Legislation to inform Medicare beneficiaries of their outpatient status has passed through the legislative branch without a hitch. Now, it’s off to the White House. Read More »
Anthem’s purchase of Cigna constitutes the largest health insurance deal in history, but regulators will be watching closely for impacts on market competition. Read More »
According to data analysis by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC), independent and assisted living properties are feeling the pinch. Read More »
Performance-based reimbursement requires an efficient approach to documentation and data collection. Between readmission penalties and the IMPACT Act of 2014, the data we use to demonstrate quality outcomes is quickly becoming the currency of our business. Success in the changing reimbursement models means we need to take a data-driven, proactive approach to improving care and quality of life in nursing homes.The Affordable Care Act of 2010 resulted in a provision to develop standards we now know as “QAPI” programs or Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement programs.QAPI is the foundation.Click here to read more. Read More »
Even the little bills mean a lot. The right accounts payable technology can help LTC communities keep their business partners happy and avoid costly late fees. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued various documents related to the electronic submission of staffing and census information in an effort to promote greater accountability for long-term care facilities. Referred to as “Payroll Data Submission – Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) Reporting,” this new reporting structure will be mandatory effective July 1, 2016.Read on to learn about the goals of PBJ, what these additional requirements mean to providers, how to approach and implement the changes, and how to address the challenges that must be considered.Click here to read more Read More »
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 »
Leaders from organizations representing providers of housing, care and services for older adults say they continue to scrutinize the 653-page proposal of reforms to Medicaid managed care plans that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued May 26, but they shared their initial reactions with Long-Term Living. Read More »
The Florida chapter of the Assisted Living Federation of America has partnered with the state's Agency for Health Care Administration to streamline the initial licensure process for assisted living communities in the state. Read More »
In preparation for the shift to value-based reimbursement, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has indicated that the new Minimum Data Set (MDS) Focused Survey will be expanding nationwide this year in effort to incent providers to focus more on individualized care planning and person-centered care.Read on to learn what areas will be under the most scrutiny in the new survey process, what you can do to prepare, and some target areas for deficiencies.Click here to read more Read More »
Two California nursing homes persistently overmedicated residents, causing infection, sepsis, malnutrition, dehydration, falls, fractures, pressure ulcers and, for some residents, premature death, the federal government maintains. Read More »
CEOs from five senior living providers gazed into their crystal balls and shared five predictions about the future of the industry during the annual meeting of the Assisted Living Federation of America. Read More »
The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) recognized five assisted living community staff members who help improve the lives of residents in big and little ways. The awards were just some of the ones given during ALFA’s annual meeting. Read More »
The Assisted Living Federation of America has launched a new initiative, Senior Living 2025: A Roadmap, to establish a united voice around four major issues facing the industry. Read More »
The thought of managed care worries many providers. We face uncertainty in how we’ll be paid, and feel anxious we’re not managing operations well enough to capture all of the revenue for the care we’re providing. In this piece, we’ll explore the basics that will ensure you’ve built the right foundation to survive managed care, while positioning your organization as a preferred provider.Read on to learn how to maximize your efficiency and reimbursement in managed care.Click here to read more. Read More »
Three briefs from the Altarum Institute Center for Sustainable Health Spending provide insights into prices, spending and employment in nursing homes and residential care facilities, home health and other parts of the healthcare sector. Read More »
Understand what the changes to the Five-Star Rating System mean to your organization.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has changed the way it calculates the Five-Star Rating System for all facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid residents across the US. Two new Quality Measures were added for psychotropic treatment, the thresholds for Quality Measure scoring were changed to raise performance expectations, and the staffing algorithm was adjusted to award four stars only to those who achieved a score of four in either or both of the RN and Overall Staffing measures.Read this article to gain perspective on the specific changes that have been made to the rating scale, the effect it is having on the long-term care industry, how it is impacting payment models, and how to address referral partners about the change.Click here to read more. Read More »
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 »
Employers of registered nurses have another reason to look at their pay structures to ensure that they don’t contain inequities, say the authors of a new study. Read More »
After years of failed efforts, a congressional bill proposing a permanent solution to the "doc-fix" problem is gaining the support of one of long-term care's largest and most powerful organizations. 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 »
