CMS clarifies long-term care quality review in managed care models
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 23, 2013
Noting that long-term care increasingly is being provided through Medicaid managed care plans, the government has released guidance on how to monitor the quality of care in these systems.
Senators call for OIG review of nursing home trust fund practices
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 23, 2013
Leaders in the U.S. Senate have called for a special review of how nursing homes handle residents’ money placed in trust funds. The chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Sen. Bill Nelson...
Early dementia screening is accurate but pointless, researchers find
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 23, 2013
Assessment tools can effectively identify people in the early stages of dementia, but existing evidence suggests there is no pressing reason to do this type of cognitive screening, according to newly published...
AMDA issues list of competencies for long-term care physicians
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 22, 2013
Doctors practicing in long-term care settings should hone certain skills identified by leading stakeholders in order to produce higher quality outcomes, according to a prominent physician association....
New CMS policies will lead to ‘big change’ in wound care practices, analyst says
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 22, 2013
New Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement practices within the next year will significantly change preferred treatment methods for wounds that are common in long-term care settings, according to a new market...
Man used false identity to work at nursing home for 6 years, authorities charge
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 22, 2013
A man used a false identity to gain employment at a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility where he worked for six years, authorities in Tennessee have charged.
A story to promote empathy in dementia care
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 22, 2013
Earlier this month, I was excited to learn that one of my favorite writers, Alice Munro, had been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature. To mark the honor, The New Yorker republished one...
Report: Providers should prepare for managed care partnerships for dual-eligibles services
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 21, 2013
Managed care organizations are set to play a bigger role in how long-term care is provided for people currently eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, and providers should focus on having the right capabilities...
Long-term care operators need to develop innovative contracts with network partners, expert says
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 21, 2013
The troubled rollout of online health insurance marketplaces has grabbed headlines recently. But one expert believes people are overestimating the importance of the Affordable Care Act’s enrollment...
HIPAA ruling highlights importance of encrypting patient information
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 21, 2013
A California appeals court has handed a victory to a healthcare provider in a case that involved the loss of 16,000 patient records. The ruling emphasizes the importance of encrypting files.