Center for Medicare Advocacy

Advancing Access to Medicare and Healthcare

Quality of Care

Oscar Nominated Documentary Goes Undercover in Chilean Nursing Home

The Academy Awards are this Sunday, April 25th.  Nominated for best documentary is The Mole Agent – a moving Chilean film that gives us a rare glimpse of life in a nursing home from a resident’s perspective. The documentary follows an 83-year-old man … [Read more...] about Oscar Nominated Documentary Goes Undercover in Chilean Nursing Home

Special Report – Nursing Homes Cited with Infection Control Deficiencies During the Pandemic: Poor Results In Health Inspections, Low Staffing Levels

Since March 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has limited surveys to two types: targeted infection control surveys and complaints and facility-reported incidents that states triage as immediate jeopardy. The Center for … [Read more...] about Special Report – Nursing Homes Cited with Infection Control Deficiencies During the Pandemic: Poor Results In Health Inspections, Low Staffing Levels

CDC’s Report on Coronavirus in a Seattle Nursing Facility: What it Tells Us About Staffing Problems Nationwide; What We Must Do to Address Lessons Learned

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for March 18, 2020 describes, as of March 9, coronavirus and the Life Care Center at Kirkland (Washington State): “Introduction of COVID-19 into a long-term … [Read more...] about CDC’s Report on Coronavirus in a Seattle Nursing Facility: What it Tells Us About Staffing Problems Nationwide; What We Must Do to Address Lessons Learned

Study Finds Nursing Home Compare Data about Patient Falls with Major Injuries Underreported and “Highly Inaccurate”

In the first “national-level assessment of how nursing homes self-report major injury fall rates, which are used by CMS for quality measurement and public reporting,” researchers “found substantial underreporting on the specific Minimum Data Set … [Read more...] about Study Finds Nursing Home Compare Data about Patient Falls with Major Injuries Underreported and “Highly Inaccurate”

Medicare SNF Payment Model Creates Changes in Care and Admissions – What about Facility Assessments?

The new Medicare reimbursement system for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) – the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) – fundamentally changes the financial incentives for facilities. With PDPM, Medicare now pays lower rates for residents needing … [Read more...] about Medicare SNF Payment Model Creates Changes in Care and Admissions – What about Facility Assessments?

Poorly Performing Skilled Nursing Facilities: What Happens to Them?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) identifies 88 nursing facilities nationwide that are among the most poorly performing facilities in the country. CMS calls these facilities, generally two per state, Special Focus Facilities … [Read more...] about Poorly Performing Skilled Nursing Facilities: What Happens to Them?