The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services inserted an important new requirement in the latest version of its Payroll-Based Journal manual. It’s one of those innocent-looking provisions that are...
Premature obituaries about nursing homes unfair, off the mark
By
John O'Connor
Apr 11, 2014
Attend an industry event these days and you’re sure to hear doom-and-gloom forecasts for the skilled care sector. Simply put, LTC is not getting a lot of TLC.
Reducing antipsychotics one resident at a time
By
John O'Connor
Dec 02, 2013
Like many bad habits, the overuse of antipsychotics is not going down without a fight. Still, there are reasons for long-term optimism.
The star treatment is here to stay
By
John O'Connor
Jul 20, 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has just rolled out its latest version of Nursing Home Compare. If your facility garnered five stars, you probably love it. If you received one star, you surely...
A note from SNFs to hospitals: Stay away from Misfit Island
By
John O'Connor
Jul 25, 2016
Hospitals need to toughen up. Their impending new five-star rating system isn’t going to be the end of the world (at least, not for most of them). But if the experience of skilled nursing homes is...
A no-brainer plan for Medicare and Medicaid
By
John O'Connor
Dec 11, 2017
But for those of you who think outrageous political trickery is dead, please let me point you in the direction of Capitol Hill. For we appear to be in the midst of one of the better con jobs to come along...
Nursing facilities might soon face another unfair burden
By
John O'Connor
Oct 12, 2019
I am opposed to forcing skilled care operators to pay for a problem caused by another entity., which is exactly what will happen if an otherwise well-intended bill becomes law in its current form.
Sorry, that’s not the full recipe for fixing nursing homes
By
John O'Connor
Jun 04, 2012
The Atlantic’s recent article called ‘How to Fix Nursing Homes’ is a well-written and thoughtful piece. My only gripe is that the headline is a bit of a reach.
Why your future will be a numbers game
By
John O'Connor
Jul 02, 2012
In the looming world of acute-care partnerships, warm and fuzzy imagery is going to take a back seat to cold, hard data. So if you’re feeling like a number now, just wait.
This guy needs to change his tune
By
John O'Connor
Dec 19, 2021
The thought of fiscal sweeteners in the Build Back Better Act has had many operators humming “Happy Days are Here Again.” But after what played out this past weekend, “Slip Slidin’ Away” might...