Healthcare Compliance Blog

JUNE 8, 2022

A Maine nursing home with a history of federal fines was listed as a special focus facility (SFF) after two residents wandered off in separate incidents last year. According to a Department of Health and Human Services report, on November 12, 2021, police found Resident #1 wandering along the side of the road with a walker.

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Nursing Homes Nurses Medicaid Medicaid 59

Healthcare Compliance Blog

JANUARY 24, 2022

On January 19, 2022, the Massachusetts Medicaid Fraud Division announced that in calendar year 2021, more than $55 million was recovered from individuals and entities who defrauded the state. The Medicaid Fraud Division also prioritizes the physical and financial security of residents who reside in Massachusetts nursing homes.

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Fraud Medicaid Medicaid Nursing Homes 59

Healthcare Law Blog

DECEMBER 7, 2022

In addition, the Semiannual Report included a summary chart of OIG reports issued, expected recoveries, and criminal and civil actions, which is copied below in comparison to the same numbers from the parallel period in 2021: [2]. 2] See Semiannual Report to Congress—April 1, 2021, Through September 30, 2021 (hhs.gov). [3]

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Nursing Homes Nurses US Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 52

Health Law RX

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

Medicare and Medicaid certified facilities will be required to ensure that their employees are vaccinated for COVID-19, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on September 9, 2021. The Interim Final Rule will apply to any healthcare facility receiving Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement.

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Medicaid Medicaid Medicare Medicare 75

Hall Render

MAY 2, 2023

For this alert, “nursing homes” refers to skilled nursing facilities (often known as “SNFs”). In 2020, CMS revised the nursing home infection control regulations at 42 CFR § 483.80 Additionally, this information is now publicly available on CMS’s COVID Nursing Home Data Website. COVID Staff Vaccine.

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Nursing Homes Public Health Nurses COVID-19 40

C&M Health Law

AUGUST 10, 2022

On July 29, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that updates Medicare payment policies and rates for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and enacts changes to the SNF Quality Reporting Program and the SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program beginning in FY 2023. Staffing Levels.

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Medicare Medicare COVID-19 Nursing Homes 52

Hall Render

JANUARY 11, 2022

Facing further confusion from skilled nursing facilities and families amidst the current spike in COVID cases in the United States, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released additional best practices and addressed more issues that skilled nursing providers should follow as they encounter certain visitation scenarios.

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Nurses Nursing Homes Medicaid Medicaid 73

Health Law Attorney

JANUARY 13, 2022

In June 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“ OSHA ”) issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (“ ETS ”) that would require, amongst other things, employers with 100 or more employees to adopt a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. OSHA’s mandatory vaccination policy would affect approximately 84 million employees.

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COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 Nursing Homes Medicaid 52

Provider Trust

AUGUST 9, 2023

Leveraging Oversight To Protect Nursing Home Residents Better Enhancing the quality of care in nursing homes remains paramount to OIG. Through years of oversight, they have discovered various obstacles and weaknesses within nursing home facilities.

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Nursing Homes COVID-19 Fraud Medicaid 52

Healthcare Law Blog

NOVEMBER 2, 2023

According to the Congressional Research Service, which analyzed data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) National Health Expenditure Accounts (“NHEA”) on the personal health expenditures for LTSS by payer, in 2021, an estimated $467.4 of all LTSS spending nationwide in 2021. [4] This represents 13.2%

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Nursing Homes Medicaid Medicaid Medicare 52

Healthcare Law Blog

DECEMBER 19, 2022

In 2021, COVID-19 immunization rates among nursing home staff quickly rose due to federal vaccine mandates for healthcare workers and long-term care facilities participating in the Federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program. iv] (DHHS – HC Staff Vaccination Requirement) – 2021-23831.pdf vi] [link].

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COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 Nursing Homes Nurses 52

Hall Render

OCTOBER 27, 2023

According to a recent study , physician-owned hospitals treated some of the most expensive Medicare beneficiaries at significantly lower costs compared to traditional hospitals, despite serving similar patient populations. In the broader nursing home industry, 19% meet such minimum staffing benchmarks. of total expenses.

