Provider still riding high two years after ‘Piano Guys’ created viral video
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 30, 2013
Many a long-term care provider has been known to sample Cub Scout choirs, tamburitza bands and alleyways of off-off-off Broadway in search of talent to entertain his or her residents. Then, there are the...
Accountable care brings a bundle of pay concerns
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 20, 2011
If there were any doubt, you can erase it now: If you’re a long-term care provider, you MUST make sure you are ingrained in whatever form accountable care organizations take near you in the future....
COVID-19 lawsuits: the ‘onslaught’ is coming, providers
By
James M. Berklan
Jan 29, 2021
I received my first speeding ticket on the way to see “Risky Business” at the theater when it first came out. Cruising over a hill on a country road after picking up a couple of friends, I never had...
CMS finalizes ‘shocking’ 9% therapy cuts, while affirming vast expansion of telehealth pay provisions
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 01, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services formally announced Tuesday afternoon that it has finalized its calendar 2021 physician pay rule, which cuts physical and occupational therapy payments to nursing...
Medicare Advantage pay to jump as enrollment grows
By
James M. Berklan
May 08, 2018
Medicare Advantage plans will receive a 3.4% uptick in federal payments in 2019. That’s nearly 90% more than the 1.84% increase proposed in February. Notice of the bigger raise came in the Centers...
Proposal would bring unity to LTC state ombudsmen
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 01, 2013
States have run their respective long-term care ombudsman programs in differing ways for nearly 20 years, but that would change if a new proposal advances.
Care transitions becoming more crucial
By
James M. Berklan
Jun 17, 2011
It seems the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston ought to be getting a lot more attention from its peers. The center has successfully implemented a multi-pronged approach to lower rehospitalizations.
Payment and Policy: Surveyors turn attention to activities guidance: Expert
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 06, 2007
Providers should stay on guard, even if they haven’t yet felt
the heat from 18-month-old activity and psychosocial surveyor guidance.
Deadline for McKnight’s Tech Awards is Tuesday
By
James M. Berklan
May 24, 2021
There’s only one day remaining day to submit nominations for the 2021 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology Awards program. The entry deadline is midnight Tuesday.
New testing mandates could cost up to $15K each week
By
James M. Berklan
Oct 01, 2020
Larger nursing homes could be on the hook for as much as another $15,000 per week to comply with newly announced COVID-19 testing requirements for staff members, LeadingAge warned in a mid-September report.