Who knew? Repeal of RUG-IV delay in bill one day and out the next
By
Liza Berger
Jul 26, 2010
When crafting legislation, horse trades are a well-established part of the ritual. What’s unfortunate is that many people who have a stake in these deals don’t know about them.
Leveraging the obvious
By
Gary Tetz
Aug 29, 2013
Three things we’ve learned from long-term care news so far this month. Angry Facebook rants can get you into trouble at work. Republican lawmakers would love to defund Obamacare. And nursing home...
Medication management tied to hospitalizations
By
David Siegelman
Nov 12, 2014
Plans are being put into place that will also penalize the skilled nursing facility for avoidable readmissions. As such, to distinguish oneself as a desirable downstream provider, one must effectively...
Pay for performance, medical necessity and Jimmo
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jun 04, 2014
Why would anyone mention value-based reimbursement, medical necessity and the Jimmo lawsuit in the same sentence? I feel they are all related, but it will be difficult to find the perfect balancing act...
Transcen-dental meditation
By
Gary Tetz
Nov 21, 2013
Some people do their best thinking during meditation or yoga. For others it’s the shower, or while they’re swimming from Cuba to Florida. Personally, some of my deepest, most insightful thoughts...
What about Social Security for the rest of us?
By
John O'Connor
Jun 14, 2013
It’s an established fact that Social Security will be kaput by the time we need it, right? Things may not be as bad as many of us have led ourselves to believe.
The G-codes are here for payment claims — ready or not
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
May 23, 2013
Effective July 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will begin rejecting claims received for Medicare Part B patients that do not include the new requirement of G-coding. That really means providers...
For frontline workers, not much to look forward to
By
John O'Connor
Jun 02, 2019
Frontline workers in long-term care already have it plenty tough. But the worst may be yet to come, if one predicted scenario plays out.
Stiffing the help just doesn’t add up
By
John O'Connor
Dec 05, 2013
Depending on the numbers you choose to believe, senior living profit margins are a razor thin 3% — or more like 20%. Regardless, many would like to believe operators are engaging in a fairly despicable...
The Employee Free Choice Act: What nursing homes can do to keep unions at the door
May 01, 2009
It could just be a matter of time before the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as the card-check bill, passes through Congress. Even if it is enacted, there are steps that nursing homes can take to...