Never mind the mantras about the long-term care profession being “high touch.” The focus has been hijacked and it appears most providers are now consumed by documentation.
Fee-for-service still consumes most Medicare outlays: Report
By
John Hall
May 07, 2015
Far more than half of the $360 billion in Medicare payments made just two years ago were based on traditional fee-for-service models without regard to quality or value, according to an independent report...
Plan would address inspection backlog, limit inspection duties
By
John Hall
May 01, 2015
California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) is reportedly seeking to realign nursing home inspection and oversight duties to address a chronic backlog of investigations into abuse and other violations, while limiting...
Ziegler closes bond series for church home
Apr 28, 2015
Ziegler has announced the closing of a $34.51 million fixed-rate Series 2015A bond for Church Home of Hartford. The new Ziegler client is a Connecticut not-for-profit corporation formed in 1987.
Social Security numbers to be removed from Medicare beneficiary cards
By
John Hall
Apr 21, 2015
After more than 10 years of warnings by government investigators, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services now has a mandate to remove Social Security numbers from enrollees’ cards — a practice...
Watchdog: CMS should monitor Recovery Audit Data warehouse
By
John Hall
Apr 17, 2015
A new Government Accountability Office report recommends sweeping government reforms that would mitigate fragmentation and duplication of a number of Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Providers testify against post-acute bundled pay bill at hearing
By
John Hall
Apr 17, 2015
A top nursing home advocate on Thursday urged killing a bill calling for the bundling of Medicare payments for post-acute care services.
Nursing home operators hail ‘historic’ Senate passage of permanent ‘doc fix’...
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 15, 2015
The Senate overwhelmingly voted to pass H.R. 2 Tuesday night, paving the way for repeal of the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate and drawing the praise of the largest nursing home association in the country.
Also in the news for Monday, April 13
Apr 13, 2015
Feds say health IT vendors hindering reform efforts … Mental practice and physical therapy effective for stroke survivors … New guidance on contact precautions for facility visitors …...
CMS actuary throws cold water on ‘doc fix’ bill projections
By
John Hall
Apr 12, 2015
Long-term care leaders who have widely endorsed a House proposal to permanently “fix” the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, might be suffering buyer’s remorse after learning Friday that...