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Hospitals Medicare Medicare Nursing Homes 40

Hall Render

JANUARY 24, 2022

Kaufman Hall released its 2021 M&A Year in Review. The number of M&A transactions was down (2020 included 79 transactions and 2021 included 49), but the size of the deals were larger in 2021 (16.3% Cain Brothers released its 2021 M&A Year in Review. of the deals were mega-mergers, compared to 8.9%

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Nursing Homes COVID-19 Nurses Hospitals 40

Kaiser Health News

MAY 27, 2022

For those 65 and older, Medicare picks up the tab. In 2021, the number of private equity acquisitions of gastroenterology practices grew by 28% over the previous year, according to Spherix Global Insights and Fraser Healthcare. And the population is aging, meaning more people will be needing the procedure.

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Doctors Nursing Homes Nurses Medicare 120

HIPAA & Health IT

MAY 19, 2023

This 99% figure is a twenty-five percent increase from 2021 (74%), in the middle of the public health emergency (PHE), and a thirty-nine percent increase from 2019 (60%), before the PHE had even begun.

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Nursing Homes Nurses Public Health Medicaid 52

HIPAA & Health IT

MAY 19, 2023

This 99% figure is a twenty-five percent increase from 2021 (74%), in the middle of the public health emergency (PHE), and a thirty-nine percent increase from 2019 (60%), before the PHE had even begun.

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Nursing Homes Nurses Public Health Medicaid 52

Med Law Blog

MAY 1, 2023

In the article entitled “The Death of Hahnemann Hospital” published in the New Yorker magazine in May 2021. In February of 2021, the National Bureau of Economic Research published a paper by Atul Gupta, Sabrina T. Similar issues were raised with respect to the private equity acquisition of Hahnemann Hospital.

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Nursing Homes Malpractice Hospitals Nurses 52

Hall Render

JUNE 10, 2022

Report: Mesa nursing home fined $500 after negligence leads to resident’s death. System on the brink of collapse’: CT nursing home workers join national campaign for better wages, conditions. Hands-on care requirement cuts at Florida nursing homes means more residents will die, union says.

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Hall Render

MAY 11, 2023

According to a Trella Health report , Medicare fee-for-service admissions at SNFs increased 5.8% The authors opined that staffing challenges faced in 2020 and 2021 eased somewhat in 2022. The South Carolina House of Representatives unanimously voted to repeal CON regulations for most health care facilities (excluding nursing homes).

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Nursing Homes Hospitals Nurses Medicare 40

Hall Render

MAY 20, 2022

HHS Announces $15M in Funding For Behavioral Healthcare In Nursing Homes. OIG: 25% of Medicare hospital patients experienced harm pre-pandemic. State Actions to Address Nursing Home Staffing During COVID-19. UAMS Study Found Large Segment of Arkansans Still Susceptible to COVID-19 in Late 2020, 2021.

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Health Care Law Brief

OCTOBER 27, 2021

At present, CMS requires that providers, including hospitals, develop emergency preparedness protocols, including policies, procedures, and communication plans, as a condition of participation in Medicare and Medicaid. Eventually, retired providers were called on to assist with unprecedented staffing shortages in late 2020 and 2021.

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COVID-19 Hospitals Medicaid Medicaid 40

Hall Render

JANUARY 6, 2022

Nursing homes face possible citations, civil monetary penalties, denial of payments and—as a final measure—termination of participation from the Medicare and Medicaid programs by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) as they embark on complying with the new CMS COVID-19 vaccine requirements for their staff.

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COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 Nurses Compliance 40

Hall Render

JULY 12, 2023

If a deemed hospice fails to meet the Medicare requirements or shows continued condition-level noncompliance, deemed status is generally removed and oversight is placed under the SA. Selected hospices either successfully complete the SFP program or are terminated from the Medicare program. of hospice providers reported data.

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Medicare Medicare Nursing Homes Fraud 40

YouCompli

JANUARY 4, 2022

Unger and Callahan addressed the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association’s Healthcare Legal Compliance Forum in December 2021. Unger reported that her unit is focused on about 65% Medicare fraud and about 35% abuse and neglect. YouCompli sponsored MHA’s 2021 Healthcare Legal Compliance Forum. Read a summary.

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Fraud Compliance Elder Abuse Medicaid 40

Hall Render

MAY 13, 2022

UChicago Medicine invests $607 million in community benefits for South Side and Southland regions in fiscal 2021. Nursing Home Operator Leaving 8 Locations. COVID outbreaks strike 8 nursing homes as cases rise across Maine. 11% of state’s nursing homes facing closure, survey finds. NEW JERSEY.

