CMS too burdened and focused on cost to be the epicenter of long-term care reform, experts say
By
Tim Mullaney
Nov 21, 2013
Most long-term care reforms rely on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for implementation, but the overburdened agency cannot manage all the needed changes in this area, according to a panel...
Long-term care remains in the dark about infection preventionist requirements
By
Kimberly Marselas
Apr 13, 2021
The need for infection preventionists has never been greater, but 13 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, long-term care providers still remain in the dark as to who will fit the federal government’s final...
Long-term care associations to battle Medicare cuts during congressional recess
Aug 04, 2009
Congress may take a recess this month, but the long-term care community isn’t planning on it. Instead, the associations will be working to urge lawmakers not to cut millions in Medicare payments...
Regulators have tightened up screening efforts for Medicare providers
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 24, 2012
Regulators have strengthened Medicare provider enrollment and toughened fraud prevention efforts, but it’s too early to know how effective the initiatives will be, a new report reveals.
Heart failure readmission rates tied to regional socioeconomic factors, research shows
By
McKnight's Staff
May 18, 2012
Socioeconomic differences and factors such as the availability of physicians have a bigger impact on readmission rates for heart failure than a provider’s performance, a new study asserts.
Feds restart regular survey inspections at nursing homes
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 18, 2020
Regular surveys are resuming for long-term providers after being suspended for nearly five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
The government often hires “overzealous” investigators to detect fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid billing practices, a new report alleges. These examiners often target technical errors instead...
CMS releases reference chart for new therapy-related G-codes
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 16, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a reference chart listing the new G-codes needed for outpatient therapy services claims under the Medicare fee-for-service program.
Inspector General blasts agency for ignoring ZPIC scrutiny
By
John Hall
Mar 19, 2015
Ignoring a four-year-old warning to more thoroughly evaluate Medicare auditing contractors is among the pile of unheeded advice that could have saved the Medicare program billions of dollars in recent...