Advocacy

Nursing home associations merge

The new American Health Care Association will be a major force in Washington as it focuses on the challenges and issues of providing long-term care for America’s millions of elderly persons. Read More »

Congress updated on AHCA’s Quality Initiative

Earlier this month, long-term care leaders briefed Congress on the positive accomplishments and future goals to improving quality of care in skilled nursing facilities. Read More »

CMMI rethinks its innovation program, sharpens focus for Round 2 funding

CMS’ Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announces a significantly smaller and more-focused project list for Round Two of the funding awards. Read More »

Medicare fraudsters nabbed in $223 million nationwide bust

This week’s Medicare fraud sting operation involved nearly 100 people across multiple states, including physicians, nurses and therapists. Read More »

CMS proposes $180 million increase in hospice reimbursements

CMS has proposed a new rule that would raise hospice payments under Medicare by $180 million next year. Read More »

Activists petition for safer bed rails in nursing homes

Bed rails are supposed to keep residents safe, but some advocates say stricter standards are needed to keep them from doing more harm than good. Read More »

CMS sweetens the deal for fraud whistleblowers

Know about someone conducting sneaky Medicare billing practices? CMS’ new whistleblower proposal might pay you more than your boss does. Read More »

Senate committee approves Tavenner for CMS helm

Marilyn Tavenner has obtained a vote of confidence from a Senate committee in her bid to become the first confirmed administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in seven years. Read More »

Industry leaders weigh in on President Obama’s FY2014 budget proposal

This summer will be a busy one as Congress deliberates the 2014 budget and how, without revisions, its proposed cuts to Medicare may affect the physicians, hospitals and long-term care providers. Read More »

The pros and cons of per capita caps for Medicaid

Federal agencies and lawmakers keep revising one possible way to curb Medicaid spending growth: Per capita caps. Read More »

Parkinson’s disease organizations unite to raise awareness of the need to participate in clinical trials

Clinical trials serve a crucial role in bringing new medications and treatments to the people who suffer from various disease. But it takes people willing to take the time to participate. Recently, 16 international organizations have banded together to encourage participation in Parkinson's disease trials. Read More »

Obama budget will cut Medicare but boost Medicaid and mental health

President Obama's new budget, released by the White House Wednesday, includes plenty of cuts, but also contains a few surprising increases. Read More »

Obama proposes $7.6 billion increase in vets’ LTC benefits

President Obama has proposed a $152.7 billion budget to expand access to healthcare, eliminate disability claim backlogs and end homelessness for veterans.  Read More »

Assisted living 2013: On the upswing

Two top industry executives share their insights on assisted living’s climate and trends. Assisted living survived the economic downturn and the collapse of the housing market intact and it is geared up and ready to continue moving forward. Read More »

CMS releases guidelines on delegated nursing roles in SNFs

A new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services document clarifies what tasks physicians may delegate to nurses within nursing homes serving Medicare and Medicaid residents. Read More »

SNFs included in Rhode Island’s first nurse residency program

In addition to hospitals and clinics, nursing homes will be a practice setting in a newly developed Rhode Island nurse residency program. Read More »

One-on-one with…. Ruta Kadonoff

Senior Editor Pamela Tabar talks with Ruta Kadonoff, vice president of quality and regulatory affairs for the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), about quality in long-term care—and why being able to measure it will be important for business. Read More »

Aging baby boomers and Blue Ocean opportunities

Expect changes as the Baby Boom generation ages. As in their youth, they will do things differently from their parents and create  their own concepts of elderhood. Read More »

Fla insurance shutdown hits 100,000 Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries

Florida’s Universal Health Care Insurance suddenly closed its doors last week, giving beneficiaries three days to choose another insurance provider. Read More »

AMDA Foundation names its 2013 Medical Director of the Year

AMDA Foundation presents its annual Medical Director of the year award at its 2013 conference in Washington, D.C. Read More »

White House, Congress might consider combining Medicare Parts A and B

Sweeping changes may be on the horizon for the way Medicare billing is divided, as President Obama and Republicans put the idea of combining Medicare Parts A and B back on the discussion table, the New York Times reports today. Read More »

Florida nursing home background checks may include residents

Employees are subject to background checks before they are hired at an LTC facility. Residents may soon be included in that process. Read More »

CMMI, Senate committee lock horns over innovation projects

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) got a tongue-lashing from the Senate Finance Committee, while CMMI’s director explains that testing new models takes time before payment reforms can be put into action. Read More »

MedPAC to Congress: Reduce SNF payments by 4% in 2014

Skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies face payment reductions, but hospices and long-term care hospitals get a first-round bye in MedPAC's latest Medicare payment recommendations to Congress. Read More »

AHCA promotes immigration reform before Congress to solve caregiver shortage

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) today will voice its support for comprehensive immigration reform and offer solutions to the nationwide mid-level caregiver staffing crisis before a House Education & Workforce Subcommittee on Workplace Protections. Read More »

Final 3 members appointed to LTC commission

President Obama adds the last three names to the Long Term Care Commission, completing the group's bipartisan membership. Read More »

Social services key to delivering senior healthcare at lower cost

Improving healthcare delivery for seniors might take greater investment in an often-ignored component: Social services. Read More »

SNF surveys: Do they tell the whole story?

Nursing home consumers—residents and their families—say the survey process has flaws that need to be addressed, according to a new report from the Coalition for Quality Care. Read More »

One-on-one with… Peter Reed

Peter Reed, PhD, CEO of Pioneer Network, spoke with Long-Term Living about the roots of culture change and today's campaign against ageism. How far has person-centered care come and what still needs to be done? Read More »

CMS: Penalties are working to reduce hospital readmissions

New data on hospital readmission shows that healthcare reform is making an impact--changing the rates for the first time in five years, says CMS. Read More »