PBJ News Topic

Latest PBJ News

State CNA waiver decisions, Federal TNA workforce legislation, and OIG’s escalating focus on nursing home compliance

January 25, 2023

Our Take: Federal and state actions reflect ongoing efforts to address staffing shortages in skilled nursing facilities. Meanwhile OIG has elevated nursing home oversight to the top of its enforcement agenda, specifically citing…

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Study shows that REIT ownership linked to decline in RN staffing, increases in LPN, CNA use

January 25, 2023

Our Take: A 2023 study in Health Affairs found that REIT investment in nursing homes is associated with a statistically significant decline in registered nurse hours per resident day and increases in LPN…

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OIG: More than a thousand nursing homes reached infection rates of 75 percent or more in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic

January 19, 2023

Our Take: A January 2023 HHS Office of Inspector General report found that more than 1,300 nursing homes reached COVID-19 infection rates of 75% or higher during 2020 surge periods. OIG recommends CMS…

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CMS nursing home ratings and staffing enforcement face national media scrutiny; Industry groups respond

November 23, 2022

Our Take: Investigations by USA Today and U.S. News & World Report in late 2022 revealed significant gaps between CMS star ratings and actual staffing levels at nursing homes. Reporters claimed federal enforcement…

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MedPAC’s recommendations: state staffing policies could hamper federal mandate

September 30, 2022

Our Take: MedPAC analysts used PBJ data at the Commission’s September 2022 meeting to show staffing shifts in SNFs, including a near-tripling of contract staff hours between 2019 and 2021. The Commission declined…

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CMS starts study to inform minimum staffing rules for nursing homes

August 30, 2022

Our Take: In August 2022, CMS launched a four-part staffing study that included a literature review, site visits to 75 nursing homes across 15 states, quantitative analyses using PBJ data, and cost analyses.…

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CMS directs states to strengthen nursing home staffing and quality through Medicaid

August 25, 2022

Our Take: On August 22, 2022, CMS issued a CMCS Informational Bulletin directing states to use existing Medicaid authority and payment tools to improve nursing home staffing levels, worker compensation, and quality of…

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CMS reveals differing opinions on minimum staffing approach

August 10, 2022

Our Take: CMS issued the FY 2023 SNF proposed rule and included a formal Request for Information on establishing federal minimum staffing requirements for long-term care facilities. The rule drew more than 3,000…

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Study: Nursing home staffing in disadvantaged neighborhoods

August 8, 2022

Our Take: A study found that nursing homes located in severely disadvantaged neighborhoods had RN staffing rates 30% lower and PT/OT staffing 38% lower than facilities in less deprived areas. This analysis used…

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Research shows COVID-19 vaccination mandates don’t negatively affect nursing home staffing

July 29, 2022

Our Take: A cohort study published in JAMA Health Forum found that state-level COVID-19 vaccine mandates increased nursing home staff vaccination rates without worsening reported staffing shortages. Researchers concluded the findings support extending…

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PBJ News Topics

Read about PBJ regulations, research & news impacting SNFs

Most Recent PBJ News

Staffing lawsuits increase scrutiny on employment levels & wages

July 1, 2026

Latest PBJ News

Our Take: Multiple lawsuits all turn on the same underlying evidence: payroll-based journal hours, timecards, and staffing schedules…

PBJ Reporting Moving to iQIES System

June 30, 2026

PBJ Policy & Enforcement

Our Take: CMS is retiring “QIES,” its first PBJ submission system. Starting August 17, 2026, all staffing data…

New US DOL joint employer rule impacts senior care

June 26, 2026

Latest PBJ News

Our Take: The U.S. Department of Labor proposed a new joint employer rule under the Fair Labor Standards…

SCOTUS Upholds Administration’s Decision to Strip TPS From Haitian & Syrian Immigrants

June 25, 2026

Latest PBJ News

Our Take: The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that federal courts cannot block the Trump administration’s termination of Temporary…

OIG Audit Finds CMS’s PBJ Oversight Fell Short: 5% of RN Staffing Hours Unsupported

June 18, 2026

Our Take: A new HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit found that CMS was not effective in…

Tort Immunity and Nursing Home Staffing

June 1, 2026

PBJ Research & Analysis

Our Take: A study of 13,205 nursing homes found that states giving SNFs immunity from COVID-19 liability reduced…

Is minimum staffing at play in the mid-term elections?

May 20, 2026

Minimum Staffing Roundup

Our Take: Senate Democrats outlined plans to revive nursing home staffing standards, expand Medicare-covered home care, and tighten…

NJ SNF sues CMS over PBJ audits, citing no appeal rights

April 22, 2026

Latest PBJ News

Our Take: A New Jersey skilled nursing facility filed a federal lawsuit on April 21, 2026, alleging that…

Invisible staffing churn in nursing homes: CMS turnover metrics miss a growing short-term workforce

April 18, 2026

PBJ Research & Analysis

Our Take: A Health Affairs Scholar study found that CMS’ turnover metric is likely understating real facility churn…

SNF pay rate proposals bring heightened CMS enforcement

April 10, 2026

PBJ Policy & Enforcement

Our Take: CMS has proposed a 2.4% Medicare rate increase for SNFs in FY 2027 while simultaneously expanding…

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