Documentation was the biggest challenge facing skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities during 2014, according to those responding to a year-long survey by Harmony Healthcare International. Read More »
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, two-thirds of the deaths were people over the age of 65. Learning how to successfully plan for disaster or catastrophic events shouldn't be done in hindsight – a solid, effective plan should be put in place to protect both your residents and your data in order to continue providing care.Protecting the vital information needed to take care of residents is often overlooked as a critical element of a disaster plan, and it’s important to think about how that information will be accessed during an emergency situation. It could be a matter of life and death.Read on to learn some best practices your long-term care facility can use to prepare for disaster.Click here to read more. Read More »
As the U.S. Senate continues its spring recess, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has clarified what actions it will take until mid-April. Several provisions that may be addressed by passage of a “doc fix” bill expired today. Read More »
Patients’ time under “observation status” would count toward the requisite three-day hospital stay for coverage of skilled nursing care under legislation introduced by four senators. Read More »
The Bundling and Coordinating Post-Acute Care (BACPAC) Act has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in an effort to coordinate care delivery and realize savings related to Medicare beneficiaries. Read More »
Two former senators and two former Housing and Urban Development secretaries are leading a one-year Bipartisan Policy Center effort to address issues at the intersection of senior housing and health. Read More »
The government’s healthcare fraud prevention and enforcement efforts recovered $3.3 billion in fiscal year 2014 from individuals and companies that attempted to defraud federal health programs serving seniors and others, according to a new report. Read More »
The Assisted Living Federation of America responsed to a benefits eligibility rule proposed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you’d like to do so, you have until March 24. Read More »
In this final installment of the three-part series, we will look at the future of health information technology and its impact on senior care.It is estimated that one-fifth of the U.S. population will be 65 or older by 2030, and new residents most often present with a higher level of acuity than they did ten years ago, requiring different experts on the care team to manage the needs of one person. In this capacity, technology becomes a critical ingredient for success.Read on to gain an understanding of where to start in the technology implementation process, what questions you should be asking, and just how supportive technology is in the quality and operational objectives of senior care.Click here to read more. Read More »
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has formed the Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network to help the federal government move toward greater use of alternative payment models. Read More »
Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems have improved the quality of care and the efficiency of caregivers in long-term living facilities across the nation. With only a 50% adoption rate, the long-term care industry continues to lag behind the adoption rates of other care industries.In this second installment, we’ll examine some of the widely accepted best practices for adoption of today’s electronic health record systems (EHR). Read more to learn about the benefits of EHR adoption in a long-term care facility, the top reasons for adoption, and where to start in the process.Click here to read more. Read More »
When we think back to what the long-term care industry was like 10 years ago, technological innovation tends not to be top of mind. And yet, suddenly we’re surrounded by it. Adopting new technology, like any new idea, can be hard. The challenge for providers will not just be rolling it out, but also harnessing the power to do what you need to do. In this first article of a three-part series, we’ll look at factors in long-term care that have prompted our use of technology, specifically Electronic Health Records (EHRs), and begin to consider where we are headed as the technology we use continues to evolve.Click here to read more. Read More »
Quality-of-care issues exist in all long-term care settings, but they are especially pronounced for those with advanced dementia, according to health economist David Grabowski, PhD, of Harvard. He details several potential opportunities to address the issues. Read More »
The 2016 federal budget announced by President Barack Obama on Monday is a mixed bag for senior housing and services providers, according to several organizations representing them. Read More »
Providers will be paid by the federal government based on care quality rather than care quantity under new, measurable goals announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Monday. Read More »
Could the Affordable Care Act lead to changes that will affect skilled nursing, hospice and home healthcare and lower Medicare spending? Authors of a new analysis think it could. Read More »
A new report by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Urban Institute proposes changes to Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services payments to discourage skilled nursing facilities from “furnish[ing] therapy for financial gain.” Read More »
Implementing an electronic health record system and integrating an automated wound management solution into it has resulted in numerous benefits for one nursing and rehabilitation center. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has agreed to reform its hospice payment system by taking five steps outlined in a new report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Read More »
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has unanimously voted to recommend “site-neutral” payment for certain Medicare beneficiaries who need medical rehabilitation following injury or illness. Congress will decide whether to adopt the recommendation. Read More »
The three-day inpatient hospital stay requirement for Medicare coverage of Part A skilled nursing care benefits could be eliminated under a bill reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Read More »
The American Health Care Association has launched a campaign to educate lawmakers on the value of skilled nursing providers in advance of discussions related to the Medicare sustainable growth rate. Read More »
When is a deal too good to be legal? Receiving discounts from vendors/suppliers may, in some instances, be considered "kickbacks" if you're not careful. Read More »
Don’t count the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation or the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association among the fans of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recommendation of “site-neutral” payments for certain beneficiaries. Read More »
March 2 is the deadline for comments on new “safe harbor” provisions, modifications to existing provisions or new fraud alerts to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Read More »
