Post-acute payment bundling system appears ominous
By
Liza Berger
May 21, 2009
Nursing homes have cause to worry about the prospect of a Medicare post-acute payment bundling system. If it pans out, facilities may end up on the losing side of the equation. That is just one of my takeaways...
Book on eldercare is ‘Nasty, Brutish’ and … excellent
By
James M. Berklan
May 20, 2009
I have to admit that sometimes when I find something I really like, I keep quiet about it. There’s no sense in giving away the location of a prime fishing hole after all. But when it comes to good reading,...
Gotcha! The fine art of nursing home prankster-ism
By
Brett Bakshis
Apr 02, 2009
April Fools’ Day, which was yesterday, has always been one of those “whatever” holidays for me. I enjoy practical jokes as much as the next guy, but I think it’s best to watch other people get...
These foot exercises help improve seniors’ mobility
By
Brett Bakshis
Mar 13, 2009
You may not know Larry LaPrise, but you’re definitely familiar with his work. In the late 1940s, Mr. LaPrise wrote the “Hokey Pokey,” that popular (albeit somewhat irritating) novelty dance...
CMS’ rollout decisions don’t always make sense
By
Liza Berger
Mar 06, 2009
You have to wonder who is making some of the calls at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services—because they don’t seem altogether consistent. While some decisions are spot on, others leave you...
Unions: good or bad? Discuss amongst yourselves
By
Liza Berger
Feb 26, 2009
Unions have been a hot topic—both in Washington and at McKnight’s.com. If you don’t believe me on the latter, see our recent story about a merger among three nursing unions. Click here to read the...
New York a big spender on Medicaid long-term care
By
Liza Berger
Feb 24, 2009
It’s been a nickname since the 1920s, but here’s a new reason why New York is called the Big Apple: It spends BIG on long-term care. Compared to other states, New York spends more than $5,500, or 2.5...
Readers: How would you ‘star’ the new rating system?
By
James M. Berklan
Jan 12, 2009
Driving home last week, I heard a prominent movie reviewer say on the radio that he loves January. Why? “Because all of the movies that come out are just terrible,” he explained with a mischievous...
Rough economy hits Erickson
By
Liza Berger
Jan 09, 2009
Well, it seems we are in a financial crisis. I know I’m in the news business and should be up on these things. You might agree, though, that economic trends are hard to grasp unless you’ve felt them...
Bring on the nursing faculty
By
Liza Berger
Dec 05, 2008
The nursing profession needs teachers. That became increasingly evident this week with public announcements about two new studies. First, from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing: Enrollment...