SNFs pay $3.8 million to settle false claims and overmedication charges
By
John Hall
May 26, 2015
The owners of two California nursing homes have agreed to pay $3.8 million to the federal government.
Feds offer $1.6 billion to pay Florida hospitals’ uncompensated care bills
By
John Hall
May 26, 2015
The federal government is offering to authorize $1.6 billion to reimburse Florida’s hospitals for uncompensated care, but that is still $3 billion short in a budget impasse that is threatening to...
Former Kaiser exec named new MedPAC chairman
By
John Hall
May 26, 2015
A former Kaiser Permanente physician executive has been tapped to lead the 17-member Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, the Government Accountability Office announced late last week.
OIG report prods federal regulators to get tougher
By
John Hall
May 22, 2015
A Congressional watchdog group this week criticized the Department of Health & Human Services for failing to keep its improper payment rates low in its Medicare fee-for-service and Medicaid programs.
Preferred Care Partners seeks to dismiss suit over care, billing issues
By
John Hall
May 22, 2015
One of the nation’s largest nursing home chains is looking to thwart what it alleges is a conspiracy by private law firms trying to convince state officials to sue large corporations. Texas-based...
CVS to acquire Omnicare for $10.4 billion
By
John Hall
May 22, 2015
Retail pharmacy giant CVS announced Thursday it will acquire Omnicare, marking the third major recent consolidation among pharmacies and allied companies providing specialty services and pharmacy benefit...
Providers fuming after MedPAC calls for cancellation of Medicare pay raise
By
John Hall
May 21, 2015
The nursing home industry’s largest trade group is pushing back hard against MedPAC’s recommendation that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services forego its planned request for $500 million...
Bundled post acute payment plan could cost SNFs
By
John Hall
May 21, 2015
Nursing homes’ loss would be home healthcare’s gain under a controversial plan that would create site-neutral payments for post-acute care.
Hospital stays worsen disabilities, study shows
By
John Hall
May 21, 2015
Researchers say hospital re-admissions tend to worsen existing disabilities in people during their last year of life. The investigators are advising a more “palliative care approach” as a way...
Congress in a bind awaiting Obamacare subsidy decision
By
John Hall
May 20, 2015
On a big-picture level, nursing homes would seem to fare better if more and more prospective residents would enter their facilities with private insurance instead of Medicaid.