Policy Snapshot
September 18, 2026
Showing 1 - 10 of 8410 results
Policy Snapshot
September 18, 2026
CMS Posts Updated MDS 3.0 RAI User’s Manual
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted an updated Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User’s Manual, version 1.20.11, dated October 2026. The RAI Manual provides the official guidance nursing facilities use to complete and code MDS assessments, which p...
Policy Snapshot
September 18, 2026
PALTmed Submits Comments on Proposed 2027 Physician Fee Schedule
PALTmed submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the proposed 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, outlining recommendations to support patient access and recognize the work of post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) clinicians.
Policy Snapshot
September 18, 2026
House Subcommittee Examines Medicare Physician Payment Reform
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health examined the bipartisan Patients First Act (H.R. 9693) on September 15. The bill would link annual Medicare physician payment updates to inflation, change quality reporting, and establish a new primary care payment model.
Policy Snapshot
September 14, 2026
Rural Health Funding Supports Nursing Home Capacity and Workforce
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that $11.7 million in Rural Health Transformation Program funding will support nursing home services and health-care workforce development in Vermont. The investment represents part of the state’s fiscal year 2026 award under the federal prog...
Spotlight
September 11, 2026
Stand Up for PALTC Medicine at October’s Advocacy Summit
Whether clinicians are at the bedside striving for better care for one patient or in Washington, DC, asking Congress to improve broad, crucial components of the health-care system, advocacy never stops. That’s why we urge you to join your fellow PALTmed members in the nation’s capital to stand up for post-...
Caring for the Ages
September 8, 2026
You're Already Delivering Value-Based Care — You Just Aren't Paid for It Yet
We've spent more than a decade talking about value-based care (VBC) as if it were a foreign destination whose language we must first learn before we're allowed to visit. But most of us are already touched by value-based initiatives without fully realizing it, such as through efforts to reduce hos...
Caring for the Ages
September 8, 2026
20 Years of Advancing Excellence
The idea that “if you build it, they will come” sounds good, but change is not that easy. The Advancing Excellence in Long-Term Care Collaborative celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, but it didn’t reach this milestone without the commitment of many people and the ability to overcome barriers, set an...
Caring for the Ages
September 8, 2026
Addressing Nursing Home Residents’ Unmet Needs with Animal-Assisted Therapy
Individuals living with dementia, who find themselves in unfamiliar PALTC settings, often exhibit problematic behaviors, such as physical aggression or verbal agitation, to seek attention. These behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are key clinical features of Alzheimer’s disease and r...
Caring for the Ages
September 8, 2026
Medication Management in Patients Over 60 with CKD
The highest prevalence of CKD is in older adults. Common comorbidities in this population (diabetes mellitus, hypertension) can compound the risk of CKD development. Older adults are at higher risk of polypharmacy, which could include nephrotoxic medications. Regular review of medication lists and medicati...
