Influential guidelines for end-of-life care updated by Hastings Center
By
McKnight's Staff
May 15, 2013
The Hastings Center has updated its “Guidelines for Decisions on Life-Sustaining Treatment and Care Near the End of Life.” The original 1987 guidelines were influential.
Providers respond to report of inadequate government oversight of antipsychotics prescriptions
By
McKnight's Staff
May 14, 2013
Long-term care organizations have responded to a report that physicians are prescribing antipsychotic medications for seniors without proper oversight from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services....
Senators invite provider input on Medicare ‘doc fix’
By
McKnight's Staff
May 14, 2013
The leaders of the Senate Finance Committee have called for healthcare providers to weigh in on possible changes to the Medicare physician payment system.
Insomnia predicts nursing home admission, study finds
By
McKnight's Staff
May 14, 2013
Seniors who have insomnia are more likely to be admitted to a nursing home than those who experience quality sleep, according to a recently published study.
Healthcare providers, workers’ unions divided on recently passed bill to swap pay with time off
By
McKnight's Staff
May 13, 2013
The House of Representatives has passed the “Working Families Flexibility Act.” The bill, H.R. 1406, would allow employers to offer paid time off in place of overtime pay, and has put healthcare...
FDA approves highly anticipated COPD medication
By
McKnight's Staff
May 13, 2013
The Food and Drug Administration has officially approved Breo Ellipta, a much-anticipated new treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Government dismisses whistleblower claims made by former Assisted Living Concepts CEO Laurie Bebo
By
McKnight's Staff
May 13, 2013
The Department of Labor has dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit filed by Laurie Bebo against the company she used to lead, Assisted Living Concepts, according to ALC’s recently filed quarterly results.
RAC transition: Fewer document requests but no slowing of therapy reviews, CMS says
By
McKnight's Staff
May 10, 2013
Providers will see fewer Additional Document Requests starting in June, as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services transitions to new Recovery Audit Program contracts. CMS has started the contract...
Judge closes book on lawsuit involving nursing home residents with intellectual, developmental disabilities
By
McKnight's Staff
May 10, 2013
A U.S. District Court judge has brought a definitive end to a large, long-running class action case involving nursing home residents with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Healthcare reform precipitates split in Extendicare’s U.S. and Canadian operations, CEO says
By
McKnight's Staff
May 10, 2013
Extendicare Inc., which operates more than 240 senior care centers, will be splitting up its U.S. and Canadian businesses, the company announced Thursday.