LTC: Seize on opportunity as senators support palliative care access
By
Allison Silvers
Jul 15, 2022
On June 17, 2022, Senators Rosen (D-NV), Barrasso (R-WY) and Fischer (R-NE) sent a letter to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) asking it to support access to palliative care wherever...
Therapists, take note! Proposed changes to ICD-10 mapping
By
Renee Kinder
May 12, 2022
The buzz around the proposed rule for fiscal 2023 continues as providers aim to review, digest and comment on proposed updates to the SNF payment rates, wage index adjustments, methodology for recalibrating...
Failing to manage harassment of workers can lead to litigation
By
Lisa M. Kathumbi
May 04, 2015
State and federal lawmakers have recognized a patient’s “right to choose.” However, state and federal law also prohibits discrimination and harassment based upon race, sex, age, disability,...
Making inroads with hospitals and hospice
Aug 12, 2015
Hospice programs and SNFs must immediately implement a strategy to develop and market a strong, strategic nursing home/hospice partnership with hospitals, ACOs, MCOs, etc.
GDRs, antipsychotics and PRNs, Oh My!
By
Randy Beckett
Jun 18, 2018
With off-label antipsychotic use dangerously high in U.S. nursing homes as reported by Human Rights Watch, a question undoubtedly on the tip of everyone’s tongue is “How do we fix this?”...
Asking for the medical record
By
Steven Littlehale
Jan 29, 2014
Millions of dollars have been paid by nursing homes who unsuccessfully defended themselves against incomplete or absent documentation. There are not as many legal guidelines regarding medical records maintenance...
Drug diversion, a series: How to deal with it
By
Norris Cunningham
Angela Rinehart
John Myers
Aug 23, 2021
In the first part of this series, we discussed drug diversion: what it is, how to prevent it and how to spot it. This column will focus on how to conduct drug diversion investigations. When drug...
Answers to lingering questions about PBJ
By
Karolee Alexander, RN, RAC-CT
Jul 08, 2016
Even though the Payroll-Based Journal kick-off was last Friday, it’s understandable that questions still cloud this new process. It behooves providers to get up to speed and become better informed...
Waiver or not, here I come!
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 28, 2020
The immediate relief I felt when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a blanket waiver 1135 on March 13 was soon replaced with confusion and anxiety.
How to make your nursing facility RAC-ready
By
Bryan Baird
Nov 08, 2011
As skilled nursing facilities adjust to the changes to Medicare that arrived early last month, they must be ready for Recovery Audit Contractors. RACs are independent auditors for the government that are...