Proposed rules broaden opportunities for veterans needing post-acute care
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 17, 2013
Newly proposed rules could impact veterans’ nursing home care. One rule would provide more flexibility to veterans in terms of their healthcare benefits under the Department of Veterans Affairs....
Medicare coverage of ‘maintenance therapy’ determined by need for skilled care, CMS clarifies...
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 16, 2013
Providers must sufficiently document the need for skilled care in order to obtain Medicare coverage for so-called “maintenance therapy,” the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services stressed...
$90 million verdict against HCR ManorCare will stand, judge rules
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 15, 2013
HCR ManorCare was appropriately penalized $90 million in a case involving resident neglect and understaffing, a judge in West Virginia ruled last week. Lawyers for the nursing home company said they would...
Updated palliative care guidelines: Providers should increase coordination, embrace QAPI
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 15, 2013
Palliative care should follow care coordination and quality improvement processes called for by the Affordable Care Act, according to updated guidelines from the National Consensus Project for Quality...
Diabetics develop dementia 2 years sooner than others, researchers find
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 15, 2013
People with diabetes are at risk of developing dementia earlier and dying sooner, according to recently published research.
Murray, Ryan begin budget negotiations as long-term care providers analyze White House plan
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 12, 2013
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) met Wednesday to discuss budget negotiations. The architects of the House and Senate budgets had a “constructive discussion” and are “working...
American Geriatrics Society reverses recommendation on elderly diabetics’ aspirin use
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 12, 2013
Elderly people with type 2 diabetes should not take aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease, according to draft guidelines from the American Geriatrics Society. The organization reversed its previous...
Dual-stiffness flooring in nursing homes helps reduce fractures from falls, study shows
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 12, 2013
Nursing home residents who fall on dual-stiffness flooring may be less prone to fractures, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.
Long-term care groups protest Obama budget’s $81 billion in Medicare cuts
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 11, 2013
The White House’s proposed budget includes $81 billion in Medicare payment reductions to long-term care providers. The reductions would take place over 10 years, as part of the Obama administration’s...
Court clarifies HIPAA definition of ‘personal representative’ in ruling on Florida nursing...
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 11, 2013
Nursing home residents’ spouses and attorneys-in-fact do not necessarily meet the definition of “personal representatives” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act,...