GAO Report Shows Residents’ Conditions Worsened on Seven of Eight Key Indicators in 2020In 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
COVID-19
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
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
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
Study: Medicare Beneficiaries with Dementia Died at Higher Rates During COVID-19 Pandemic
While the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, especially for those 65 and older,[1] a new study published in JAMA Neurology concludes that Medicare enrollees suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) died at … [Read more...] about Study: Medicare Beneficiaries with Dementia Died at Higher Rates During COVID-19 Pandemic
Case Against Nursing Facility Alleging Negligence and Wrongful Death From COVID-19 Affirmed to Belong in State Court
Ricardo Saldana died at Glenhaven Healthcare in California on April 13, 2020, allegedly from COVID-19. Four surviving family members sued the nursing facility in California Superior Court, alleging that the facility failed to protect … [Read more...] about Case Against Nursing Facility Alleging Negligence and Wrongful Death From COVID-19 Affirmed to Belong in State Court
New Study: COVID-19-Related Discrimination Impacted All Racial/Ethnic Minorities
As the coronavirus swept through the nation, reports surfaced that Asian and Black Americans were experiencing increased discrimination. According to a Pew Research Center article published in 2020, 40 percent of Black and Asian adults noted that if … [Read more...] about New Study: COVID-19-Related Discrimination Impacted All Racial/Ethnic Minorities