Drug pricing efforts threaten ‘very existence’ of LTC pharmacies: reps
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 11, 2024
President Biden in his State of the Union address last week vowed to end “Big Pharma’s” grip on prescription drug pricing and cut costs for seniors and taxpayers by another $200 million.
Physician 1.7 percent pay fix fails to account for full cuts to therapists, other SNF providers
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 06, 2024
Congressional leaders have agreed to increase physician pay by 1.68% starting next week, but that raise still would not make whole a 3.37% cut initiated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...
Why CMS is shifting its infection control focus to sepsis
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 11, 2024
BALTIMORE — Quality experts at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be taking a closer look at sepsis rates in nursing homes while continuing broader efforts to improve infection control,...
Anticipated Five-Star updates must drive changes to daily operations: expert
By
Josh Henreckson
Apr 26, 2024
Upcoming changes to Five-Star rating methodology will require long-term care providers to overhaul several key daily processes related to staffing and quality measure reporting, an informatics specialist...
Congress advisers back permanent telehealth expansions, look to nix in-person rule for behavioral telehealth...
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 12, 2024
Maintaining Medicare beneficiaries’ access to telehealth services, especially for behavioral health, must remain an initial priority over payment reform or quality measurement, members of a congressional...
Storm can’t ‘Menace’ the nostalgia of a nursing home drive-in
By
Josh Henreckson
Feb 08, 2024
It was a cold winter day, but residents of Heritage Pointe of Fort Wayne, IN, were in for a nostalgic event with a summertime mood. When they were snowed-in from their usual January outing, staff came...
‘Locked and loaded’: CareTrust touts lending as source of growing pipeline
By
Kimberly Marselas
May 06, 2024
A new deal that extends CareTrust’s partnership with the Ensign Group is an example of the company’s willingness to “lend with a purpose” as a means to grow its real estate holdings, leaders said...
OIG writing compliance guidebook to assist nursing home sector, hints at focus areas
By
Josh Henreckson
Apr 19, 2024
The federal government’s top watchdog is working on sector-specific guides to assist nursing homes in keeping in compliance with federal regulations. Particular attention will be given to some challenging...
Jamie Dlatt joined Legacy Healthcare in September 2008 as a facility administrator and quickly rose through the ranks to roles such as chief compliance officer and vice president of operations before strutting...
3,600 steps a day can lower heart failure in older women, report says
By
Kristen Fischer
Feb 22, 2024
An average of 3,600 steps a day at a normal pace was linked to a 26% lower chance for developing heart failure in women over the age of 60, according to a new study published Wednesday in JAMA Cardiology.