New law eliminates fines for nursing homes that fix problems
May 29, 2009
Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (D) this week enacted a law that eliminates fines against nursing homes that identify and correct health and safety issues on their own accord. The law sets out new rules and guidelines...
CMS adds information for nursing homes on Five-Star system, RAC to Web site
May 26, 2009
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced a number of updates to its Web site. These include new information about the Five-Star rating system for nursing homes, which will become available...
CMS to post new nursing home Five-Star Quality Ratings
May 22, 2009
Nursing homes’ newly updated star ratings will be made public Thursday on the Nursing Home Compare Web site. Providers have had since Wednesday to review their status and communicate any necessary...
Nursing home leaders to unveil new mentoring program at national conference
May 15, 2009
Major issues of the day, plus the start of a new mentoring program, will grab the spotlight at the 43rd annual convocation and exposition of the American College of Health Care Administrators this weekend...
New injection of concern: Medicare Part A to become insolvent in 8 years, report says
May 13, 2009
If current trends continue, the Medicare Part A trust fund will become insolvent in 2017, according to the new annual report from the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees issued Tuesday.
Nursing home groups suggest $1 billion Medicare cuts could cost even more
May 13, 2009
Nursing home representatives and healthcare groups continued their attacks against a proposed FY 2010 $1.05 billion Medicare reduction on Tuesday with the release of a report indicating the cuts could...
CMS threatens withholding stimulus funding if home health pay isn’t reinstated
May 13, 2009
When the California state legislature act to reduce the state’s maximum contribution to home healthcare workers’ pay from $12.10 per hour to $10.10 per hour, it violated the terms of the recently...
CMS releases draft version of MDS 3.0 for nursing homes
May 12, 2009
A draft version of the new MDS 3.0 for nursing homes and long-term care facilities was posted Monday on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Web site.
Obama proposes $17 billion in budget cuts, programs for the elderly and poor threatened
May 08, 2009
President Obama on Thursday proposed cuts of $17 billion from his new budget for both discretionary spending and entitlement programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Various interest groups are expected...
Nursing home operators howl as government proposes slashing Medicare payments by $1 billion
May 04, 2009
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services set off a backlash from nursing home operators late Friday afternoon when it proposed “adjustments” that would cut Medicare payments by $1.05 billion...