Nowhere in a facility is entirely free of safety hazards. Finding and fixing the potential areas of risk is key to an effective and compliant safety program. Read More »
The United States spends more money for care provided at skilled nursing facilities and continuing care retirement communities than for care provided through home healthcare agencies, according to a new report, but spending for home healthcare is growing at a faster rate. Read More »
The United States has not experienced the lower mortality rates and higher life expectancy normally associated with higher health-related spending per capita, according to a recent report. Read More »
Does your skilled nursing facility care for residents with mental heath conditions? Medicare recovery audit contractors for mental illness issues may threaten access to care. Read More »
After a mixed year of progress and stumblings, accountable care organizations are expected to surge as a care model in 2014, according to a year-over-year trends report. Read More »
Congress may be ready to do away with the sustainable growth rate (SGR), re-fix the “doc fix” and ditch therapy caps, but will skilled nursing become the scapegoat for the costs? Read More »
The National Council on Aging is “disappointed” that Congress has not acted to make permanent a program that pays Part B premiums for some Medicare recipients, but the organization remains hopeful that the program will be made permanent in 2014. Read More »
The recommendations made by the federal Commission on Long-Term Care related to long-term services and supports for seniors and disabled individuals are the focus of a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing. Read More »
The Department of Health and Human Services and its oversight body, the Office of Inspector General, released reports this week identifying strategic goals for the next few years. Read More »
Makers of antibacterial products used in healthcare facilities are off the hook—for now. A recently announced FDA proposed rule on safety and effectiveness will be limited to over-the-counter soaps and body washes made for consumers. Read More »
The Office of Inspector General wants hospitalization rates to be added to CMS's nursing home quality rankings. But will the numbers tell the real story or just muddy the waters? Read More »
The financial penalties for not securing protected health information have become greater under the final Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act omnibus rule that went into effect Sept. 23. Taking certain actions can strengthen your ability to avoid violations. Read More »
G8 countries gathered for a summit in London have committed to identifying a cure or disease-modifying therapy for dementia by 2025 and to significantly increasing research funding to reach that goal. Read More »
Post-acute medication management and partnerships with long-term care facilities and others are two strategies put forth by two recent pieces of research examining ways to lower hospital readmissions. Read More »
All countries need to develop plans to provide and finance care for those with dementia, according to a new policy brief that notes a coming “epidemic.” Read More »
Several recent multimillion dollar Medicare fraud case convictions and settlements relate to the actions or alleged actions of skilled nursing facilities, home healthcare agencies and durable medical equipment companies and their employees. Read More »
Continuing issues with a government website mean that, for now, small employers will need to go through an insurance company, agent or broker to enroll in medical plans through the new federal marketplace. Read More »
Healthcare scams have sprung up since the October rollout of the Affordable Care Act. A California congressman's response to healthcare scams victimizing seniors in his jurisdiction is introduced as a bill in Congress. Read More »
In a challenge being faced in other parts of the country, too, California soon will have to make difficult fiscal trade-offs in an attempt to balance the long-term care needs of its residents with demands related to other programs, a new report finds. Read More »
Healthcare attorney Alan C. Horowitz explains the background to the latest revisions to the CMS compliance rules on fire sprinklers in skilled nursing facilities. Read More »
Under a proposed bill, SNFs meeting certain criteria based on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services quality ratings automatically would qualify to waive the prior hospitalization requirement for Medicare coverage of Part A skilled nursing care benefits. Read More »
CMS has revised its fire sprinkler compliance measure to ease the burden on facilities that are in the middle of sprinkler installations. But is the workaround just as challenging as the fire sprinkler citation? Read More »
A plan by Congress may finally fix sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula issues for physicians, but long-term care and outpatient therapy services could suffer in the process. Read More »
