CMS adds appeals process in final nursing home-closure rule
By
McKnight's Staff
Mar 19, 2013
Long-term care facilities will have to notify the federal government, state survey agencies, state long-term care ombudsmen, residents and residents’ legal representatives at least 60 days in advance...
No timeline for official QAPI regulation, but surveyors are learning program basics, CMS official says
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 14, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services still cannot say when an official regulation will be established for the Quality Assessment and Performance Initiative, but that’s not stopping the agency...
Medicare service providers cannot object to a Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor’s (RAC) decision to re-open a payment decision, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
Number of physicians rising, but geriatrics continues to struggle
By
McKnight's Staff
May 04, 2012
Although the number of medical students is skyrocketing, healthcare officials say they are concerned whether enough future physicians will choose geriatrics or primary care.
Report: Nursing homes found to be lacking in preparation efforts for natural disaster
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 16, 2012
While most U.S. nursing homes have adequate written plans for managing natural disasters, many facilities have significant gaps in preparedness and response, a government report finds.
People still misunderstand, avoid thinking about long-term care, poll shows
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 25, 2013
Americans don’t like to think about their eventual long-term care needs and don’t have a realistic understanding of how the long-term care system works, according to a poll released Wednesday....
Replace FMAP with Medicaid funding system that better accounts for seniors, government report says
By
McKnight's Staff
May 15, 2013
The federal government could distribute Medicaid dollars to states more effectively by looking at data that better reflects the needs of nursing home residents and workers, according to a new report from...
Increased hospice enrollment would save Medicare millions each year, researchers find
By
McKnight's Staff
Mar 06, 2013
Increasing hospice enrollment would improve care for beneficiaries while saving the Medicare program millions of dollars annually, according to a study in the March issue of Health Affairs.
State Medicaid spending growth, enrollment reach near record lows, report finds
By
McKnight's Staff
Oct 25, 2012
Medicaid enrollment growth fell to 3.2% in 2012, compared to 4.4% in 2011. Government spending growth on Medicaid slowed to 2% in 2012, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation Commission on Medicaid and...
Regulators boast of savings under Affordable Care Act’s competitive bidding program for durable...
By
McKnight's Staff
Apr 19, 2012
Federal regulators on Wednesday touted Medicare savings achieved through competitive bidding programs for durable medical equipment (DME), a program of concern to many long-term care operators.