On the heels of my colleague James M. Berklan’s discussion about how little we know about our loved ones’ preferences for end-of-life care, there’s a sign of progress in Oregon.
Evaluating ‘Still Alice’
By
Elizabeth Newman
Feb 18, 2015
Much like Amour a few years ago, it’s not unrealistic for those who work or write about long-term care to feel as if the last thing they want to do is spend two hours watching a movie about illness,...
Where Eagles dare
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 23, 2013
A traditional portrayal of a Boy Scout has him helping a little old lady cross the street. But what if the senior citizen turned around and helped the young man advance to Scouting’s highest rank?...
Groundhog Day for Medicare physician payment cuts
By
Liza Berger
Apr 14, 2010
There’s a game called the “temporary doc fix.” Congress plays it every year and I’m beginning to tire of it.
CMS chief deserves credit
By
Elizabeth Newman
Jan 31, 2019
Seema Verma is not messing around. This week the CMS chief deftly walked a fine line between promoting the administration priority of easing regulations while also making clear her agency has no interesting...
Speaking out against the CLASS Act
By
Liza Berger
Oct 23, 2009
This week, the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, D.C., held a briefing on the CLASS Act, a long-term care insurance plan that generally has garnered praise from the long-term care community.
Glen Campbell Alzheimer’s documentary brings out the stars — caregivers and celebrities alike
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 22, 2014
As readers of this blog may recall, my expectations for the special screening of the new documentary about music superstar Glen Campbell’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease were high. Sunday...
New ACO proposals could leave long-term care providers smiling
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 03, 2014
If nothing else, federal health officials displayed Monday that they are intent on getting this accountable care organization (ACO) thing right. Or at least closer to “right” than it has been.
Finding illumination on PBJ
By
Elizabeth Newman
Jun 03, 2016
I don’t mind saying that hearing a Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services official discuss Payroll-Based Journaling yesterday was the first time a light bulb went off for me about the new system.
Will clear and present danger reveal itself as state mandates increase?
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jul 11, 2023
Nursing home operators in New York and Pennsylvania are stepping into the abyss this month, with no easy way to see just how far they might fall before hitting bottom.