Federal government needs to boost Medicaid managed care oversight, GAO says
By
Tim Mullaney
Jun 20, 2014
The government’s oversight of Medicaid managed care organizations is not strong, even though these entities cover about 50 million people and are growing rapidly, according to a recently released...
Providers could be slapped with monetary penalties for slow response to document requests under OIG proposal
By
Tim Mullaney
May 13, 2014
Long-term care providers are facing an expanded list of infractions that could trigger civil monetary penalties, including slow response to document requests. The proposed regulation from the Department...
Cash-strapped feds to cut back Medicare oversight this year, OIG official says
By
Tim Mullaney
May 05, 2014
One of nursing homes’ most vigilant government watchdogs plans to dramatically curb its activities this year, a federal official has told the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health. The Department...
How to do it … Choosing a good financial advisor
May 01, 2014
The trust a long-term care organization places in a person to guide and consult on its finances is no less important than the trust the residents have in the operator. A provider must be willing to invest...
Profile: A rare bird in Congress
By
Elizabeth Newman
May 01, 2014
When Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) was around 4 years old, she asked for a doctor’s kit. But growing up in a working class family in Glen Burnie, MD, the future nurse and Congressman didn’t know...
Shortchanging the Older Americans Act has led to unnecessary nursing home placements, senators say
By
Tim Mullaney
Apr 17, 2014
Chronic underfunding of the Older Americans Act is leading to unnecessary long-term care facility admissions, Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT) and 26 of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate said in a recent...
House members request $200 million to increase long-term care, geriatric medicine workforce
By
Tim Mullaney
Apr 11, 2014
To meet an increasingly urgent need, Congress should earmark $200 million to expand the number of geriatric care workers. This was the case that 26 House members made in a recent letter Appropriations...
CMS requests survey buildup
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 01, 2014
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is asking for $49 million more in its next budget, largely to expand long-term care inspection programs.
Ask the legal expert … about screening for sex offenders
By
John Durso
Apr 01, 2014
How can we make sure we don’t have registered sex offenders working or volunteering for us? What if they lie to us about it?
Audits paused, providers glad
By
Tim Mullaney
Apr 01, 2014
Long-term care providers are applauding a pause in the Medicare recovery audit contractor program.