CDC: Flu hitting elderly especially hard, but only half of nursing home workers vaccinated
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 22, 2013
The 2012-13 flu season has been especially bad for the elderly, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in a call with reporters. Despite this, CDC figures show about half...
Long-term care providers can share resident info for safety reasons without breaching HIPAA
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 22, 2013
Healthcare providers do not violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy regulations if they share patient information in the interest of public safety, according to a letter...
Hearing loss prevention drugs may be on the way, thanks to new testing method
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 22, 2013
A new method for safely inducing short-term hearing loss in people might be a breakthrough in developing hearing loss prevention drugs, investigators say.
Omnibus HIPAA rule lays out ‘sweeping changes’
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 18, 2013
The Department of Health and Human Services issued an “omnibus” rule Thursday, comprehensively updating Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act privacy and security regulations...
Governors divided on Medicaid expansion, creating uncertain fiscal forecast for long-term care operators
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 18, 2013
There are likely to be notable gaps in Medicaid coverage through the nation when major parts of the Affordable Care Act go into effect on the first day of 2014, according to a New England Journal of Medicine...
AARP, business group offer competing views of Medicare reform
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 18, 2013
The eligibility age for Medicare should be raised from 65 to 70 years, and the program should include private plans competing with the current fee-for-service model, the Business Roundtable proposed Wednesday.
New flu vaccine could be used more widely than current versions
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 18, 2013
A new type of influenza vaccine was approved Wednesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and will soon be available in limited quantities, providing another weapon against the seasonal virus wreaking...
Skilled nursing facilities, already bracing for scheduled Medicare payment cuts of $65 million, face further losses that could total hundreds of millions of dollars, according to an Avalere Health analysis.
7,000 Pennsylvania nursing home workers negotiating new contracts
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 17, 2013
A 150-person negotiating committee representing nearly 7,000 Pennsylvania nursing home workers met on Tuesday with representatives of major operators such as Golden Living, Genesis HealthCare, Reliant...
Long-time aphasia sufferers speak fluidly with help of iPod touch
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 17, 2013
Those who have experienced Broca’s aphasia for decades can speak more fluidly through therapy that involves mimicking other speakers, according to study results published in the journal Brain.