I. FOLLOWING THE NARRATIVE: A quick summary of national media trends last week.
(* indicates that LeadingAge is featured in the story.)
Build Back Better remains a media focus, although coverage of aging services related provisions is limited. LeadingAge is hosting a telepresser tomorrow with the goal of increasing interest. Omicron’s U.S. arrival renewed interest in boosters, while legal challenges to OHSA’s and CMS’ vaccine mandates and workforce shortages in long-term care continue to get attention.
Build Back Better
- The New York Times: Democrats’ Bill Would Go Far Toward ‘Patching the Holes’ in Health Coverage
- The Hill: Build Back Better delivers results for home care workers
- The CT Mirror: Pass Build Back Better — seize the moment to protect nursing home residents
Vaccine Mandates and Legal Challenges, Boosters, and Omicron
- Associated Press: Biden vaccine rule for health workers blocked in 10 states
- The New York Times: A federal judge blocks Biden’s vaccine mandate for U.S. health workers
- The Wall Street Journal: Some Hospitals Prepare to Lose Staff Over Covid-19 Vaccination Mandate
- *McKnights Senior Living: CMS vaccine mandate blocked in 10 states by federal judge
- McKnights Long-Term Care News: CMS guidance on healthcare worker rule stuck amid legal challenges
- *The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Staffing shortages at crisis levels in Georgia nursing homes
- *Wisconsin Public Radio: Health care providers are in limbo after federal court blocks COVID-19 vaccine mandate for staff
- The Daily Mail: Military is sent to Michigan to help the state deal with surge in COVID-19 patients as cases rise 88% in the past two weeks as Minnesota calls up the National Guard to assist in hard-hit care homes
- McKnights Long-Term Care News: Biden’s winter COVID plan highlights boosters for seniors, expands access to antibody treatment
- The Philadelphia Inquirer: Are nursing home residents getting badly needed COVID boosters? Here’s why it’s hard to tell
- McKnights Long-Term Care News: Providers must make COVID booster shots available to all residents: governor
- The New York Times: As Covid Infections Spread, Nursing Homes Lag Behind on the Rollout for Booster Shots
- Forbes: Biden Administration To Expand Vaccine Education For Medicare, Medicaid As Omicron Hits U.S.
- USA Today: CDC says all adults should get booster due to omicron variant: Latest COVID-19 updates
- *McKnights Long-Term Care News: ‘Fully vaccinated’ may be moving target in face of breakthroughs, omicron
- Home Health Care News: ‘Be Vigilant’: What In-Home Care Providers Should Know About the Omicron Variant
II. 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:
- The New York Times: Families Cheer, Some Doctors Worry as Nursing Homes Open Doors Wide to Visitors
- Forbes: How To Afford The Costly Care Of Your Aging Parents
- McKnights Senior Living: Hybrid delivery model debuts in Ohio senior living communities
- *MarketWatch: Did we learn anything from the pandemic? ‘If it doesn’t turn the tide on nursing homes, then shame on us,’
- McKnights Senior Living: Proposed rule on broadband access presents challenges to affordable senior housing providers
- McKnights Long-Term Care News: With billions in Medicare provider cuts looming, Congress stalls on solution, 12/6/21
- Iohud.: Hochul deploying National Guard to aid short-staffed NY nursing homes. What to know
- *The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Staffing shortages at crisis levels in Georgia nursing homes
- The Morning Call: New data shows COVID-19 deadlier, more prevalent in Pa. long-term care than once thought
III. What’s On Our Radar — this week’s likely priorities:
- Telepresser on Tuesday, December 7
- Shifting Build Back Better advocacy focus to Senate with goal of boosting money for affordable housing, preserving current aging services related provisions with the exception of nursing home staffing provisions
- Monitoring rules, guidance and legal challenges to vaccine mandates
IV. National Statements & Products (all posted on the Press Room page):
