I. Current Talking Points & Templates for Media Engagement:
USAToday Dec. 1, 202 Story Response, SNF Talking Points
Hospice & Accountability Messaging and Talking Points
Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County v. Talevski Background & Talking Points
See link to full State Media Resources folder at bottom of page.
II. Following the Narrative: A quick summary of national media trends last week.
(* indicates that LeadingAge is featured in the story.)
National media trends this week mainly focused on surges in COVID, FLU, and RSV throughout the country, leading to high hospitalization rates for older adults, as well as low vaccination for immunocompromised people and older adults. While trades mirrored much of the national trends, reporting on vaccines, COVID mitigation strategies, they also kept up on policy news including MedPAC’s payment recommendations for hospice, home health and SNFs in CY2024, CMS’ movement on hospice regulations, and “look-ahead” pieces for 2023. .
Biden Administration, Congress, Government Agencies
- Politico: Dems’ final Covid report slams government failures. Congress may repeat them.
- McKnight’s Long-Term Care: LTC providers fear ‘administrative mess’ if Congress pushes spending bill to 2023
- National Law Review: OIG Shines a Spotlight on Nursing Homes, Opioid Misuse, and Health Equity in the FY2022 Semiannual Report
- (Paywall) Bloomberg Law: Medicare Panel Considers Call for Payment Cuts for Home Health
- McKnight’s Home Care: CMS takes step toward Special Focus Program for hospices
Workforce, Vaccines and Treatments, Coronavirus and Other Outbreaks, Closures
- *McKnight’s Long-Term Care: Defiant Sloan to nursing home critics: Address funding to tackle staffing challenge
- *(Op-Ed) Marietta Daily Journal (Georgia): KATIE SMITH SLOAN & DOROTHY DAVIS: Attention Must Be Paid: Home Care’s Critical Role in the Wake of Atlanta Medical Center’s Death
- Home Health Care News: Home Care Providers Turn To Technology To Create Sense Of Community Among Workers
- (Editor’s Column) McKnight’s Long-Term Care: Long-term care’s overlooked staffing crisis
- McKnight’s Long-Term Care: Healthcare worker vaccination mandate could end after a military vax withdrawal
- Skilled Nursing News: CMS Officials Say Nursing Home Vaccination Levels Are ‘Far Too Low’
- PBS: Jill Biden recommends updated COVID vaccines before holidays
- Boston Globe: Pfizer partners with tiny Cambridge startup to develop new COVID pills
- Kaiser Health News: Paxlovid Has Been Free So Far. Next Year, Sticker Shock Awaits.
- The Hill: FDA gives priority review to Pfizer RSV vaccine for older adults
- *AP News: Hospitalizations signal rising COVID-19 risk for US seniors
- McKnight’s Senior Living: Assisted living communities in the South, Midwest hit especially hard by COVID-19: CDC
- *McKnight’s Long-Term Care: White House ‘tripledemic’ focus turns to improving facility air quality
- *McKnight’s Senior Living: Improving indoor air quality is new focus of national COVID-19 mitigation strategy
- CNN: Hospitals in the US are the fullest they’ve been throughout the pandemic – but it’s not just Covid
III. Other Clips that Influenced the Week: LeadingAge is a sought-out, reliable source for multiple trade and national media outlets (see that coverage posted in our LeadingAge Press Room). Other key clips that shaped the narrative last week:
- ProPublica: How to Research Your Hospice (and Avoid Hospice Fraud)
- *McKnight’s Senior Living: Senior housing future must prioritize affordability, connected health services, experts say
- HealthLeaders: Will Healthcare Be Able To Handle The Silver Tsunami In 2030?
- *McKnight’s Long-Term Care: White House ‘tripledemic’ focus turns to improving facility air quality
- *McKnight’s Senior Living: Senior living and care advocates make ‘top lobbyists’ list
- *Maryland Daily Record: Musician in residence programs offer unique opportunity for students, seniors
- Home Health Care News: ‘Microwave Cooking Of Health Care’: Amid Shift To Value, Providers Caution Against Telehealth
IV. What’s On Our Radar — this week’s likely priorities:
- Hospice oversight discussions
- SNF staffing mandates
- White House / HHS vaccine initiatives
- Monitoring SCOTUS case (Talevski)
V. National Statements & Products (all posted on the Press Room page):
VI. State Association Media Materials: A folder of helpful resources, sample op-eds, fact sheets, and more.
