This freeze plainly brings you a chilling proposition
By
James M. Berklan
May 02, 2011
News that nursing home ratings would be frozen on the federal website for consumer research for six months drew a lot of interest from providers when regulators’ plans were announced this spring....
Final assessment: Awards hit the spot
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 26, 2011
There might be a misperception that the folks at AANAC are just a bunch of code-interpreting keypunchers tucked into tiny offices at nursing homes. The truth is that AANAC — the American Association...
Of admissions, knitting and bandwagons: CLASS danger
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 23, 2011
Supporters of the CLASS Act were cringing this week, just as they were two weeks ago when McKnight’s reported on some loaded remarks from the nation’s Medicare and Medicaid top overseer.
Some of the extras seem to be going off the script
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 01, 2011
For anyone who thinks most of the good scripts are in Hollywood, I say look east. The nation’s capital can more than hold its own when it comes to creating story lines that are interesting and unpredictable.
Grandad was right: Don’t expect any free lunches
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 01, 2010
I don’t know about you, but when I go to a store and hand over my money or credit card, I expect to get something in return. If I go into McDonald’s, I expect giving up $1 and change is going...
No easy chair for AHCA’s Bob Van Dyk
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 26, 2010
Reflecting on the recently concluded American Health Care Association annual meeting, it seems there were almost too many star players for one conference.
Playground powerbrokers
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 02, 2010
As a kid, you never wanted to tick off a certain smart-aleck guy from the neighborhood at game time. Not because he was a great player. The truth is he was only average in most sports. But because his...
Editor’s Desk: Competing interests may foil plans for true reform
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 01, 2009
I thought of the parable of the rabbit and the snake when contemplating the flurry of healthcare reform banter taking place before U.S. lawmakers’ August recess.
Book on eldercare is ‘Nasty, Brutish’ and … excellent
By
James M. Berklan
May 20, 2009
I have to admit that sometimes when I find something I really like, I keep quiet about it. There’s no sense in giving away the location of a prime fishing hole after all. But when it comes to good reading,...
Editor’s Desk: A cash incentive test program for nursing homes in four states could shape your...
By
James M. Berklan
May 01, 2009
Little things like pirates taking Americans hostage off the coast of Africa, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the credit and housing markets crises have knocked long-term care out of the evening newscast,...