With a tip of the hat, nursing homes’ most high-profile defender heads into the sunset
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 28, 2023
Jim Cobb had to wait longer than he had planned, but he got to take a final victory lap Monday, and nursing home operators around the country should be tipping their hat to him.
Psychotropic stewardship can be the cure to stepped-up audits
Feb 27, 2023
CMS plans to increase psychotropic drugs oversight – to include targeted audits. These stepped up efforts follow the latest updates to the State Operations Manual surveyors started using...
The Five-Star Quality Rating System’s impact on insurance premiums — and how to address them
By
Ben Newman
Feb 27, 2023
For nearly 15 years, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Five-Star Quality Rating System for long-term care facilities has been a single source of truth for multiple parties. Consumers...
Battle over Alzheimer’s drug coverage is hardly a no-brainer
By
John O'Connor
Feb 26, 2023
Well, it looks like we have a good old fashioned war of words developing over Alzheimer’s drug coverage. It’s a battle well worth watching.
Swearing good, drinking bad
By
Gary Tetz
Feb 23, 2023
Last time out here, I gave long-term care professionals official permission to swear, making the case, with strong scientific support, that an occasional obscenity is actually healthy. I assume for most...
Setting the record straight on worker misclassification
By
Regan Parker
Feb 23, 2023
Over the last few months, several misinformed news stories have attacked companies that provide access to independent workers, often referred to as “1099” because of the form filed with the IRS. We’ve...
Department of Labor rule will impact long-term care staffing
By
Tony Braswell
Feb 21, 2023
A proposal from the U.S. Department of Labor would impact long-term care providers and other organizations that rely on temporary workers to meet their staffing needs. The proposed rule, which is...
OIG signals new focus on nursing homes
By
Neville M. Bilimoria
Feb 17, 2023
The federal Office of Inspector General recently published its “OIG’s Top Unimplemented Recommendations: Solutions To Reduce Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in HHS Programs.” In the 94-page document,...
And the Oscar goes to … not this cockeyed production
By
James M. Berklan
Feb 16, 2023
I recently woke up in a fog to the middle of some movie where innocent villagers were being accused by the sheriff of crimes they were certain they hadn’t committed.
The skill of knowing the basics
By
Renee Kinder
Feb 16, 2023
In a world of constant chatter, revolving news streams, and search for the latest and greatest viral trend, there is a skill to shutting it all out and going back to the basics. In the realm of rehab...