Medicare payment reforms need to be based on more than geography, IOM says
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 18, 2012
States should allow a broader scope of practice among healthcare providers to improve access to care, rather than have the federal government base Medicare payment adjustments around geographic locations,...
Need for cognitive assessments missing from home- and community-based Medicaid regulations, group says
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 17, 2012
Regulations issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services concerning Medicaid coverage for home- and community-based services has been too vague for Alzheimer’s advocates.
States not given Medicaid expansion deadline, Tavenner says
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 16, 2012
In response to a flurry of questions from state governors, the Obama Administration announced it is not imposing a deadline for states to decide whether to implement the healthcare law’s Medicaid...
Protective gene mutation gives hope to Alzheimer’s drug development
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 16, 2012
Alzheimer’s researchers got a huge boost last week with the publication of a study showing that a rare genetic mutation prevents the buildup of beta amyloid in the brain.
Liability costs rising 4% annually for long-term care
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 13, 2012
A new study shows that long-term care claim severity and loss rates have grown 4% each year since 2009, and the liability costs per bed is expected to be $1,540 by next year.
OIG investigation raises conflict of interest concerns in ZPIC program
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 11, 2012
Regulators need to be more aggressive in identifying conflicts of interest among Medicare’s fraud-fighting Zone Program Integrity Contractors (ZPICs), a new government report recommends.
CBO won’t have an estimate on Affordable Care Act’s deficit impact prior to House repeal...
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 10, 2012
The Congressional Budget Office is still assessing the impact of the Supreme Court’s Affordable Care Act decision on the federal deficit and won’t have an estimate until the end of July. That...
House committee puts Medicare audit contractors on the hotseat
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 10, 2012
Lawmakers are asking Medicare contractors for more information about how they go about identifying and reporting potentially fraudulent payments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Use of electronic health records by post-acute providers improves care transitions, experts say
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 05, 2012
Long-term and post-acute care providers aren’t eligible for federal meaningful use incentives for electronic health records, but failing to pursue EHRs would be unwise, experts stress.
CMS boosts payments, incentives for dialysis centers
By
McKnight's Staff
Jul 03, 2012
Medicare payments to providers that offer outpatient maintenance dialysis treatments will increase 2.5% in calendar year 2013, regulators said.