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Policy

Washington Update: Republicans fail to support Boehner’s latest fiscal cliff proposal

On the Friday before the Christmas holiday, Congress is still nowhere on an agreement to avert sequestration and the fiscal cliff. Read More »

Are SNFs causing their own headaches?

MedPAC proposes more cuts for 2014, and the skilled nursing industry objects. But the GAO issues a report that can only make the industry’s case more difficult. Read More »

AHCA: Medicaid payment shortfalls projected at $7 billion for 2012

A new report released today by the American Health Care Association shows historic shortfalls in what Medicaid pays and what skilled nursing care actually costs. Read More »

ONC releases final EMR testing specs for 2014

No more guessing: After months of drafting and reviewing, the Final Testing Method for electronic medical records (EMRs) has been published by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). Read More »

OIG report: CMS’ fraud system has promising first year

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Fraud Prevention Program gets a decent grade in its Year One evaluation, but the inspectors also have a few suggestions. Read More »

Medicare policies complicate aging-in-place strategies

If aging-in-place is on the rise, why is it becoming more difficult for stay-at-home seniors to get mobility equipment? Read More »

Report examines state legislatures’ 2012 impact on the assisted living industry

Whether legislation and regulation were proposed, enacted or pending, state governments had a busy year reviewing the assisted living industry. Read More »

HHS says no to full funding for partial Medicaid expansions

The Department of Health & Human Services clarified its position Monday on funding ratios for state Medicaid expansions and published an extensive FAQ list on state health insurance exchanges. Read More »

Washington Update: Medicare, ‘doc-fix’ and the ‘fiscal cliff’

Healthcare policy expert Blair Childs, vice president for public affairs at Premier healthcare alliance, gives his "insider impressions" of what’s happening on the Hill regarding a possible "doc-fix," Medicare funding, and possible Affordable Care Act policy changes as the deadline clock ticks down on the fiscal cliff. Read More »

Therapy cap would jeopardize seniors with Parkinson’s, stroke

Healthcare associations appeal to Congress to keep the therapy cap off the calendar for another year, as the clock ticks toward the December 31 Congressional deadline. Read More »

Time to review the 2013 OIG work plan

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is continuing its aggressive efforts to identify fraud among healthcare providers. In October, the OIG released its 2013 work plan, which outlines the audit and enforcement initiatives for Medicare and Medicaid providers in the coming year. Let's take a look at the Nursing Homes section of the work plan. Read More »

Survey: Voters want nursing homes off the ‘cliff’

Legislators may have a bitter pill to swallow at election time if Medicare cuts become part of the fiscal cliff deal. Read More »

BREAKING: GOP returns with counter-offer to avert ‘fiscal cliff’

Speaker of the House John Boehner delivered a new proposal to solve the budget crisis this afternoon-- including billions in healthcare cuts. Read More »

TN hospice takes the lead on palliative quality reporting

A Nashville hospice care provider has become the first hospice organization in the country to publicize its care quality data, raising the bar for others in the palliative care industry. Read More »

A cliffhanger for long-term care

A year ago, who would have thought such terms as “sequestration” and “fiscal cliff” would roll off our tongues so easily (even as some of us still grapple with comprehending the full impact of these concepts on our lives and industry). Read More »

Obama administration proposes $340 billion in Medicare cuts in preliminary “fiscal cliff” negotiations

According to news reports on Nov. 28 and 29, President Barack Obama has proposed cutting $340 billion from Medicare spending over 10 years, in his fiscal year 2013 budget, as part of his initial bargaining stance with Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner (R-OH) and congressional Republicans, during the so-called “fiscal cliff” negotiations. Read More »

OIG to CMS: Get tougher on EHR incentive verifications

There are plenty of potential holes in the Meaningful Use incentives programs for electronic health records—and too many temptations for cheating, says a new OIG report. Read More »

DOJ orders repayment of improper Medicare reimbursements

In the wake of federal reports of rampant fraudulence Medicare billing, the letters begin arriving at hospitals and other healthcare sites: Medicare wants its money back. Read More »

BREAKING: HHS releases proposed rules for state insurance premiums, workplace wellness programs

The release of today's proposed rules brings the Department of Health & Human Services a few steps closer in building the rules for state health exchanges (HIX). Read More »

Top 10 nursing home deficiencies, top 10 trouble states

The latest version of the Nursing Home Inspect tool includes more ways to search nursing home survey data and to assess the historial track record of a skilled nursing facility. Read More »

OIG alleges rampant skilled nursing billing errors

The Wall Street Journal reported that the OIG is using the term “Operation Vacuum Cleaner” to refer to its review of nursing home billing issues. This term is perhaps even more foreboding than the report itself. With the fiscal cliff looming and sharp negotiations set to begin over the future of Medicare reimbursement, the timing and substance of this report are less than ideal for an industry already under fire. Read More »

LTC industry seeks to avert fiscal cliff

The long-term care industry, concerned about the impact of potentially devastating “fiscal cliff” federal funding cuts, has launched a broad offensive in hopes of convincing Congress and President Obama to reach a deal that will prevent those reductions from being imposed. Read More »

Seniors to Congress: Don’t push us off the ‘fiscal cliff’

A post-election survey shows that seniors 50+ years of age do not want changes to Medicare or Social Security at this time. Read More »

BREAKING: Health exchanges: Holdout states get last-minute reprieve

Today was to be decision day for states on whether they intend to participate in the new state health exchange program, but an eleventh-hour extension from Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius gives the remaining eight states another few weeks to decide. Read More »

SNFs erred on 25% of claims in 2009; $1.5 billion in overpayments

The Office of Inspector General continues to unearth massive misreporting and over-billing in nursing home claims, especially where therapy is involved. Read More »

One-on-one with… Eileen Malo

Eileen Malo, CEO of Schervier Nursing Care Center in Riverdale, N.Y., shares her insights on continuing to provide efficient and compassionate care to the growing numbers of seniors whether they reside in an LTC facility or in the community. Read More »

SNFs: Be nimble, resourceful and ready to fight

The clarion call to action grows ever louder: In addition to lobbying their local lawmakers, long-term care providers must best position their organizations to serve a rapidly changing healthcare system or face demise. Read More »

HHS submits rules for state insurance exchange benefits

The Department of Health and Human Services has submitted another rulemaking piece on state health insurance exchanges to the Office of Management and Budget—the last step before publication. Read More »

AHCA launches Ad firestorm at Congress: No Medicare/Medicaid cuts

Long-term care organizations are using an aggressive advertising campaign to tell Congress to end the deep cuts to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. Read More »

Providers get $8.36 billion in Meaningful Use payouts for EHR goals

Under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Meaningful Use incentive program for the use of electronic health records, eligible providers have received more than $8 billion in incentive payouts since the program began in early 2011, according to this week's report. Read More »