized as Lowest Priority Group for Scarce Resources as Use of Crisis Standards of Care was Considered