Medicare/Medicaid

OIG study: CMS, keep an eye on hospices in assisted living

In its hospice payment reform efforts, CMS is keeping a close eye on hospice care in assisted living. Read More »

Interoperability takes center stage in Washington

This month’s annual meeting of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology featured a keynote by HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell announcing the agency’s plan to increase the adoption of health IT. Read More »

‘Fix the SGR 2.0’ heading your way

Can Congress and President Obama agree on a way to move forward before the latest ‘doc fix’ expires on March 31? Read More »

3 changes coming to Nursing Home Compare

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will make three main changes to the calculations used for the Nursing Home Compare website beginning with the information publicly reported for February, the agency announced in a Feb. 12 call to providers. Read More »

Bill would improve payment transparency, pharmacy group says

The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition says the MAC Transparency Act, if passed, would improve payment transparency within the Medicare prescription drug program. Read More »

A growing market: Affordable senior housing

When care and assistance is needed, where can low-income seniors go to have the services they need delivered in a safe, secure and affordable environment? Read More »

Quality in advanced dementia care: 3 challenges, 5 solutions

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 »

Antipsychotic drug use decrease higher than expected

Use of antipsychotic medications in long-stay nursing home residents has experienced a greater-than-expected decrease, according to new data. Read More »

CMS now covers lung cancer screening for Medicare beneficiaries

Effective immediately, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will cover lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography for Medicare beneficiaries—with certain conditions. Read More »

Home health star ratings may start in July

July is the target for the start of the publication of star ratings on the Home Health Compare website, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Read More »

What the proposed 2016 budget would mean for senior living

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 »

2016 federal budget aligns with goals of White House Conference on Aging, Super says

The focus areas of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging mesh well with the goals of the 2016 federal budget proposed Feb. 2 by President Barack Obama, the conference’s executive director says. Read More »

Software tracks facility progress in CMS’ 5-star ratings

Using business intelligence and data analytics can help track an organization's progress or gaps in the CMS star ratings program.  Read More »

CBO releases budget projections, including those for Medicare

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office projects future spending for Medicare and other federal programs. Read More »

AMDA suggests White House Conference on Aging topics

AMDA–The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine has recommended sub-topics within three of the four previously identified areas of focus for the White House Conference on Aging. Read More »

HHS to shift payment from volume to value

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 »

Affordable Care Act could lead to lower Medicare spending

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 »

CMS should revise therapy payments: report

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 »

MedPAC comments on proposed CMS quality measures

When it comes to quality and efficiency measures, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should focus on population-level outcome measures instead of clinical process measures, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission said in a recent letter. Read More »

Looking for a miracle

Will the new Congress finally fix the SGR—and therapy caps? How will the costs of reforms be covered?  Read More »

OIG recommends 5 changes to Medicare hospice payment system

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 »

CMS chief to resign in February

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn B. Tavenner will leave her position in February, according to media reports. Read More »

A milestone year for Medicare, Medicaid, Older Americans Act, Social Security

2015 is the 50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act and the 80th anniversary of Social Security. Provider association leaders recently discussed with Long-Term Living what needs to happen to ensure these programs' future success. Read More »

Reintroduced bill ties 3-day stay waiver to Nursing Home Compare program

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 »

Court rules against minimum wage, overtime for home care workers

Minimum wage and overtime standards will not apply to home healthcare workers hired by private agencies after a federal district court judge decision to vacate a U.S. Department of Labor rule. Read More »

AHCA launches campaign for permanent SGR fix

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 »

The vendor discount dilemma

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 »

What the ‘cromnibus’ means for healthcare

The $1.1 trillion spending bill approved by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama last month contains several provisions related to healthcare. Read More »

MedPAC’s site-neutral payment recommendation draws criticism

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 »

Managed care a growing force in post-acute care

Managed care is a growing force that will become far more prominent in post-acute care and will exert much influence over day-to-day operations. Read More »