CMS developing direct-pay model to test on seniors, others
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 25, 2018
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced it is exploring a direct-provider contracting model. It is the first payment reform initiative to result from the agency innovation center’s...
Therapy caps back on as Congress delays action
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jan 04, 2018
Therapy caps are back on for now, even though Congress may still be prepared to eliminate them in 2018.
New survey process has ‘learning curve for everybody,’ CMS official says
By
Oct 31, 2017
NEW ORLEANS — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ new survey process for nursing homes will challenge the sector with a “learning curve,” but providers can stay on top of...
CMS clarifies staffing, care link under broad mega-rule
By
Meg LaPorte
Oct 06, 2017
What is the definition of sufficient staffing in a nursing home?
CMS suspends surveys, allows providers to exceed bed capacity in states hit by Hurricane Harvey
By
Sep 06, 2017
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is extending some flexibilities for Medicare providers in Texas and Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Administrator Seema Verma said on Saturday.
What is your vision for PACE expansion and innovation?
By
Jade Gong
Jan 30, 2017
In the final days of the Obama administration, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services provided a parting gift to the PACE community by issuing a Request for Information seeking stakeholder input on...
How should long-term care providers celebrate? Let us count the ways
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 31, 2016
Long-term care operators have plenty of reasons to recoil and lick their wounds over the course of a year. But there are also good times when they should find reason to smile. Like this past week.
Be proactive with new CMS regulations
Sep 04, 2015
If you wait to only react to the process, you will have to bite off more than you can chew when the deadlines come.
A tisket, a tasket … No LPNs in the RN basket
By
Steven Littlehale
Jul 20, 2015
Reporting direct care hours is nothing new, but the Affordable Care Act takes it to the next level with mandatory quarterly electronic submission of staffing and census data. This focus on staffing ratios...
Practical advice on reducing antipsychotics
By
Jerome Wilborn
May 08, 2015
Two CMS tags —F-Tag 329, which addresses unnecessarily using antipsychotic drugs, and F-Tag 309, which addresses taking steps to reduce antipsychotic drug use — are used by nursing home surveyors to...