The New Wave of Foodservice Technology in Senior Care

Policy

BREAKING: Kathleen Sebelius to resign as HHS Secretary

In late-breaking news Thursday, Kathleen Sebelius is expected to resign as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Read More »

BREAKING: Sebelius resigning HHS post

Kathleen Sebelius is resigning as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to media reports. Read More »

Care coordination complicated by OIG ruling, EHR vendor says

Care coordination is the victim of a recent opinion issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, according to electronic health record system vendor athenahealth. Read More »

LTC facilities being sued could be affected by court ruling, attorney says

A recent court ruling means that some facilities will be hampered in their ability to conduct privileged interviews with employees who are healthcare practitioners when preparing to defend themselves in negligence and malpractice cases, says one legal expert. Read More »

Hospice data-collection requirement begins July 1

A new system will try to ensure that hospices conduct the proper assessments and address patient questions and concerns about pain, respiratory status, medications and patient preferences, according to an April 8 notice in the Federal Register. Read More »

CMS boosts Medicare Advantage reimbursements for 2015

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issues several changes to 2015 pay rates amid pressure from the insurance industry. Read More »

Week honors volunteers

Take time to honor those often-unsung heroes of long-term care who happily donate their time, talent and energy to making a difference to residents and staff. Read More »

FDA glucose meter standards: Proposal concerns some

Some healthcare professionals are raising concerns that more stringent glucose monitoring system standards proposed by the FDA would affect availability of the devices for use in nursing homes and other settings. Read More »

HR 4302: AHCA, LeadingAge express mixed feelings

Leaders in organizations representing long-term care providers expressed satisfaction with some parts of the proposed law but disappointment with others in this Long-Term Living exclusive. Read More »

Senate passes HR 4302; what it means to SNFs

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that delays enforcement of the “two midnight rule” for certain hospital stays as well as creates programs to establish readmission-related measures for skilled nursing facilities and rewards for those facilities that meet them. Read More »

Congress, LTC industry deliver bill to standardize post-acute care services

The draft legislation is here. But how much “IMPACT” would the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 have? Read More »

SGR ‘doc fix’ bill could delay ICD-10 by a year

A bill up for vote this week could extend the current "doc fix" and could delay the ICD-10 implementation deadlines for a year. Read More »

My conversation with Seth Rogen

A funny man is tackling an unfunny disease. Seth Rogen's Senate committee testimony and charitable efforts—and their after-effects—are helping to bring attention to Alzheimer's and the need for more research funding. Read More »

12 steps to QAPI: Step 4: Guiding principles

In Step 4 of the continuing series on QAPI, Nell Griffin, LPN, EdM, discusses the importance of a nursing home establishing its sense of self and communicating that image to all staff. Read More »

Acute and post-acute care unite

From courtship to a permanent union, hospitals and long-term care facilities have a lot to gain by working together. A look at the evolution of the AC/PAC relationship. Read More »

One solution to complaints? Stop investigating

Los Angeles area nursing home inspectors have been told to stop looking into some complaints as the county addresses a backlog of cases. Read More »

CMS to test new hospice payment model

Hospice patients could receive curative care as well as palliative care under a new payment model to be tested by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Here’s how the program would work. Read More »

Improved care transitions will aid resident health: study

New research suggests how health policymakers and caregivers can better coordinate the transitions of care that find 22 percent of older adults moving from and among hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, long-term care communities and their homes. Read More »

Staffing levels seldom cited by state surveyors

Sufficient staffing is an important, yet overlooked, component in providing quality care to nursing home residents, according to a new analysis. Read More »

12 steps of QAPI: Step 3: Self-assessment

Nursing homes must know where they are on the road to quality assurance performance improvement (QAPI). Nell Griffin, LPN, EdM, explains the importance of Step 3 of QAPI implementation: self-assessment. Read More »

Proposed budget cuts concern LTC groups

Long-term care provider associations express appreciation for the proposed 2015 budget’s support of some senior housing and services but disappointment in potential program cuts. Read More »

OIG report details fraud, abuse, neglect cases

An annual report from the Office of Inspector General highlights criminal convictions and recoveries as well as civil settlements and judgments related to nursing facilities, home health agencies and other long-term care and healthcare providers. Read More »

CMS postpones some Medicare Part D changes

The agency will seek additional input before implementing several controversial proposals affecting the Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Part D prescription drug program. Read More »

Illegal pesticide use trial set to begin

A federal indictment charges that a pest control company’s misuse of products endangered public health and the environment in a score of Southern nursing homes.  Read More »

Nursing home enforcement actions decreasing: LTCCC

Fewer citations aren’t a sign of better care; they’re a sign of danger to residents, says one advocacy group. Read More »

Obama’s FY15 budget proposal: What’s in it for long-term care?

President Obama’s budget for 2015 focuses heavily on healthcare, offering new funding for some and deeper cuts for others. Read More »

Ensuring regulatory compliance in your facility

As a long-term care provider, you must understand who your clients are, how the regulations govern your businesses and how the regulations and the clients' needs intersect. Six actions may keep you out of trouble. Read More »

7 things your compliance plan must include

As home health and hospice care spending comes under increased scrutiny from the government, providers must make sure their compliance plans evolve to meet federal requirements and their own needs. Read More »

SNF adverse event reduction needed, OIG report says

Adverse events related to post-acute care are harming residents and costing the government money, according to a new report from the Office of Inspector General, so skilled nursing facilities must find a way to reduce their incidence. Read More »

Long-term care policy lapses

Seniors and their families must take steps to ensure that plans they make to pay for care as they age do not get derailed unnecessarily. Read More »