Former CMS boss says reforms underway, regardless of how Supreme Court rules
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 26, 2012
Even if the Supreme Court repeals the Affordable Care Act, its early reforms have already delivered promising benefits, according to former Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Donald...
Texas long-term care becomes big winner in receipt of federal innovation grants
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 18, 2012
Texas has received a windfall of federal funding to test care coordination programs between acute and long-term care providers.
States get enhanced Medicaid funding for home- and community-based services
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 15, 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced enhanced Medicaid funding to states looking to provide more community-based services to elderly and disabled individuals.
Lawmakers blast federal efforts to monitor and police Medicare fraud — again
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 11, 2012
Lawmakers again hammered the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Medicare program integrity contractors Friday. The latest salvos were fueled by an agency admission that additional mistakes...
Affordable Care Act designates $52 million to help disabled, veterans avoid nursing homes
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 01, 2012
Additional government funding is being distributed for a program to keep seniors, disabled individuals and the veterans in their homes, and out of institutionalized long-term care facilities.
OIG: Regulators need to sharpen retrieval of Medicare overpayments made to providers
By
McKnight's Staff
May 25, 2012
Medicare recovery audit contractors have not been diligent enough in collecting previously identified overpayments, a government investigation finds.
Heart failure readmission rates tied to regional socioeconomic factors, research shows
By
McKnight's Staff
May 18, 2012
Socioeconomic differences and factors such as the availability of physicians have a bigger impact on readmission rates for heart failure than a provider’s performance, a new study asserts.
Final rule reduces regulatory burden for long-term care facilities
By
McKnight's Staff
May 11, 2012
A new rule eases the regulatory burden on providers serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and has the potential to save the healthcare system $100 million in the first year.
Some Medicaid doctors to receive reimbursement rates that equal Medicare’s
By
McKnight's Staff
May 09, 2012
Physicians providing primary care services to Medicaid beneficiaries will see a federal payment increase to bring Medicaid payments in line with those of Medicare payments, government officials announced...
Antipsychotic drug use correlated to staffing levels
By
McKnight's Staff
May 01, 2012
While antipsychotic drug use overuse has decreased since 2005, nearly a quarter of U.S. nursing homes are still giving many residents the medications against recommendations, a Boston Globe analysis reveals.