Will there be a ‘real’ CMS administrator soon? It’s looking so
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 03, 2013
If you’re a gambling person, it looks like the odds just got a whole lot better for Marilyn Tavenner becoming the next administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. That’s...
Shining some light on the new Five Star system
By
Steven Littlehale
Sep 05, 2012
The Five Star overall score is comprised of three domains: Survey, Staffing and Quality Measures. This month, look a little deeper into the overall Five Star Scores.
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.
3 value-based purchasing strategies to help you get ahead
By
Sally Rodriguez
May 21, 2014
Long-term care providers have a stronger hook than they probably realize regarding the toughening of penalties for hospitals with high readmission rates.
The end of fee for service
By
Mark Fish
Sep 12, 2014
The seeds that have flowered into the burgeoning of ACOs – groups of providers accepting the responsibility, and risk, for caring for the health of a designated patient population according to defined...
Latest therapy-billing showdown could be ominous sign for long-term care providers
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 10, 2014
Don’t let anyone tell you that long-term care operators don’t know how to read between the lines. They might not have known to fear a McKnight’s Monday news item before it broke, but...
Final rate notice signals continued pressure on Medicare Advantage payments
By
Jennifer Rak
Apr 21, 2014
CMS recently finalized Medicare Advantage plan payment rates for Calendar Year 2015 and announced other changes to payment and program policies for MA and Part D plans. Although the announcement included...
‘Special’ times ahead for more nursing homes, and that’s not good
By
James M. Berklan
May 28, 2014
As spring blends into summer, some nursing home operators are going to start feeling more heat — and it will have nothing to do with the weather. They will be given places on the proverbial hot seat....
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...
Long-term care and CMS workers occupy common ground
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 03, 2013
Long-term care workers and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services employees might have a lot in common — and that’s not entirely good news.