CMS too burdened and focused on cost to be the epicenter of long-term care reform, experts say
By
Tim Mullaney
Nov 21, 2013
Most long-term care reforms rely on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for implementation, but the overburdened agency cannot manage all the needed changes in this area, according to a panel...
Kill inpatient eligibility requirement for skilled care, former CMS chief Berwick says
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 04, 2013
The former head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has said the agency should scrap a rule requiring three days as a hospital inpatient to qualify for Medicare coverage of skilled nursing...
CMS releases reference chart for new therapy-related G-codes
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 16, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a reference chart listing the new G-codes needed for outpatient therapy services claims under the Medicare fee-for-service program.
Eliminating the “Black Hole”: Transitions of care
By
Donald Quinn, M.D.
Aug 12, 2013
In the early days of hospitalist medicine, we described the period between hospital discharge and follow-up at the skilled nursing facility, long-term care acute care hospital or a primary care physician...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently finalized 2014 Medicare rate updates for hospices and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and also laid out quality metrics. Hospices will receive...
CMS crackdown doubles Medicare removals
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 07, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has removed 14,663 healthcare providers and suppliers from the Medicare program in the last two years, the agency announced Thursday. The figure more than doubles...
The G-codes are here for payment claims — ready or not
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
May 23, 2013
Effective July 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will begin rejecting claims received for Medicare Part B patients that do not include the new requirement of G-coding. That really means providers...
CMS updates SNF Medicare manual to implement sequestration cuts
By
McKnight's Staff
May 16, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has updated the online Medicare Provider Reimbursement Manual, modifying instructions related to the 2% reimbursement reductions resulting from sequestration.
NPWT yields positive results for patients
By
Randall R. Carson
May 06, 2013
Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (“NPWT”) is one of the oldest forms of medicinal therapy used to heal the human body. Over the past decade there has been a significant increase in the use of...
Medicare safe from ACA-mandated cuts, official says
By
McKnight's Staff
May 02, 2013
Potential Medicare cuts called for by the Affordable Care Act will not occur, a chief government actuary has announced. Long-term care organizations said the news comes as a relief for providers who have...