Lessons learned after nursing home operator partners with local hospital system
By
Marty Stempniak
Aug 02, 2018
The operator of two New Jersey nursing homes is partnering with the state’s largest hospital system, with both sides getting a little something out of the affair.
Medicare Part D premiums down, CMS says, as administration aims to curtail swelling drug costs
By
Marty Stempniak
Aug 02, 2018
Premiums for nursing home residents’ prescription drug plans have dipped for the second year in a row, in what the administration hopes is a sign that efforts to curb prescription costs might be...
CMS grants skilled nursing $820 million raise in final payment rule
By
Marty Stempniak
Aug 01, 2018
As anticipated, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued its final rule for paying skilled nursing providers on Tuesday. Providers will see an $820 million raise for fiscal 2019, which begins...
Retro payments from provider not good enough, NLRB says, after nursing home suspended merit-based pay
By
Marty Stempniak
Aug 01, 2018
The National Labor Relations Board is hitting a nursing home operator for “unlawfully” suspending a merit-based raise program.
Exploding hospice industry vulnerable to fraud, OIG says
By
Marty Stempniak
Aug 01, 2018
The hospice care industry has ballooned in interest over recent years. But at the same time, nursing home residents and others receiving such care are often subject to improper care and fraudulent billing,...
Providers’ challenge: Capitalizing on a growing but reluctant elderly Latino population
By
Marty Stempniak
Jul 31, 2018
The U.S. Latino elderly population is expected to balloon in the coming years, and with the wave will come more Hispanic nursing home residents. Hispanics, however, have strong reservations about using...
State loses $3M Medicaid battle with HHS over restraint-training for nursing home staffers
By
Marty Stempniak
Jul 30, 2018
Pennsylvania must pay some $3 million back to Health and Human Services, after a judge ruled that the state improperly charged Medicaid for nursing home staff training.
Therapy relief, but also plenty of provider concerns with newly published CMS payment rule
By
Marty Stempniak
Jul 30, 2018
The federal government is delivering relief to therapy providers from a burdensome and long-running rule, but also causing concern for skilled care providers
In ongoing virtual-visit crusade, new legislation paves the way for telemedicine in skilled nursing
By
Marty Stempniak
Jul 27, 2018
The latest effort to promote telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries gained traction Wednesday with the introduction of a telemedicine bill specific to skilled nursing facilities.
Deadline for McKnight’s Excellence in Technology Awards is today
By
Marty Stempniak
Jul 27, 2018
This is it: Today is the final day for senior care providers to enter McKnight’s annual Excellence in Technology Awards.