News

CMS published the nursing home minimum staffing standards proposed rule in the Federal Register on Sept. 6, 2023, and proposes standards that include minimum staffing for Registered Nurses (RNs) and nurse aides.

In a Sept. 12 letter to leadership at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), LeadingAge requested “urgent action” on HOTMA implementation.

The US Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division provides notice it will issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to restore and extend overtime protections. In its news release, the DOL stated the proposed federal rule would guarantee overtime pay for most salaried workers earning less than $1,059 per week, about $55,000 per year.

In a final direct rule published Aug. 25, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a final rule to remove unnecessary barriers to the fair, efficient, and expeditious resolution of representation questions.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) broke down how $12 million in new Congressional funding, for which LeadingAge advocated, will increase Section 202 rents as communities with Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACs) go through Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversion.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun notifying Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) that were determined to be out of compliance with the Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements for the Calendar Year 2022.

During a markup help by the House Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD) on July 12, lawmakers advanced a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding proposal for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) that would enact serious cuts to affordable housing programs.

An updated version of the Dignity Act (H.R. 3359), a large package of immigration reforms introduced in the House by Representatives Maria Salazar (R-FL) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX) on May 23 includes language focused on fixing the current immigration system that aligns with LeadingAge’s current policy priorities.

In a decision published on Jun. 13, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) returned to the FedEx Home Delivery (FedEx II) standard for determining independent contractor status under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

On Jun. 8, the Supreme Court ruled in a 7-2 vote that nursing home residents and their families can sue publicly owned nursing home facilities under the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 (FNHRA).

On June 6, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released QSO-23-17-Hospitals reinforcing hospital requirements for their role in a cooperative discharge plan for post-acute care settings.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recently clarified with LeadingAge Minnesota when families and visitors can share a meal with a resident in the dining room or attend activities. According to MDH, organizations should continue infection prevention and control practices and complete a facility risk assessment to determine visitor attendance in congregate dining settings and activities.

Last week, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published the final rule to establish its new approach to defining and assessing housing quality, the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE). The final rule describes the development of NSPIRE and the next steps from HUD before NSPIRE is implemented on Oct. 1 for multifamily and voucher programs and July 1 for public housing.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has revised guidance for employers regarding the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. It reminds employers that they cannot automatically terminate reasonable accommodations provided due to pandemic-related circumstances.

Updated from original content posted on Monday, May 8

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic. The CDC updated sections on recommendations for universal source control and admission testing and added an appendix section to help organizations determine when to implement broader use of source control. In response to the CDC guidance release, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an update to QSO 20-39-NH REVISED, essentially adopting the CDC guidance.

On May 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published QSO-23-13-ALL. The document provides nursing homes with an update regarding the end of the public health emergency (PHE) and how it impacts regulatory blanket waivers and interim final rules (IFR).

On May 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will publish an Information Collection Request (ICR), a request for public comment on a specific topic, as part of a proposed rule about revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system.

On April 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated guidance for mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Going forward, bivalent vaccines will be administered for all immunization doses, and the monovalent (original) vaccine is no longer available. This updated guidance does not include Novovax or Johnson and Johnson Janssen. These continue to be monovalent vaccines, and the schedule remains the same.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its 2024 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule. It includes several proposed SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) changes. 

Our national partners at LeadingAge continue to push forward with the Aging Services Workforce Now advocacy campaign launched last year. A recent member workforce poll conducted by LeadingAge showed the shortage of caregiving professionals across aging services is still a true crisis that is not improving. That's why it's critical that we tackle our workforce challenges at every level of government, including in Washington, DC.