Regulatory Compliance

OSHA issues rule to continue recordkeeping

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule upholding the agency’s longstanding position that it’s an employer’s duty to record any injury or illness continues for the full five-year record-retention period. Read More »

21st Century Cures Act includes ambitious health care spending

Both parties of Congress agree more money needs to be spent on cancer research, mental health, precision medicine, BRAIN initiatives, the opioid epidemic and regulating medical software.  Read More »

GOP, Trump regime met with optimism

AHCA/NCAL anticipates—and looks forward to—expected regulatory relief and repeal under the new Republican-led White House and Congress. Read More »

Medicare crunch time with Trump administration, Part II

Contributor Robert Gatty ponders whether sweeping reforms are ahead as President-elect Donald Trump fills out his Cabinet and Republicans retain majority in Congress.  Read More »

One-on-one with…Cynthia Morton

What's in store for long-term care in 2017? Cynthia Morton, Executive Vice President of NASL, talks about coming regulations and policy changes, including how a Trump administration could affect Medicaid. Read More »

TX judge halts overtime increase

A Texas federal judge has granted an injunction to stop the Department of Labor's overtime wage increase set to begin Dec. 1. Read More »

Medicare crunch time with Trump administration?

The next administration will have to cut back on Medicare spending and fraud. Contributor Robert Gatty speculates whether lawmakers will crack down on avoidable hospital admissions. Read More »

What impact will Trump’s victory have on value-based healthcare?

As Republicans take control of the executive and legislative branches, how will the new Administration impact healthcare's initiatives and priorities? Healthcare information technology experts weigh in on key policy issues moving forward. Read More »

Federal judge blocks CMS ban on arbitration

A federal judge has issued a temporary halt on CMS’ final rule ordering LTC facilities to remove all arbitration agreements from their admissions materials. Read More »

The CMS final rule: Twist and shout, but we can work it out

The long-term/post-acute care industry knew some groundbreaking changes were coming in the final rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Long-Term Living’s legal expert Alan C. Horowitz explains what all the fuss is about. Read More »

The changing season of CMS

As the season shifts into fall, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is launching a new season of regulations for long-term and post-acute care. Read More »

NASL elects new board officers

MatrixCare’s John Damgaard will head up the association’s new board of directors, along with four other officer electees. Read More »

Admissions, discharges and data-sharing

Will hospitals and nursing homes ever be able to agree on a standard set of data to share during patient transfers? Thought leaders at the annual NASL meeting discuss the current regs—and what needs to happen next. Read More »

ACHCA, NAB to co-launch national NHA training program

The two organizations are hoping to set national standards for administrators-in-training and their preceptors. Read More »

Life Safety Codes start 11/1/16

Is your organization ready for the new Life Safety Codes set to begin next month? Read More »

3 tips for finding the perfect MDS coordinator

A veteran RN/MDS Coordinator discusses what skills and assessments are most important when hiring a new employee in the crucial role of overseeing the facility's Minimum Data Set documentation. Read More »

Feds propose improvements to PACE

The proposed plan is intended to streamline and improve the federal Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to help seniors avoid nursing home care. Read More »

CMS’ Final Rule: Is it a win for residents?

Two business administration academics take an early look at what CMS' Final Rule for long-term care reform legislation will mean. Read More »

MedPAC and the 5-star rating systems

MedPAC is speaking out against CMS’ new five-star rating system for hospitals, citing flaws and unecessary reporting. Will the initiative spill over into senior care as well? Read More »

Should you allow employees to carry concealed weapons at work?

"My employees want to carry a concealed weapon to work." The decision to allow or prohibit "concealed carry" on your premises is a lot more complicated than you think, even if state law allows it. Read More »

FDA nixes 19 antibacterial handwash ingredients

The final rule issued today forces companies to remove 19 different ingredients from over-the-counter products because they haven’t proven to be effective in preventing the spread of illness and could do more harm than good. Read More »

LTC organizations secure discount for movie night licenses

The old reel-to-reel movies may have given way to DVDs and streaming videos, but keeping your “movie night” legal still requires public performance license. Luckily, there's a sale on licenses for the rest of 2016. Read More »

NOTICE Act takes effect

Advocacy groups are urging Congress to pass additional legislation on the NOTICE Act to allow observation time to count toward the required three-day inpatient stay for Medicare. Federal officials are also considering arbitration agreement provisions. Read More »

Illinois passes family caregiver leave law

The prairie state joins 4 other states and the District of Columbia in allowing employees to use their accrued paid sick days for a family member’s care instead of their own. Read More »

Illinois signs bill for dementia care regulations

The state is the latest to mandate certification for facilities that provide care services for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Read More »

Government plows broadband clearing for rural SNFs

Industry leaders’ persistent efforts resulted in passage of the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act, which will allow skilled nursing facilities to seek federal funding to finance high-speed Internet service for providers in rural areas.  Read More »

CMS to SNFs: Get your social media policies in place

CMS has issued a notice to state officials to ensure nursing homes have proper policies in place to prohibit employees from capturing footage of residents and sharing on social media with the intent to humiliate or make fun of them. Read More »

OSHA launches anti-retaliation rules for injury and illness reporting

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has passed rules that forbid retaliation and discrimination for reporting injuries, including post-accident drug testing and "incentive" programs that retaliate against those who bring workplace safety violations to light. Read More »