Complete Story
02/18/2026
PALTC News - February 18
McKnight's Senior Living
Dementia was the largest predictor of whether dually eligible Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries were more likely to receive long-term services and supports in a home-and-community-based setting, such as an assisted living community, or enter a nursing home, according to the results of a study published in JAMDA. Read more.
Compliance Spotlight Turns to Medical Directors as Responsibilities Grow
McKnight's Long-Term Care News
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General is currently evaluating all three areas related to medical directors—hours worked, their ability to fulfill expanding duties, and how regulators might further monitor their engagement with skilled nursing facilities—and whether there's a better funding mechanism for their involvement. Its report is due in 2027. Read more.
Proposed CMS Rule Upholds Exclusion of Nursing Home Custodial Care From Essential Benefits
Skilled Nursing News
Proposed regulations to lower health care costs announced by CMS appear to reinforce the existing boundary between health insurance and long-term care: that long-term nursing home care isn't a required health benefit. Read more.
Congress Moves to Institute its Own LTC Staffing Rule, Force Spending on Workforce
McKnight's Long-Term Care News
A group of seven Democratic senators is introducing legislation backing a new nursing home staffing rule that imposes standards similar to those included in repealed federal regulations. The Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act calls for an additional $800 million in enforcement funding. It would also require CMS to tap civil monetary funds to provide significant investments in the long-term care workforce. Read more.
