Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) recently introduced legislation that would make the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) part of the executive branch. The proposal is at once both logical and worrisome....
Post-acute payment bundling system appears ominous
By
Liza Berger
May 21, 2009
Nursing homes have cause to worry about the prospect of a Medicare post-acute payment bundling system. If it pans out, facilities may end up on the losing side of the equation. That is just one of my takeaways...
Gingrich claims about card check are a bit off the mark
By
Brett Bakshis
Apr 23, 2009
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is an accomplished man, a dedicated public servant and, I’d be willing to bet, a heckuvalot smarter than I am. Still, I must respectfully disagree with part...
Spreading the word about long-term care reform
By
Liza Berger
Apr 21, 2009
Take a look at the top news stories on our Web site today and you’ll notice a common topic: healthcare reform. That subject has captured the attention of federal lawmakers and the long-term care community....
Labor unification could be positive for immigration reform
By
Liza Berger
Apr 14, 2009
A major development is afoot in the labor movement, and it could have interesting implications for long-term care. I’m talking about American unions’ recent plans to unify. In case you haven’t heard,...
Card-check and transparency and arbitration acts—Oh my!
By
Liza Berger
Mar 20, 2009
If you’ve been staying on top of long-term care news, you’ve probably noticed that lawmakers have been busy lately. Lots of bills have been introduced in recent days—some drawing praise, others scorn...
These foot exercises help improve seniors’ mobility
By
Brett Bakshis
Mar 13, 2009
You may not know Larry LaPrise, but you’re definitely familiar with his work. In the late 1940s, Mr. LaPrise wrote the “Hokey Pokey,” that popular (albeit somewhat irritating) novelty dance...
Brace yourselves for intense card-check battle
By
Liza Berger
Mar 11, 2009
Let the games begin. That was my reaction to the introduction of the card-check legislation on Tuesday. In other words, to throw around a couple more clichés, hold onto your hats and buckle your seat...
Healthcare system (finally) pays long-term care notice
By
Liza Berger
Mar 04, 2009
It looks like long-term care is finally getting a seat at the table—the healthcare reform table, that is. That was apparent from the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging’s hearing today. The hearing...
Unions: good or bad? Discuss amongst yourselves
By
Liza Berger
Feb 26, 2009
Unions have been a hot topic—both in Washington and at McKnight’s.com. If you don’t believe me on the latter, see our recent story about a merger among three nursing unions. Click here to read the...