CMS to survey nursing homes about quality assurance best practices
Jun 28, 2012
Throughout the summer, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is collecting data from 4,200 nursing homes to help develop best practices for a new quality assurance initiative.
Medicare beneficiaries supportive of ACOs, despite rough start
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 11, 2012
Despite a somewhat rocky start, Medicare beneficiaries have been supportive of accountable care organizations, a government official said.
Obama pushes for Tavenner confirmation hearing
By
McKnight's Staff
May 24, 2012
The Obama Administration is pushing the Senate Democrats to hold a confirmation hearing for Marilyn Tavenner, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, according to news reports.
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...
Failure to prepare for MDS updates in the next 10 days could be costly, expert warns
By
McKnight's Staff
Mar 21, 2012
If skilled nursing facilities are not prepared for the MDS 3.0 changes that will go into effect April 1, 2012, the consequences could be expensive, a top expert warned Wednesday.
A survey system that works?
By
John O'Connor
Jan 30, 2012
All sides generally agree that the current nursing home survey system is flawed. But there’s hardly consensus on how best to fix it. Here’s something worth considering.
Self-reported quality data from special focus facilities is unreliable, report suggests
Dec 23, 2011
Self-reported quality and staffing information from nursing homes categorized as Special Focus Facilities (SFFs) is unreliable and should not be published on Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare website,...
Providers must be compliant with new nursing home payment rules or face rejection of claims, expert says
Oct 06, 2011
Nursing home administrators must be absolutely certain their billing department staff and MDS coordinators are up to speed on the newly implemented PPS rules for therapy, MDS expert Leah Klusch said Wednesday...
Former AHCA/NCAL leader Willging dies
May 24, 2011
Paul Willging, Ph.D., the former long-time president and CEO of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living and CEO, died Saturday at age 69. He had cancer.
Report calls for CMS to get tougher with nursing home complaint investigations
May 13, 2011
The Government Accountability Office has released a report calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to implement more oversight into nursing home complaint investigations.