The fiscal year 2016 federal spending bill includes $350 million more for Alzheimer's disease research funding. It's the first time in 12 years the National Institutes of Health have seen a boost in funding. Read More »
Registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) have different skills and work processes when it comes to medication reconciliation, say researchers at the University of Missouri. Read More »
Will veterans soon be able to obtain care from non-VA LTC facilities? Long-Term Living's Washington reporter Bob Gatty takes a look at the proposed care model. Read More »
What does “person-centered care” entail? The American Geriatrics Society teamed up with The SCAN Foundation and the University of Southern California to research the definitions and quality scope of healthcare that is focused on the person and not on the condition. Read More »
The national healthcare spending growth rate has accelerated for the first time after five years of sluggish growth, according to new annual data from CMS. Read More »
The opt-out rate for California’s new pilot program for dual-eligibles is so high the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research just got a massive grant to study why. Read More »
Now that the SGR is history, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is tackling the new value-based payment model. Leading long-term care organizations are playing important roles in advising the new policies. Read More »
A new study sponsored by LeadingAge, The SCAN Foundation and AARP found the number of Americans who need long-term help with daily activities will more than double by 2055. New insurance options are needed to pay for increasing costs. Read More »
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform and three nursing home residents have filed a lawsuit against the state saying it is allegedly illegally allowing residents to be "dumped" from nursing homes to hospitals. Read More »
The OIG released its Work Plan for fiscal year 2016. Long-term care providers can expect reviews of claims and payment documentation as well as consolidated equipment and pharmaceutical purchases. Read More »
Department of Justice intervenes in three separate lawsuits alleging SavaSeniorCare provided unnecessary therapy treatment and delayed discharges to increase Medicare payments to help meet unrealistic corporate financial goals. Read More »
The proposal would affect long-term care hospitals, inpatient facilities and home health agencies that participate in CMS reimbursement programs. Read More »
Congressional and White House leaders reached a late-night federal budget deal that would include across-the-board 2-percent Medicare cuts. Read More »
Two psychologists have been charged with billing Medicare for unnecessary, or never performed, psychological tests and services to nursing home residents. Read More »
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services announced its new members this week. The council advises the HHS secretary on federal programs for people who have Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Read More »
The Department of Justice is expected to seek more than $202 million in Medicare reimbursement, fines and other penalties in the largest-ever whistleblower lawsuit involving a hospice care provider. The second phase of the trial against AsercaCare is scheduled to begin next week. Read More »
Long-term care pharmacies provide crucial senior-specific medication management services to skilled nursing facilities. But will the current regulatory environment drive independent LTC pharmacies out of business? Read More »
The new skilled nursing facility regulations under the IMPACT Act are coming. Has your facility adopted the best processes and attitudes to maximize reimbursement? Policy experts explain why sticking to the old status quo on processes won't be good enough. Read More »
The opening general session of the AHCA/NCAL Annual Conference and Expo focused on the importance of cross-discipline teamwork, with special highlights on the role of the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). Read More »
The new proposed rules from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are not sitting well with the head of the American Health Care Association, who says they will takes years and extraordinary cost to implement. Read More »
The Department of Labor’s proposed changes to the way "exempt employees" are defined and the minimum salary requirements exemptions for certain categories of employees and institute minimum salary requirements for exempt status will do more harm than good in the senior care market, say two of the nation’s senior living associations. Read More »
