CMS not saying much about a payment deal that could be a game changer
By
John O'Connor
Jul 08, 2013
In recent years, many skilled care operators have nervously watched the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reduce and sometimes eliminate payments for physical, occupational and speech therapy services....
Message from the White House: Don’t trust nursing homes
By
John O'Connor
Mar 08, 2013
Ever wonder how much regard the White House has for long-term care operators? A brief filed last week makes the answer abundantly clear: very little.
Might there be a drug company in your future?
By
John O'Connor
Sep 13, 2018
If you want to know what skilled care will look like in five years, consider what hospitals look like today.
An emerging union challenge: ‘micro’ management
By
John O'Connor
Mar 27, 2015
The National Labor Relations Board’s willingness to let smaller groups of people form “micro unions” has many operators on edge.
Oh, yes, they ARE paying attention to your HIPAA efforts
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 07, 2016
Long-term care operators for years have been enjoying a pass when it comes to HIPAA enforcement and crackdowns. Or so it might seem.
Dealing with that other f-word
By
John O'Connor
May 02, 2016
If there is one universal zero-tolerance policy at most facilities, it is this: Don’t fail. Executives and others who don’t meet prescribed goals tend to be quickly shown the door. It’s...
Food for thought: Maybe actual candy bars would be a better dining option
By
John O'Connor
Jun 02, 2014
It was while my mother was struggling with small-cell lung cancer and trying to stay above the 100-pound mark (unsuccessfully), that she first encountered dietary supplements. It’s fair to say they...
When LTC leaders delegate accountability
By
John O'Connor
Nov 19, 2012
What happens when delegation without accountability takes place? We saw a good example last week, when the Office of Inspector General released a damning report about excessive Medicare charges from nursing...
‘Doc fix’ might hurt a little
By
John O'Connor
Feb 24, 2012
President Obama has signed legislation that delays a pay cut for doctors treating Medicare patients. That comes as good news for physicians, but not so much for nursing facilities.
The need to drill down into seniors housing data
By
Elizabeth Newman
Oct 17, 2013
About a year from now, the story coming out of the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry conference will be around how operators are clutching their pearls about the decline...