Lawmakers introduce bill to extend pregnant workers’ protections, cite nursing home case
By
McKnight's Staff
May 20, 2013
Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have introduced a bill that would require employers to make reasonable job modifications for pregnant women. The lawmakers were motivated in part...
Post-stroke care should be ‘uniform’ across age groups, study finds
By
McKnight's Staff
May 20, 2013
Post-stroke treatments can benefit older people as much as younger ones, according to recently published research from the University of Georgia.
Government initiatives aim to decrease number of disabled people in nursing homes
By
McKnight's Staff
May 17, 2013
The federal government is ramping up efforts to reduce the number of disabled people in nursing homes through interagency initiatives. While many disabled people have already been moved out of nursing...
An optometrist in Kentucky defrauded Medicare and Medicaid by filing claims for nursing home care that was unnecessary or not provided, alleges a False Claims Act lawsuit recently brought by the federal...
Fecal transplants to treat C. diff now need FDA approval
By
McKnight's Staff
May 17, 2013
The Food and Drug Administration is moving to tighten regulations around fecal transplants, which research has shown to be an effective treatment for Clostridium difficile infection.
Senate confirms Tavenner as CMS administrator
By
McKnight's Staff
May 16, 2013
Marilyn Tavenner has become the first confirmed head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in seven years. Advocates in the long-term care sector welcomed the news.
CMS updates SNF Medicare manual to implement sequestration cuts
By
McKnight's Staff
May 16, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has updated the online Medicare Provider Reimbursement Manual, modifying instructions related to the 2% reimbursement reductions resulting from sequestration.
$1 billion available for projects to ‘rapidly reduce’ post-acute care costs, CMS announces
By
McKnight's Staff
May 16, 2013
The second round of the Health Care Innovation Awards is now underway, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Wednesday. CMS will distribute up to $1 billion to fund projects that aim to...
Freeze nursing home doctor pay for 10 years, replace Sustainable Growth Rate system, Senate Finance Committee...
By
McKnight's Staff
May 15, 2013
Medicare rates for physician visits to nursing homes should be frozen for 10 years as the government replaces the Sustainable Growth Rate system, a Medicare Payment Advisory Commission official advised...
Replace FMAP with Medicaid funding system that better accounts for seniors, government report says
By
McKnight's Staff
May 15, 2013
The federal government could distribute Medicaid dollars to states more effectively by looking at data that better reflects the needs of nursing home residents and workers, according to a new report from...