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Rural Long-Term Care Facilities – News

News stories from the past 60 days.

May 14, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on revisions to an information collection titled "Fast Track Appeals Notices: NOMNC/DENC." Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), home health agencies (HHAs), comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities (CORFs), and hospices must provide notice to all beneficiaries/enrollees whose Medicare-covered services are ending no later than two days in advance of the proposed termination of service via the Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage (NOMNC). Comments are due by July 15, 2024.
May 10, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) establishing minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities. This rule also requires states to report the percentage of Medicaid payments for certain Medicaid-covered institutional services that are spent on compensation for direct care workers and support staff. These regulations are effective on June 21, 2024, except for § 483.71, § 483.35(b)(1) and (c)(1), § 483.35(b)(1)(i) and (ii), and §§ 438.72(a) and 442.43 as indicated.
Source: Federal Register
May 7, 2024 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on a proposed information collection titled "Data Collection for the Residential Care Community and Adult Day Services Center Components of the National Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Study." The data collected in 2024 will include the basic characteristics, services, staffing, and practices of Residential Care Communities (RCCs) and Adult Day Services Centers (ADSCs), and aggregate-level distributions of the demographics, selected health conditions and health care utilization, physical functioning, and cognitive functioning of RCC residents and ADSC participants. Comments are due by July 8, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
May 2, 2024 - Notice of proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2025. Contains details of proposed changes impacting Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals and payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals, among other things. Comments are due by June 10, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 25, 2024 - Discusses new regulations for staffing minimums for nursing homes including analysis of rural-specific provisions. Offers staffing data for South Carolina nursing homes.
Source: South Carolina Daily Gazette
Apr 22, 2024 - Offers review of a new rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding staffing minimums in nursing homes. The new standard is expected to require most nursing homes to increase staff. Discusses the rural-specific timeline for meeting the standard in addition to the impact on wages, workforce shortages, and Medicaid reimbursement.
Source: KFF Health News
Apr 22, 2024 - Announces three rules from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services establishing national standards and increasing access to care. "Minimum Staffing Standards for Nursing Homes" aims to improve healthcare quality by setting minimum staffing standards for nursing staff, collecting and reporting on workforce compensation data, and offering incentives for the nurse workforce to work in nursing homes. The 2 remaining rules work together to establish national appointment wait time standards, address payment transparency, and create payment standards for workers providing home and community based services.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Apr 17, 2024 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the reinstatement of an information collection titled "Skilled Nursing Facility and Skilled Nursing Facility Complex Cost Report." The information collected will be used to determine the cost weights for the skilled nursing facility (SNF) market basket, conduct payment adequacy analyses, and determine reasonable costs. Comments are due by May 17, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 16, 2024 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeks comments on revisions to an information collection titled "Reform of Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities." The information collected will be used by CMS, state survey agencies, and long-term care (LTC) facilities to ensure compliance with Medicare and Medicaid requirements and quality of care provided to LTC residents. Revisions include new requirements proposed at 42 CFR 483.35 and new section 483.71, which were discussed in the September 6, 2023, proposed rule on page 61391. Comments are due by June 17, 2024.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 10, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical corrections to the August 7, 2023, final rule. This notice is effective April 10, 2024, and is applicable October 1, 2023.
Source: Federal Register
Last Updated: 5/14/2024