Medicare appeals backlog to be fixed by 2020, HHS says
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 06, 2016
Federal health officials say tweaks to the system will enable them to eradicate a massive backlog of Medicare decision appeals in 2019. They made the prediction in a court brief filed in U.S. District...
High court to rule on damaging lawyer ads
By
James M. Berklan
Jun 06, 2016
The Georgia Supreme Court is considering whether to uphold a ban on ads that a prominent Southeast nursing home provider says violated the Georgia Deceptive False Practices Act.
Feds consolidate, join billing lawsuits vs. SavaSeniorCare
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 04, 2015
The federal government has thrown its weight behind whistleblower complaints against skilled nursing chain
SavaSeniorCare LLC. Authorities joined three lawsuits accusing the massive provider of “routinely”...
More scrutiny ahead for Five-Star ratings
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 05, 2015
In a move that top nursing home lobbyists privately hoped wouldn’t come to pass, the Government Accountability Office announced in late August it will be investigating the federal nursing home rating...
PharMerica, Kindred settle kickback suit
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 05, 2015
Federal regulators were combing through out-of-court agreements at press time to discern whether settlement terms reached by PharMerica Corp. and Kindred Healthcare would pass regulatory muster.
Senators want to know more about nursing home ratings
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 05, 2015
The Government Accountability Office is becoming well-versed at digging into the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ nursing home ratings system.
Safety committee’s records not privileged: federal court
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 05, 2015
A North Carolina nursing home operator can’t claim privilege in protecting documents created by its safety committee from discovery, a federal trial court has ruled.
Prohibit binding arbitration entirely? CMS was tempted
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 04, 2015
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is toughening its stance on the use of binding arbitration agreements for nursing home residents and their families. But the agency isn’t being as tough...
McKnight’s Senior Living and Daily Briefing debut
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 20, 2015
Senior living professionals have a new source of daily news, analysis and information from the most trusted media publisher in long-term care. McKnight’s Senior Living (www.McKnightsSeniorLiving.com)...
Providers fume over pay freeze
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 06, 2015
Long-term care providers quickly fired back after a congressional advisory committee recommended no Medicare pay increase for the coming year.