I found it stunning when I recently read that more than a half million people had taken advantage of new Medicare coverage that pays for end-of-life discussions with their doctors. And there was hardly...
MedPAC calls for payment reforms to come even earlier
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 06, 2017
Federal lawmakers’ advisory panel for Medicare made it official in its report to Congress in June: It recommends implementation of a unified post-acute payment system beginning in 2021 — three...
Your money’s no good here
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 01, 2017
I’d say the thing we write about most often in this line of work is payment issues. As a long-term care provider, you are eternally under pressure with whether there will be enough to pay for everything.
Woman pleads guilty in Medicare genetic testing scheme targeting seniors
By
Elizabeth Newman
Dec 05, 2016
As interest in genetic testing rises, one woman faces 10 years in prison for a $1 million Medicare fraud scheme that lured seniors into unnecessary genetic testing.
What the debate’s entitlement discussion means for LTC
By
Elizabeth Newman
Oct 21, 2016
While I never expected long-term care to be a serious part of discussion within the three presidential debates, the wonky part of my heart still jumped for joy when moderator Chris Wallace asked about...
Nipping improper Medicare payments in the bud
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 15, 2016
Does the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services need its own Barney Fife to set its house in order? Some seem to think so.
Obama administration races to make Medicare changes as healthcare industry objects
By
Elizabeth Newman
Aug 16, 2016
As the clock clicks down on President Barack Obama’s days in office, the administration remains focused on adjusting Medicare reimbursements, much to the annoyance of healthcare providers.
SNF owner led record $1 billion Medicare fraud ring, authorities say
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 25, 2016
The owner of more than 30 Miami-area nursing homes and assisted living facilities has been charged with leading a national record $1 billion-plus Medicare fraud scheme.
SNF Medicare margins: What MedPAC doesn’t know
By
Betsy Rust
Apr 29, 2016
The articulation of data is vitally important, and MedPAC is not the only entity interpreting, or misinterpreting, cost report and claim data.
Hospitals’ plea will soon be nursing homes’
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 23, 2015
I was truly surprised when I didn’t hear long-term care leaders excitedly jumping around, yelling, “See! See! Us too! Us too!” last week. It was a simple report, sure, but one that should...