‘Doc fix’ bill calls attention to need for therapy fix, NASL leader says
By
Tim Mullaney
Jul 29, 2013
Provider groups are urging lawmakers to address outpatient therapy payments in addition to fixes to Medicare’s physician payment system, according to Cynthia Morton, executive vice president of the...
Cash-strapped feds to cut back Medicare oversight this year, OIG official says
By
Tim Mullaney
May 05, 2014
One of nursing homes’ most vigilant government watchdogs plans to dramatically curb its activities this year, a federal official has told the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health. The Department...
Acute, post-acute partnerships reduce C. diff about 50% in Washington state
By
Tim Mullaney
Mar 25, 2014
Hospitals and post-acute facilities in Washington state have cut their rate of Clostridium difficile infections in half since 2012 by partnering with each other in a robust infection control program, according...
Huge number of therapy claims stuck in manual review limbo for months, NASL study finds
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 09, 2013
A much-criticized system of reviewing certain Medicare therapy claims is still beset by problems, with about a third of this year’s claims awaiting processing, according to a recently released survey...
Judge approves $38 million settlement in ManorCare case
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 27, 2014
HCR ManorCare will pay $38 million under a legal settlement recently approved by a judge in West Virginia. The award to plaintiffs was originally $91 million until the state Supreme Court reduced it in...
Strong signals that nursing homes will win case against the contraception mandate, lawyers say
By
Tim Mullaney
Jul 02, 2014
A Supreme Court ruling handed down earlier this week bolstered a legal case being pursued by The Little Sisters of the Poor, according to attorneys for the nonprofit nursing home operator. However, other...
Long-term care providers applaud signing of IMPACT Act, prepare for new Five Star elements
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 07, 2014
On the heels of victories such as the newly signed IMPACT Act, providers are ready to more aggressively push for their interests on Capitol Hill, leaders of the nation’s largest long-term care trade...
Five LTC commissioners issue full alternative report
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 24, 2013
Five members of the Congressional Commission on Long-Term Care have released a full report, providing an alternative to the commission report released last week. The five commissioners split with nine...
New hospice comparison tool uses government info, Washington Post calls for more transparency
By
Tim Mullaney
Oct 28, 2014
In the absence of a hospice consumer guide from the government, The Washington Post has created one using available Medicare data. The newspaper unveiled the quality tool Sunday, in an article criticizing...
First-ever CDC report: Nursing homes provide most long-term care nationwide, alternative settings gain...
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 13, 2013
Nursing homes still account for the vast majority of long-term care services available in the United States despite policies meant to encourage home- and community-based care, according to a new government...