STAFFING WINS AND FUNCTIONAL GAINS: AHCA OFFERS FRESH LOOK AT NURSING HOME QUALITY

McKnight’s LTC News, April 14, 2026: “The progress we are seeing is indicative of the never-ending commitment of nursing home caregivers to improve the lives of their residents, seek out the latest best practices, and continuously innovate…”

NURSING HOMES BRACE FOR A MILLION-HOUR QUALITY REPORTING DATA SURGE

McKnight’s LTC News, April 6, 2026: The bulk of that — roughly 964,000 hours each year — would be caused by the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services expanding its collection of quality reporting data across all Medicare payer types.

CMS REVISES SURVEY RULES, STRENGTHENS PENALITES AND IMMEDIATE JEOPARDY STANDARDS

Skilled Nursing News, April 3, 2026: With these updates, the federal agency said in a memo that it seeks to make surveys, enforcement, and dispute resolution simpler, clearer and more consistent.

CMS PROPOSES 2.4% MEDICARE INCREASE FOR SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES IN 2027

Skilled Nursing News, April 2, 2026: Associations representing the nursing home sector seem split on whether the rate increase is adequate for the needs of today’s nursing home residents.

OIG ACCUSES NURSING HOMES OF “MASKING” ANTIPYSCHOTIC USE, POSING RISK TO PATIENTS

McKnight’s LTC News, March 19, 2026: Two new reports from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General rebuked skilled nursing facilities for overprescribing antipsychotic drugs, which can have a sedative effect and pose an increased risk of death for elderly patients with dementia.

CMS RELEASES UPDATED EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROVIDER INFORMATION

AHCA/NCAL, March 10, 2026: The update reinforces a clear message: effective planning, coordination, and continuous readiness are central to protecting patients, staff, and communities before, during, and after emergencies.

CMS “REVIEWING” ITS POLICY ON ANTIPSYCHOTIC USE IN NURSING HOMES

McKnight’s LTC News, March 6, 2026:  …the agency (CMS) is undertaking a review “with the goal of supporting clinically indicated use while continuing to discourage inappropriate prescribing.”

CMS CLARIFICATION INCREASES RISK OF NURSING HOMES FALLING BELOW 90% QRP THRESHOLD

Skilled Nursing News, Feb. 20, 2026: Data collected from these assessments, and the way they are counted, will impact future fiscal years, including 2028.

MORE HYBRID QM DATA COLLECTION LIKELY AHEAD FOR NURSING HOMES

Skilled Nursing News, Feb. 17, 2026: “We’re not through with these new hybrid claims measures. We’re going to start seeing these become more and more prevalent.”