Economic initiatives may precede healthcare reform when Obama takes office, experts say
Nov 06, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama has laid out ambitious proposals in the area of healthcare reform. But such reform initially might be put on the back burner because of pressing economic concerns, industry...
Leavitt: Successor should continue pandemic flu preparations
Oct 31, 2008
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt in a speech Wednesday said continued preparation for a global flu pandemic should be a priority of his successor.
CMS falls short on HIPAA security measures, OIG finds
Oct 31, 2008
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has failed to adequately protection patient information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), according to the Department of...
Nursing Home Transparency Act surfaces in House
Oct 02, 2008
U.S. Reps. Pete Stark (D-CA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) recently introduced a new version of the Nursing Home Transparency and Quality of Care Act of 2008 to the House.
Agencies to give $36 million to states for home-and community-based care
Sep 30, 2008
Twenty-eight states will receive $36 million in grant programs to help older Americans, veterans and people with Alzheimer’s receive home- and community-based care, the Department of Health and Human...
Senate introduces Silver Alert Act; president signs ADA
Sep 29, 2008
U.S. Sens. Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Mel Martinez (R-FL) introduced a Senate version of the National Silver Alert Act, which recently passed through the House.
AHCA urges inclusion of FMAP increase in possible stimulus package
Sep 23, 2008
The American Health Care Association Monday called upon members of Congress to include a temporary increase to states’ Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) in any stimulus package that may...
Senate committee passes nursing home arbitration bill
Sep 15, 2008
The Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act of 2008, a bill that would eliminate arbitration agreements as a requirement for admission into a nursing home, is one step closer to becoming a law.
Democrats include long-term care reform in policy platform
Aug 21, 2008
The Democratic Party has included long-term care reform as a plank in its policy platform.
States fail to report troubled Medicaid providers to OIG, report finds
Aug 14, 2008
States are not reporting those Medicaid providers that have been suspended or excluded from their state programs, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector...