A pair of recent headlines underscored a growing disconnect in long-term care policy. On one hand, seven Democratic senators have introduced legislation to revive a federal nursing home staffing mandate. On the other, a front-page report in Ohio revealed the state owes nursing homes $572 million after failing to follow its own reimbursement formula for two years. The contrast highlights a central tension in the debate: how to require more staffing while public funding remains strained. Mandate Faces Legal and Financial Hurdles The new Senate proposal follows controversy over a Biden-era staffing rule that was overturned in court. Although critics…
Author: Mordy Y
Florida regulators are moving to strengthen oversight of nursing home leadership by tightening the requirements for medical directors across the state. On Feb. 12, 2026, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) proposed amendments to two sections of the Florida Administrative Code — Rules 59A-4.107 and 59A-4.0175 — to align state regulations with legislative changes adopted for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. The revisions would apply retroactively to Jan. 1, 2026. New Certification Standards Take Shape Under existing law, every Florida nursing home must appoint a Florida-licensed physician as its medical director. That physician is responsible for participating in resident…
Nursing homes that boost caregiver pay to compete in a tight labor market may see their operating margins shrink — at least in the short term — according to new research published this week. The study, appearing in the Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, found that even modest hourly wage increases were tied to measurable declines in facility profitability. A $1 increase in hourly wages for registered nurses corresponded with a 0.70 percentage-point drop in operating margin. Similar raises for licensed practical nurses and certified nurse aides were linked to margin declines of 0.17 and 0.31 percentage…
Richmond, VA — Efforts to set a minimum staffing standard for Virginia’s nearly 300 nursing homes have stalled, leaving advocates and families disheartened after lawmakers scaled back a once-promising bill to a new study. Del. Rodney Willett (D-Henrico) initially proposed legislation that would have required nursing homes to meet a minimum average of 3.25 acuity-adjusted nurse staffing hours per resident per day. The measure drew bipartisan support and moved through the General Assembly. But by the time it cleared the House, the mandate had been stripped out and replaced with a directive to study the workforce in Virginia nursing facilities.…
Federal investigators are taking a closer look at how states monitor opioid use inside the nation’s nursing homes — a move that could reshape oversight of pharmacy services in long-term care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced Tuesday that it will examine whether state survey agencies are effectively overseeing nursing homes’ efforts to prevent opioid overuse, misuse and diversion. More than 150,000 residents in nursing facilities currently receive opioid medications, according to federal estimates. The review comes amid findings that nearly half of the country’s approximately 15,000 certified nursing homes were recently…
Williamsville, NY — A local nursing home already under scrutiny from families and staff is now facing a $1.3 million lawsuit over unpaid staffing bills. According to a complaint filed in Erie County Supreme Court, healthcare staffing firm ShiftMed alleges that Comprehensive Rehab and Nursing Center at Williamsville failed to pay more than $1.3 million for services provided between October 2023 and July 2024. The lawsuit claims the facility did not formally dispute the invoices, as required under the terms of its contract, and that the balance remains outstanding. ShiftMed’s attorneys further allege that during that period, the nursing home…
Shenandoah, Iowa — An Iowa nurse has agreed to stop practicing while state officials investigate his conduct, after he was hired by a southwest Iowa nursing home despite having his Nebraska license revoked for drug use and incompetence. Raymond DeLeon, 66, of Glenwood, was arrested in November and charged with possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He has pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled for March 10, 2026. Records from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services show DeLeon was working at Douglas County Health Center in Omaha in February 2024 when administrators received what the state described…
Hartford, CT — Connecticut officials are asking lawmakers to rein in Medicaid payments to unionized nursing homes that employ relatives of facility owners at above-average salaries. Under a proposal from the Department of Social Services (DSS), Medicaid reimbursement would be capped at the average wage for a given position when the employee is related to the owner. For example, if a relative working as a certified nursing aide earns significantly more than the standard rate, Medicaid would reimburse only up to the average pay for that role. State officials say similar limits already apply at nonunion facilities. The new measure…
Federal regulators are ramping up scrutiny of nursing homes in 2026, and while individual policy updates may appear modest, together they signal a broader push toward tighter oversight and stronger accountability. At the center of the shift is the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ growing use of a “hybrid method” to calculate quality measures. The approach combines Minimum Data Set (MDS) information with Medicare claims data — a move designed to close reporting gaps identified in federal watchdog reviews. According to industry consultant Pat Newberry of SimpleLTC, more hybrid measures are likely on the way. “We’re not through with…
A federal judge has ruled that a $5,000 bankruptcy settlement prevents a family from collecting a $2.1 million jury award tied to a nursing home injury case that has stretched on for more than a decade. In a Feb. 12 decision, U.S. District Judge Mark T. Treadwell sided with Ironshore Specialty Insurance, finding that the estate of Mary Francis Logan released its claims years earlier when it accepted a small payout during the bankruptcy of Macon Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. Logan fractured her hip during a shower transfer at the facility in 2014. Her family later sued. But after the…
