Lois Bowers |
May 21, 2015 The body that advises Congress on Medicare-related payments to health plans and providers welcomes a new member, a new chair and five reappointed members.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
May 21, 2015 Repackaging and distribution guidance proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration inadvertently would undermine patient/resident safety in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and also would threaten regulatory compliance, the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition said in a letter to the agency.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
May 21, 2015 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should help federal agencies work together to ensure that government resources related to home- and community-based services are used effectively and efficiently, the Government Accountability Office recommends.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
May 18, 2015 The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition says it is pleased with the Energy and Commerce Committee’s revised language in draft 21st Century Cures legislation it is considering related to programs to prevent prescription drug abuse under Medicare Parts C and D.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
May 15, 2015 The lower five-star ratings forecast in February by the federal government are evidenced in a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The news is not surprising, say two organizations representing providers.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
May 15, 2015 Looming federal elections present the perfect time to step aside and let a successor fill his shoes, LeadingAge President and CEO Larry Minnix tells Long-Term Living in an exclusive interview.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
May 15, 2015 Following passage in the House, legislation introduced in the Senate would require hospitals to notify Medicare beneficiaries of their outpatient status within 36 hours after the time of their classification or, if sooner, upon discharge.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
May 12, 2015 Adults weigh in on how to address challenges facing Medicare and Social Security in a new Harris poll.
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Sandra Hoban |
May 6, 2015 Potential for increased stress, illness and death is increased when surgery for melanoma, a leading cause of skin cancer diagnosis, is delayed.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
May 4, 2015 The Pioneer model of accountable care organization has saved about $385 million without sacrificing care quality, according to a newly published study in JAMA.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
May 1, 2015 A new report by the Government Accountability Office sheds light on the demographic characteristics of those most likely to have living wills and healthcare powers of attorney.
Read More » CMS intends to implement new or revised MDS coding by October 2016 in its move toward creating a value-based Medicare payment system.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 24, 2015 Independence at Home demonstration projects would continue under a bill passed by the U.S. Senate. The legislation now awaits consideration in the House of Representatives.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 23, 2015 The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health deliberated today about a bipartisan bill that would expand veterans’ access to skilled nursing and other healthcare options.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 23, 2015 Do the actions of a state governor foreshadow the approach he would take and the policies he would advocate if elected to this country’s highest office? If so, then those in long-term care may want to pay attention to what’s going on in the Badger State.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 22, 2015 Four large healthcare trade organizations have sent letters to the Senate and House expressing concerns over a plan to use healthcare dollars to fund provisions in trade bills, resulting in cuts to Medicare.
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Alan C. Horowitz |
April 20, 2015 Negligence has specific legal definitions—and personal injury lawyers love to muddy them. Long-Term Living legal blogger Alan C. Horowitz, RN, JD, explains what nursing homes can do to protect themselves.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 20, 2015 Payments to skilled nursing facilities, quality reporting, value-based purchasing and staffing data collection are addressed in a proposed rule published April 20 in the Federal Register.
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Robert Gatty |
April 20, 2015 MedPAC, lawmakers call for payment revisions to cut costs and eliminate abuse in how post-acute care facilities are reimbursed to improve quality of care.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 17, 2015 A new report from the AARP’s Public Policy Institute details the effects on Medicare beneficiaries who stay in a hospital under observation status rather than being admitted, and it offers recommendations to address the issue.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 15, 2015 The U.S. Senate voted last night to repeal permanently the sustainable growth rate formula under which physicians are reimbursed for care they provide through Medicare. Several organizations representing aging services providers share their perspectives.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 14, 2015 Medicare postpayment claims reviews and state Medicaid sources of funds are two of 24 areas where fragmentation, overlap or duplication exists in the federal government, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 13, 2015 Providers and the professional associations advocating on their behalf may be focused on the sustainable growth rate and related issues, but a new survey finds that Medicare beneficiaries are more concerned about potential cost increases and service cuts.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 13, 2015 Increasing the scope of practice for ABRNs and PAs who work in home healthcare, and reimbursing for HCBS for low-income, Medicare-only beneficiaries who need help with two or more ADLs, are the goals of two bipartisan bills introduced in Congress.
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Pamela Tabar |
April 13, 2015 The National Transitions of Care Coalition launches an online database of applications, tools and educational resources for improving care transitions and quality outcomes.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 7, 2015 A recent report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General identifies more than 25 ways that government agencies and programs could save money or improve quality.
Read More » Pamela Tabar |
April 6, 2015 The 2016 rates for Medicare Advantage plans won't be a dismal as predicted, according to final rate adjustments released today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
April 1, 2015 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 » Pamela Tabar |
March 31, 2015 Top leaders in healthcare policy discuss how to change the culture of dying to one driven by residents instead of physicians—and how to find more insurance models to pay for hospice and palliative care.
Read More » Lois Bowers |
March 31, 2015 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.
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