New Nursing Home Vaccine Requirements Could Trigger Staffing Scramble in Post-Acute Care

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new emergency regulation Wednesday requiring staff COVID-19 vaccinations within all nursing homes reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid. Up until now, health care providers in many states have been left to develop their own in-house vaccination policies for workers. In some instances, however, health care providers […]

More Aggressive Delta Variant Causing Home Health Providers to Navigate New Phase of the Pandemic

Since the onset of the COVID-19 emergency in early 2020, home-based care providers have had to navigate seemingly countless challenges around keeping both patients and staff safe. Providers are now gearing up to face a new and more aggressive strain of the coronavirus: the Delta variant. Among its major distinctions, the Delta variant is more […]

Hoping to Prevent Community Spread, Home-Based Care Advocates Vie for ‘Critical’ Vaccine Access

A number of national home-based care advocacy organizations have come together to address the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). In a new letter penned to ACIP Chairman Dr. José Romero, the group called for the inclusion of in-home caregivers when it comes to priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine. The letter was born […]

States Starting to Prioritize Home Health, Hospice Workers in Vaccination Plans

Pfizer, Moderna and the University of Oxford are among the organizations to tout highly effective COVID-19 vaccines this month. With “the cavalry coming,” the focus is now shifting to how, when and where vaccines should be distributed. In September, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) urged state leaders […]

Coronavirus Daily Update: CMS Granting Extensions for Providers in Quality Reporting Programs

During this critical time, Home Health Care News remains committed to bringing you all the essential news related to home-based care operations. At the same time, we also recognize the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to our regular content, we’ll continue to highlight industry-related developments and mitigation strategies in this rolling bulletin. What […]

Avoiding Panic, Educating Staff Keys to Surviving Coronavirus Scare

The U.S. Senate approved $8.3 billion in emergency funding on Thursday in response to COVID-19, more commonly known as the coronavirus. At least 11 deaths have now been tied to the virus in the United States, with California officially declaring a state of emergency. For the home-based care industry, aggressive preparation has become paramount, especially […]

As Confirmed Cases Rise, Home Health Industry Turns Its Attention to Coronavirus

COVID-19 — the viral disease more commonly known as the coronavirus — is spreading. Already, concern has grown throughout the senior living and skilled nursing spaces, especially after confirmed cases surfaced at a Kirkland, Washington-based long-term care facility. The home health care industry has also started to prepare for possible disruption. “People have been asking […]