Obama recommits to preserving Medicare in coming sequester battle
By
McKnight's Staff
Feb 11, 2013
President Barack Obama reaffirmed his vow to protect Medicare in the fight over sequestration spending cuts last week.
RAC audits: Skilled nursing facilities accounted for miniscule portion of 2011 Medicare overpayments
By
McKnight's Staff
Feb 07, 2013
Skilled nursing facilities accounted for only about $200,000 of $797 million in collected Medicare overpayments in 2011 identified by Recovery Audit Contractors, according to an annual audit report released...
Long-term care pharmacy groups propose changes to make short-cycle dispensing more efficient, cost-effective
By
McKnight's Staff
Feb 05, 2013
Long-term care pharmacies are struggling with an Affordable Care Act provision related to short-cycle dispensing of brand name oral solid drugs, according to a recent letter from the Long Term Care Pharmacy...
CMS needs to re-evaluate heart attack payment structure, AHA argues
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 31, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should exclude certain patients, including those in hospice and or with end-stage renal disease, when evaluating the payment structure for heart attacks, the...
Painkiller restrictions could hamper nursing home residents, providers
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 29, 2013
Nursing home residents could be adversely affected if proposed painkiller regulations are put in place, according to experts who spoke at a recent federal hearing.
Medicare, Medicaid fight could take center stage after debt ceiling extension
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 23, 2013
Medicare and Medicaid funds could face steep cuts in the House of Representatives’ 2014 budget. GOP congressional leaders have promised dramatic spending reductions to rally conservative support...
Medicare payment rate for hospices should not rise in 2014, MedPAC says
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 15, 2013
The Medicare payment rate for hospices should not increase in 2014, according to recommendations to Congress announced Monday by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commision (MedPAC).
CMS angling to ease providers’ burdens from Medicare Administrative Contractors
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 10, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is asking providers to help figure out a way to make demands from Medicare Administrative Contractors less burdensome.
Flu cases skyrocket, putting long-term care facilities on alert
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 09, 2013
With cases of the flu reaching near-epidemic levels in many parts of the country, long-term care operators are on especially high alert.
Providers urge federal investigation into inaccuracy of RAC audits
By
McKnight's Staff
Oct 26, 2012
A major hospital group has called for a federal investigation into mistakes made by recovery audit contractors. “Numerous inaccuracies” often result in improperly denied payments and decisions...