$1.3 million settlement marks second recent deal over SNF supervision of therapy providers
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 16, 2014
A Maryland nursing home company has agreed to a $1.3 million settlement over charges that it did not prevent overbilling by its contracted therapy provider, federal authorities announced Monday. This is...
Assisted living communities continue to make a terrible first impression on prospective customers, university...
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 15, 2014
Assisted living communities consistently do not make a good first impression with prospective customers, and they haven’t improved this skill set in the last decade, according to data from George...
CMS should publicly push Congress to reform therapy payment system, long-term care provider association...
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 09, 2014
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should openly urge Congress to change the way therapy services are reimbursed, the nation’s largest long-term care provider association stated in recent...
Federal judge blocks new RAC contracts
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 04, 2014
Adding to the ongoing controversy around Medicare’s Recovery Audit Contractor program, a judge has ruled that the government cannot award new RAC contracts until disputed payment terms are resolved.
Expenditures on nursing home, CCRC care projected to rise 69% over next decade
By
Tim Mullaney
Sep 04, 2014
Spending on nursing care and continuing care retirement communities is expected to roughly keep pace with total U.S. healthcare spending during the next decade, according to a government report released...
Congressman requests briefing on nursing home five-star rating system
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 28, 2014
A leader in Congress has called for an evaluation of the nursing home five-star rating system in light of a recent New York Times article. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) requested that Centers for Medicare...
High-profile consumer advocacy group sues over broken Medicare appeals process
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 27, 2014
Long-term care providers have been outspoken in their criticism of the Medicare appeals process, which has all but ground to a halt. Now a class-action lawsuit says Medicare beneficiaries also are being...
Federal court dismisses whistleblower lawsuit over Omnicare, PharMerica withholding generic drugs
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 18, 2014
A federal court in New York has tossed a whistleblower lawsuit charging that large long-term care pharmacies violated the False Claims Act by failing to dispense requested generic drugs.
Increase managed care transparency, long-term care providers urge Senators
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 18, 2014
The government should collect and release more claims information from managed care plans, the nation’s largest long-term care provider association stated in a recent letter to leaders of the Senate...
Deadly pathogen discovered at Ohio long-term care facility could spell trouble elsewhere, researchers...
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 13, 2014
A type of drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa discovered in an Ohio long-term care facility has killed one person and infected six others, according to clinician researchers. A dangerous genetic element...