The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has a lot of long-term care providers shaking their heads. They’re not sure they heard one of CMS’s latest proposed rules right.
Practical advice on reducing antipsychotics
By
Jerome Wilborn
May 08, 2015
Two CMS tags —F-Tag 329, which addresses unnecessarily using antipsychotic drugs, and F-Tag 309, which addresses taking steps to reduce antipsychotic drug use — are used by nursing home surveyors to...
Antipsychotics report will have severe side effects
By
John O'Connor
Jul 13, 2012
Antipsychotic drugs are often used to calm residents with dementia. This reality is common knowledge among most people who have spent more than a few minutes in a nursing facility. But it is apparently...
The importance of a smoking policy
By
Betty Norman
Oct 25, 2012
Resident smoking polices mean much more than cleaner air at long-term care facilities. As recent incidents demonstrate, having effective policies for residents – and making sure they are followed...
Is it the docs’ turn to get stoned?
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 25, 2018
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services brought out its equivalent of a brass band and confetti machine Tuesday to tout a new provider payment strategy. One could almost hear strains of “Happy...
Providers rewarded for sticking with it
By
James M. Berklan
May 02, 2018
One could excuse long-term care providers if they’re walking around looking over their shoulders right now. I can personally identify with that.
Will nursing homes be subcontractors to the stars?
By
John O'Connor
Apr 16, 2012
Nursing homes take care of 1.5 million residents each year. They pump more than $100 billion into the nation’s economy. In many communities, they are the largest source of jobs. But as far as the...
50 shades of G-coding
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jul 02, 2013
Sorry, ladies, I didn’t mean to get your hopes up with that title. But does anyone else feel like there is a lot of ambiguity to the new G-Coding system? Well, it’s a little too early to tell...
Study’s amazing discovery: COVID-19 was not very good for long-term care
By
John O'Connor
Aug 05, 2023
Mama used to say the only good thing about being sick is that you’ll feel better later — if you live.
Brennan to lead new CMS office
Nov 20, 2014
Niall Brennan is the first Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Chief Data Officer, the agency announced. He will lead the new Office of Enterprise Data and Analytics.