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COVID-19 Nurses Nursing Homes Hospitals 40

Hall Render

FEBRUARY 18, 2022

13-year Medicare payment dispute will return to HHS, court rules. Aspen University investigation: Students vent frustration amid nursing board probe into private college. ‘I feel extorted:’ Former FMC nurses told to pay $5K after being fired for refusing vaccine. 48 hospitals on Forbes’ list of best employers.

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COVID-19 Nursing Homes Nurses COVID-19 Vaccine 40

C&M Health Law

MAY 11, 2022

Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released data —for the first time—reporting on mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, and changes of ownership of Medicare enrolled hospitals and nursing homes over the past six years.

Nursing Homes 52

Nursing Homes Nurses Medicaid Medicaid 52

Hall Render

FEBRUARY 25, 2022

40% of Nursing Home Residents Haven’t Received COVID-19 Boosters, Analysis Finds. No COVID-19 boosters for 70% of nursing home staffs, AARP says. The 55 hospitals penalized by Medicare 8 years straight over patient complications. Contract Nurse Agencies Are Making Big Money in the Age of COVID-19.

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COVID-19 Nursing Homes Nurses Hospitals 40

Hall Render

APRIL 29, 2022

About 20K nursing home staff now have vaccine medical exemptions. Hospitals sue HHS over Medicare billing calculation. More than 400 nursing home closures projected for 2022: report. Permanent telehealth expansion could cost Medicare $25B over 1 decade. Family nurse practitioners. CMS Proposes $1.6B

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COVID-19 US Department of Health and Human Services Nursing Homes Nurses 40

Hall Render

MARCH 28, 2023

Blanket Waivers During the PHE, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued many versions and revisions to its memorandum entitled “COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers” that announced blanket waivers for providers, including SNFs. CMS will end this waiver at the end of the PHE.

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Public Health Nurses Nursing Homes COVID-19 40

Hall Render

MARCH 25, 2022

Hospital stays for nursing home residents down nearly 9%, federal data shows. Health data breaches swell in 2021 amid hacking surge, POLITICO analysis finds. Huntsville Hospital to launch new nurse training program. Alabama hospitals, nursing homes split $80 million in ARPA funds. CONNECTICUT.

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COVID-19 US Department of Health and Human Services Nursing Homes Nurses 40

Hall Render

MARCH 8, 2022

million people live in over 15,500 Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing homes. Establish a Minimum Nursing Home Staffing Requirement. CMS plans to propose minimum standards for staffing adequacy that nursing homes must meet. Provide Technical Assistance to Nursing Homes to Help them Improve.

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Nursing Homes Nurses Medicare Medicaid 40

Hall Render

APRIL 22, 2022

GAO investigating private equity ownership of nursing homes. This nursing home chain reported the highest COVID death rate. San Francisco’s Laguna Honda Hospital Loses Medicaid, Medicare Funding. Sutter Health: Nurses who staged 1-day strike must wait 5 days to return to work. Then it deleted deaths.

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COVID-19 Nursing Homes US Department of Health and Human Services Nurses 40

Hall Render

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

House report attacks, nursing homes fight back over allegations of deficient staffing, care and safe practices as pandemic hit. Colorado senior-care company pauses expansion into Indiana after Medicare audit. million to resolve Medicare fraud claims. Kansas nursing homes are closing because they can’t find enough workers.

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COVID-19 Nurses Nursing Homes Hospitals 40

Hall Render

JUNE 21, 2024

Medicare fraud scheme OSF HealthCare, Illinois State Collaborate on SDOH Research Second lawsuit filed in deadly fall at UChicago Hospital construction site State fines four nursing homes in west central Illinois Waukegan hospital facing lawsuit over handling of asbestos in demolition project Who’s pursuing ASCs in 2024?

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US Department of Health and Human Services Nursing Homes Nurses Hospitals 40

Hall Render

AUGUST 19, 2022

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities face increased turnover, look to new solution to attract workers. Rat infestation closes Veteran Affairs nursing home in Arizona. Deadline to Close Nursing Home Extended by 2 Months. Valley nursing home workers calling for increased pay and staffing.

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COVID-19 Nursing Homes US Department of Health and Human Services Nurses 40

Hall Render

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

AMA scrutinizes lack of competition, consumer harms in Medicare Advantage plans. CMS gives nursing homes a longer leash on staff COVID-19 vaccination requirements. CMS makes big changes to Medicare Shared Savings Program. In Bethel, a homegrown solution to the state’s nursing shortage. percent in final rule.

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US Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Nursing Homes Nurses 40