Policy

Medicare: It works great…Let’s fix it

Medicare celebrates its 50th anniversary on July 30. Experts on aging discuss the program's history and future goals at an American Society for Aging event this past June. Read More »

Government audits find extensive Medicare Advantage overcharges

Some Medicare Advantage patients were overpaying by thousands of dollars a year, according to government audits. Read More »

Obama nominates Andy Slavitt as new CMS Administrator

Andy Slavitt has been serving as acting administrator since February. Read More »

Dying with a voice

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed a milestone change within its latest Physician Fee Schedule--a new billing code for advanced care planning services. Will it encourage more docs to talk about end-of-life choices? Read More »

CMS proposes physician reimbursement for end-of-life discussions

In a milestone addition to its physician payment schedule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposes to add a new billing code to allow for the reimbursement of advanced care planning services. Read More »

Aetna’s Humana acquisition will swell its Medicare Advantage business

Aetna agreed to acquire rival Humana for $37 billion in cash and stock on July 3. Read More »

CMS won’t deny ICD-10 claims for a year

In response to requests from the provider community, CMS is releasing additional guidance that will aim to allow for flexibility in the claims auditing and quality reporting process Read More »

California LTC unions merge to create 280k-person powerhouse

Long-term care workers from three California locals have combined to create the nation's largest union. Read More »

California judge rules law that allows nursing homes to make medical decisions unconstitutional

The former law allowed nursing homes to make medical decisions on behalf of mentally incompetent residents.  Read More »

New overtime rules impact long-term care

Now is the time for long-term care administrators to reassess the exempt/non-exempt status of your employees before 2016 arrives. Read More »

Proposed bill would help ensure home health agencies are reimbursed by Medicare

Two senators have introduced a bill that would reduce the number of inappropriate Medicare denials for home health agencies. Read More »

OSHA inspections add focus on nursing risks

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration expanded its inspections to include musculoskeletal injuries related to patient or resident handling and four other risks to nurses. Read More »

Assessment finds missing measures in Medicare’s pay-for-quality programs

A new Avalere assessment of quality measures finds many important medical conditions are not represented in Medicare's pay-for-quality programs. Read More »

Fire at Mexico nursing home kills 16, injures 5

A fire ripped through a nursing home in Mexicali, Mexico City, this week, killing 16 residents and injuring five others Read More »

BREAKING NEWS: SCOTUS votes to uphold subsidies in King v Burwell

The U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 today to uphold marketplace subsidies in the landmark case King v Burwell. Read More »

ACHCA’s Grachek stepping down

After nine years of leadership in the long-term care industry, ACHCA President and CEO Marianna Grachek announces that she will be retiring next month. Read More »

Texas governor signs ‘three strikes’ bill to improve nursing home oversight

A measure to strengthen nursing home regulations in Texas was signed by Governor Greg Abbott this week. Read More »

Getting ready for assessment data and the IMPACT Act

Workgroups responsible for implementing the standardization of documentation codes across care settings under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act) have been busy during the past year, and SNFs may have to be ready to report under the new assessment data as early as fall 2016, noted panel presenters at this week's Long-Term and Post-Acute Care Health IT Summit in Baltimore. Read More »

What is your facility’s bullying policy?

What happens when one of your residents is the victim of bullying? Do you have a policy in place to address it? Read More »

Feds arrest several doctors, nurses in largest Medicare fraud bust ever

More than 240 people were arrested in 17 cities for allegedly billing Medicare for $712 million for care that was never given.  Read More »

LTC professionals take their message to Congress

UPDATED June 23, 2015: Congressional actions got a few steps closer to repealing two key Obamacare provisions--the medical device tax and the Independent Payment Advisory Board. Read More »

Caremerge launches chronic care coordination solution

Bridging the gap between physicians, residents and families, Caremerge launches a chronic care management solution that takes care coordination reimbursement into account. Read More »

Providers pleased by House vote to remove Medicare cuts from trade bill

The American Medical Association and LeadingAge offer praise for the House's vote to remove Medicare cuts that would have funded the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. Read More »

Elder abuse shelter opens in Detroit

Elder abuse is an often underreported crime because seniors are reluctant to act or don’t know how to seek assistance. Read More »

CMS lays ground rules for provider screening, fingerprinting for fraud risk

By March 2016, states with Medicaid providers must be ranked has having a "high," moderate," or "limited" risk of defrauding the program. Read More »

CMS opens data to entrepreneurs

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will make its Medicare data available to entrepreneurs with the mission of improving healthcare processes.  Read More »

California proposes tighter inspections for assisted living

California has one of the least aggressive inspection cycles in the country for assisted living communities—but maybe not for much longer. Read More »

Sexual Intimacy and Dementia: Fulfilling a Basic Need or Resident Abuse?

Can a resident with dementia provide true consent for sexual intimacy? Can an intimate relationship, even between spouses, ever be considered abuse? Answer: It depends. Read More »

Will seniors be able to afford your community?

About half of households that have members aged 55 or more years have no retirement savings, and many of those households have few other resources to fund their post-work years, according to a new analysis by the Government Accountability Office. Read More »

Plan for a tornado emergency

No strangers to severe storms, two long-term care execs at an Oklahoma CCRC pose four questions about preparing for this natural disaster. Read More »