Deadline for HITECH disclosure rule is now ‘fluid,’ federal official says
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 29, 2013
A controversial “accounting of disclosures” provision of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act will probably not be finalized before the scheduled...
Updated government guidelines may help with diverse resident populations
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 26, 2013
The Department of Health and Human Services has updated its national standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS), providing an enhanced tool for long-term care providers serving...
Court clarifies HIPAA definition of ‘personal representative’ in ruling on Florida nursing...
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 11, 2013
Nursing home residents’ spouses and attorneys-in-fact do not necessarily meet the definition of “personal representatives” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act,...
CMS changes nursing home inspections in response to sequestration cuts
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 10, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will change some nursing home survey procedures in response to budget cuts from sequestration, according to memos released Tuesday. The CMS Survey & Certification...
CMS announces lower minimum request limit for recovery audit contractors
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 09, 2013
Medicare recovery audit contractors (RACs) can request as few as 20 records in a 45-day period from skilled nursing facilities and other providers as of April 15, according to the Centers for Medicare...
AHCA opposes manual review system for therapy claims, launches provider feedback clearinghouse
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 05, 2013
As part of its pushback against the manual review process for therapy claims, the American Health Care Association has launched a clearinghouse to gather provider feedback. AHCA President Mark Parkinson...
Combo therapy aids nutrition
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 01, 2013
Memory training combined with a Montessori-based approach to daily living can improve nutrition and reduce depression among those with dementia, a study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing finds.
Automatic 2% Medicare cuts begin
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 02, 2013
The 2% reduction in Medicare payments known as sequestration began Monday. Providers should begin to see the impact by mid-April. The reductions will affect claims with dates of service or discharge on...
CMS to post more nursing home deficiency data online next month
By
McKnight's Staff
Mar 27, 2013
Citing the desire for the public to know more about nursing homes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will make more information about nursing home deficiencies available online next month, according...
Amount of post-acute care accounts for regional differences in Medicare spending, report says
By
McKnight's Staff
Mar 26, 2013
Geographic variations in Medicare payments can be largely explained by how much skilled nursing and post-acute care is being used, according to a recently released interim report from the Institute of...