The federal government has reached a settlement about one woman's Medicare claims for nursing and therapy services, but it remains to be seen how far its effects will reach. Read More »
Changes effective Jan. 1 will apply to face-to-face encounters, therapy reassessments, rate setting, home health quality reporting and speech-language pathologists' conditions of participation. Read More »
When OSHA surveyors come knocking, neither the organization nor its employees can be bullied. Compliance expert Steve Wilder explains everyone's rights during an inspection. Read More »
A documentary, a foundation and training materials for caregivers are arising from one man's wish to share "the gnarly truth" about dementia, and the filmmakers and family members who took up the challenge. Read More »
This week’s departure of the top two executives at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology are the latest in a series of leadership turnovers at ONC. What will it mean for IT initiatives for quality improvement and transitions of care? Read More »
Nonprofit aging services providers must find new and innovative ways to support one another to ensure survival, LeadingAge Board Chair David Gehm told members at the organization's annual meeting. Read More »
Robyn Stone, DrPH, of LeadingAge has been elected to the Institute of Medicine and is one of few in the body affiliated with the long-term care field. Read More »
A new model of accountable care organization will aim to improve care quality and coordination in rural and underserved areas through the use of health information technology. Read More »
A new study in JAMA examined whether a skilled nursing facility’s performance on quality measures is a reliable indicator of the likelihood that those it treats will or will not be rehospitalized or die within 30 days of being discharged from the hospital. Read More »
In “the largest failure-of-care settlement with a chain-wide skilled nursing facility" in U.S. Department of Justice history, Extendicare and a subsidiary will pay $38 million to resolve allegations of substandard care and inappropriate billing. Read More »
Pioneer ACOs have resulted in overall savings and quality improvements in the health system, according to new information released by CMS, but their effect going forward may be muted as participants dwindle. Read More »
Skilled nursing and assisted living providers must set the agenda and offer solutions to the federal government to address the challenges facing them, AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark Parkinson told those attending the opening session of the organization's annual meeting. Read More »
The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living annual meeting got off to a great start thanks to the opening session keynote speaker, Gen. Colin Powell, whose talk seemed to appeal to attendees regardless of their political leanings. Read More »
A federal rule that reclassifies hydrocodone combination products went into effect Monday, and at least one industry group is expressing concerns. Read More »
The International Day of Older Persons seeks to call attention to the implications of an aging population. In the United States, some are using the observance to encourage new protections for older adults. Read More »
The increasing use of electrical equipment in areas where patients/residents receive treatment has increased the need for more electrical outlets to accommodate the appliances/devices. Read More »
A three-year, $2.2 million grant from the federal Administration on Aging will move the National Center on Elder Abuse from one university to another. Read More »
To complete the readmission puzzle, post-acute care providers should look at three not-so-obvious missing puzzle pieces that go beyond the readmission metric. Read More »
Niles Godes has joined LeadingAge as its first senior vice president for housing and capital. He will work to expand affordable housing opportunities for older adults across the country. Read More »
Organizations serving older adults say they are pleased with Congress’ passing last week of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014, which is designed to standardize data used across post-acute care settings. Read More »
A new report from the Institute of Medicine recommends several changes to the U.S. healthcare system to meet the needs of people nearing the end of life as well as the needs of their families. Read More »
The building crisis in financing and providing effective long-term care services and supports is an ever-growing problem as discussed in a report by the Commission on Long-Term Care. Read More »
While two pneumonia vaccines are recommended to seniors for optimal protection, will cost/coverage discourage them from receiving the second vaccine? Read More »
