$3.8 million settlement shows nursing homes must oversee their therapy providers, feds say
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 08, 2014
Two long-term care companies have agreed to a $3.75 million settlement over charges that they failed to sufficiently control an outside therapy provider’s billing and care practices, the Department...
One day to go: McKnight’s Fall Online Expo returns with 3 free CE webcasts
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 08, 2014
McKnight’s second Fall Online Expo will take place tomorrow, featuring three free webcasts on pressing long-term care issues. Attendees can earn continuing education credit while learning about regulatory...
The government plans a ‘computer matching program’ to combat improper Medicare, Medicaid...
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 08, 2014
The government plans to start a “computer matching program” to reduce improper payments from government health programs to providers and other entities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...
SNFs may not be able to take on hospital patient overflow during disasters, report on Katrina and Midwest...
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 05, 2014
Disaster preparation plans should not necessarily count on skilled nursing facilities to handle additional patients that hospitals cannot accommodate, according to newly published findings.
A historically large data breach at Community Health Systems has been linked to the infamous Heartbleed bug, which could lead to a “tipping point” in how healthcare providers approach data...
LTC nurse could face 4 years in prison for alleged morphine mistake, cover-up
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 05, 2014
A nurse has been indicted for allegedly administering morphine to a nursing home resident by mistake and covering up her error while the resident experienced a health emergency, New York Attorney General...
Nursing homes face federal False Claims Act charges for allegedly overmedicating residents with antipsychotics,...
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 04, 2014
Two California nursing homes routinely overmedicated residents with antipsychotics and other drugs “for the convenience of management,” according to federal charges announced Wednesday by the...
Federal judge blocks new RAC contracts
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 04, 2014
Adding to the ongoing controversy around Medicare’s Recovery Audit Contractor program, a judge has ruled that the government cannot award new RAC contracts until disputed payment terms are resolved.
Expenditures on nursing home, CCRC care projected to rise 69% over next decade
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 04, 2014
Spending on nursing care and continuing care retirement communities is expected to roughly keep pace with total U.S. healthcare spending during the next decade, according to a government report released...
CMS offers a deal to hospitals to cut Medicare appeals backlog
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 03, 2014
In an effort to trim the huge backlog of Medicare claims appeals that has stymied long-term care and other providers, the government is offering a new way to settle some cases. Hospitals could receive...