CMS Issues New Guidance for Nursing Home Visitation
CMS has issued new guidance for nursing home visitation and COVID-19 infection control. CMS makes it clear that outdoor visitation is encouraged, and indoor visitation is possible if there have …
Insights and News
SNFs: More Regulation Coming Your Way. New Report from the Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes.
CMS tasked MITRE, the operator of the CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare (Health FFRDC), with an urgent assignment: Convene a commission of experts to address safety and quality in nursing …
The Push Towards Value-Based Care Continues – New Roadmap for Medicaid from CMS
CMS issued guidance to state Medicaid directors designed to advance the adoption of value-based care strategies across their healthcare systems and align provider incentives across payers. Under value-based care, providers …
CMS Backtracks on MFAR, $50B Medicaid Pay Cuts
From McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has withdrawn the much-criticized Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule that could have caused havoc for skilled nursing providers, in …
OIG: Billions in Estimated Medicare Advantage Payments From Diagnoses Reported Only on HRAs Raise Concerns
OIG conducted a new study because of concerns that Medicare Advantage organizations (MAOs) may use health risk assessments (HRAs) to increase risk adjusted payments inappropriately. The Medicare Advantage (MA) program …
Discharge Planning During the COVID-19 Pandemic
HHS’ Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response recently published Discharge Planning and Care Coordination during the COVID-19 Pandemic, a resource developed in partnership with ACL and the Centers for Medicare …
Updated Home Health QRP COVID-19 Public Reporting Tip Sheet
CMS has provided an updated Tip Sheet is to help providers understand CMS’ public reporting strategy for the PAC QRP in the midst of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). …
Trump Administration Announces $2 Billion Provider Relief Fund Nursing Home Incentive Payment Plans
Today, under the leadership of President Trump, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is announcing the details of a …
2021 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTCH) Final Rule
CMS issued the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTCH) final rule. The changes in the rule will impact …
Assisted Living Facilities May Now Apply for Funding Under the Provider Relief Fund Phase 2 General Distribution Allocation
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has announced assisted living facilities (ALFs) may now apply for funding under the …