The Long-Term Quality Alliance released a white paper reporting the lack of quality measures in long-term care to prevent unnecessary hospital readmissions. Read More »
Survey excellence should be a professional goal of all healthcare workers. I suggest a three-step approach to encouraging complete staff involvement: the Focus Review, the Fast Track and the Survey Prime. Read More »
One of the more exciting aspects of covering an industry so heavily affected by government policy is to observe how provider associations and advocates aggressively lobby for change. But how often do groups actually demand it? Read More »
The 14 quality measures address a wide range of care concerns, including pain management, psychosocial needs, care transitions and experiences of care. Read More »
The CMS announcement followed a separate HHS report finding that the government had recovered nearly $4.1 billion in healthcare fraud cases during FY2011. Read More »
The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care called Obama’s approach to achieving the proposed $4 trillion in deficit reductions a “strategy of ‘cuts only’ without reforms.” Read More »
Advanced Standing, a four-year pilot program, will expand oversight of assisted living facilities in the state and for the first time collect quality data on these facilities. Read More »
"Dear Abby" readers have weighed in on an important resident issue--elderspeak. Sugary terms of address are no-nos when conversing with an elder, but are they always disrespectful? Read More »
The 2013 budget includes proposals to cut approximately $248 billion on Medicare and $72 billion on Medicaid and to lower payments to nursing homes. Read More »
Bethany Health Care Center, Framingham, Mass., has made U.S. News & World Report's annual list of top-rated nursing homes three times. Its administrator explains the simple formula for her community's success. Read More »
Only a handful of states are expected to see an increase in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, according to projections by the National Association of Medicaid Directors. Read More »
The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, which announced the poll's findings, intends to broadcast the results “on Capitol Hill and in states across the nation.” Read More »
The Measures Application Partnership is recommending a coordinated performance measurement that promotes quality improvement across the industry. Read More »
The current Medicare payment policy for hospital “never events” has created risks for unassuming post-acute providers. Nursing homes, assisted living facilities and CCRCs need to prepare for the coming impact. Read More »
LGBT seniors should not have to return to the closet to get the services they need—that is a hardship no one should endure. Like all elders, LGBT people want to be treated with dignity. Read More »
The CBO said outlays for Medicare would be $9 billion higher in 2012 alone if Congress overrides a scheduled 27 percent reduction under the SGR, which would take effect March 1. Read More »
"Don’t mess with residents’ dietary requirements" is the rallying cry of Jewish nursing home advocates after a past veto by Mitt Romney for funding kosher meals garners renewed attention. Read More »
The CMS rule, which implements prescription drug provisions of the Affordable Care Act, would increase transparency in drug pricing to ensure states are not overpaying for prescription drugs. Read More »
Gov. Quinn has boosted nursing home funding by millions of dollars to help carry out safety reforms passed in 2010. This is because the state won’t have to touch its own coffers to distribute the cash. Read More »
The industry is focused on reducing hospital readmissions and improving patient and staff satisfaction, AHCA/NCAL said. However, those goals may be in jeopardy with the likelihood of diminishing reimbursement. Read More »
With margins averaging 18.5 percent in 2010, MedPAC contends SNFs are making a killing on Medicare. Under the proposed rebasing plan, there would be a zero update in 2013, followed by an initial reduction of four percent in 2014. Read More »
The drug maker was accused of providing state officials kickbacks in exchange for including its Risperdal antipsychotic drug on an approved list for Medicaid recipients. Read More »
Preparedness and safety are not to be ignored. They determine how successfully an adverse event may be mitigated. And in long-term care communities, disaster training and drills are required. Read More »
The Assisted Living Federation of America is aiding the development of Association Senior Living India. ALFA Director Steven Vick will serve on the new association's board. Read More »
The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care decried MedPAC’s recommendations, calling them a “failure to recognize the obvious link between Medicare and Medicaid in financing SNF care.” Read More »
The CBO estimates that if the Medicare eligibility age was raised to 67, annual federal spending on Medicare would be reduced by $148 billion from 2012 through 2021. Read More »
Gov. Branstad said the bill would force nursing homes and other facilities to inform staff, residents, residents’ families and the community when a registered sex offender is accepted into a facility. Read More »
