Some healthcare groups, lawmakers slam proposal for new agency governing Medicare rates
Jul 28, 2009
President Obama has proposed creating a new executive agency, the Independent Medicare Advisory Council, to set Medicare payment updates. So far, that idea is meeting strong resistance from the healthcare...
Universal healthcare plan reintroduced in the House
Jul 11, 2008
As time winds down on the president’s tenure, U.S. Representative Debbie Schultz (D-FL) has begun to build support for universal healthcare.
House passes Silver Alert Act, arbitration act reintroduced
Feb 18, 2009
The ball is back in the U.S. Senate’s court on the issue of financing a system to help find missing seniors. The House last week passed the National Silver Alert Act (H.R. 632), which would establish...
Hospital, nursing home information sharing to become ‘routine,’ government agencies say
By
Tim Mullaney
Aug 09, 2013
As sharing of electronic health information becomes standard across all care settings, using technology may become a prerequisite for providers to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, according...
House passes “Silver Alert” legislation to help locate missing seniors
Sep 19, 2008
The U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday passed legislation that would set up a nationwide “silver alert” system to help coordinate local law enforcement officials in the event of a missing...
Medicare accepting new codes for transition care
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 28, 2013
As part of an effort to improve coordination among different care settings and reduce rehospitalizations, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is now accepting two new codes related to transitional...
Card-check alternatives gaining ground with lawmakers
Mar 31, 2009
Last week, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) announced that he might not support current union “card-check” legislation. Since then, a number of alternative labor reform plans have begun to gain popularity.
New England nursing homes well-equipped for ice storm
Dec 16, 2008
More than four days after a massive ice storm devastated much of the Northeast, nursing homes have emerged from the disaster relatively unscathed.
Hospitals object to collecting their own data as part of post-acute reform, urge revisions to draft legislation
By
Tim Mullaney
May 15, 2014
Hospitals should not be required to collect patient assessment data as part of an effort to revamp post-acute care, the leader of the American Hospital Association argued in a recent letter to top Congressional...
Nursing home group dislikes False Claims Act ruling
Jan 02, 2008
A nursing home association and a hospital association have urged the Supreme Court to reverse a decision that loosens restrictions under the False Claims Act.