Because it does not allow for states’ consent, the proposed Medicaid Patient CARE Act block-grant program likely will be considered unconstitutional, say two public policy authorities.
Fee-for-service still consumes most Medicare outlays: Report
By
John Hall
May 07, 2015
Far more than half of the $360 billion in Medicare payments made just two years ago were based on traditional fee-for-service models without regard to quality or value, according to an independent report...
What will it cost you to stay in the post-acute care game?
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 22, 2015
More than just collecting data, providers need to use standardized, nationally recognized measures. Especially in this era of ACOs and alternative payment models. In the past, many individual providers...
Nursing home operators hail ‘historic’ Senate passage of permanent ‘doc fix’...
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 15, 2015
The Senate overwhelmingly voted to pass H.R. 2 Tuesday night, paving the way for repeal of the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate and drawing the praise of the largest nursing home association in the country.
Online Expo begins Wednesday
Mar 24, 2015
It might still be snowing in some parts of the country, but there’s no better sign of spring than the beginning of the McKnight’s Online Expo.
Joint HHS, Justice efforts recoup $28 billion in Medicare payments
By
John Hall
Mar 19, 2015
The Justice Department announced on Thursday it had captured $3.3 billion from healthcare fraud prosecutions and other deals in 2014, bringing to nearly $28 billion the total amount it has recouped since...
Regaining an appreciation of prevention
By
Tara Roberts
Feb 05, 2015
Healthcare is mandated to reduce spending. The problem is that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and others are so blinded by the “reduce spending” element that we have lost our...
Operators need to start asking a fundamental question: How they gonna pay?
By
John O'Connor
Feb 02, 2015
Conventional wisdom tells us that many existing options will not cut it as more discriminating customers arrive in long-term care. But maybe it’s also time for operators to start giving more thought...
Why providers aren’t elated about new pay-for-quality goals
By
James M. Berklan
Jan 28, 2015
You can forgive long-term care providers if they weren’t outwardly jumping for joy at Monday’s announcement that Medicare is going to start paying for quality, and not quantity, of services.
Making the case: It’s been a wild year
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 17, 2014
As the sands of the year race to their finish, there is one certainty about the long-term care news in 2014: It’s been wild and trying.