CDC to families: Press long-term care staff to get vaccinated for flu
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 17, 2013
Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention singled out long-term care professionals in a recent influenza vaccination briefing, calling on them to be vaccinated and urging family members...
First-ever CDC report: Nursing homes provide most long-term care nationwide, alternative settings gain...
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 13, 2013
Nursing homes still account for the vast majority of long-term care services available in the United States despite policies meant to encourage home- and community-based care, according to a new government...
MedPAC renews call for long-term care payment cuts, draws fire from providers
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 13, 2013
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has recommended a 4% reduction in skilled nursing facility payments in 2016, prompting an outcry from providers.
Diet improvement is ‘stronger weapon than drugs’ in fight against dementia, docs tell UK...
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 11, 2013
An effort to change people’s diets would be more effective in preventing dementia than focusing on drug treatments, a multinational group of high-profile physicians said in a recent letter to U.K....
Dallas utility company leaves nursing home without power over cold weekend
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 11, 2013
A Dallas skilled nursing facility went without power for days due to an apparent breakdown in communications with a utility company, according to local reports.
House and Senate ACA-replacement bills propose universal long-term care coverage
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 11, 2013
Lawmakers in both houses of Congress have introduced a bill to institute a single-payer healthcare system that would include universal long-term care coverage.
CMS updates Medicare manual to reflect Jimmo settlement
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 10, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has revised the Medicare Benefit Policy manual to clarify that skilled care and skilled therapy may be covered even for conditions that will not improve, per...
10,000 lakes and one less nursing home: Spotlight on a facility closure
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 10, 2013
Minnesota appears to be on the ball when it comes to long-term care. It regularly rates at or near the top when states are ranked on LTC services. Yet, Minnesota also is on the leading edge of a more troublesome...
CMS announces declining readmission rate for Medicare patients, credits Affordable Care Act
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 09, 2013
Improved transitions between acute and post-acute settings are partly responsible for continuing nationwide declines in hospital readmission rates, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Huge number of therapy claims stuck in manual review limbo for months, NASL study finds
By
Tim Mullaney
Dec 09, 2013
A much-criticized system of reviewing certain Medicare therapy claims is still beset by problems, with about a third of this year’s claims awaiting processing, according to a recently released survey...