Why nursing homes won’t be catching many breaks this year
By
John O'Connor
Feb 03, 2014
When you talk to experts in this field about the year ahead, an unsettling pattern soon emerges. Almost everyone seems fairly confident that regulators will be taking a much closer look at operators.
Not angry about the LTC Commission’s report? You should be
By
John O'Connor
Sep 20, 2013
It’s hard to comment on the Commission on Long-Term Care’s just-submitted report without getting hacked off. Really, really hacked off. To call it a fool’s errand would be to insult misdirected...
Forecast error costs SNFs $320 million
By
James M. Berklan
Jun 01, 2013
The nation’s skilled nursing facilities can expect an aggregate $500 million boost in Medicare payments next year — $320 million less than the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed.
Long-term care providers ready to deal with ‘doc fix’
By
James M. Berklan
May 15, 2013
If you hang around long enough, you learn there are only two things long-term care providers fear after Republicans and Democrats. That would be hospitals and doctors.
Three White House appointees complete Commission on Long-Term Care
By
McKnight's Staff
Mar 14, 2013
President Barack Obama has named the final three members of the Commission on Long-Term Care created as part of January’s fiscal cliff deal.
Hospitals are releasing too soon, but nursing homes can seize opportunities to reduce readmissions, INTERACT...
By
McKnight's Staff
Mar 01, 2013
Nursing homes need to build relationships with their local hospitals to reduce unnecessary readmissions, cut costs and provide better care, a geriatric expert said Thursday.
Too much provider consolidation leads to higher healthcare costs, expert says
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 30, 2013
Healthcare providers are increasing coordination to reduce the cost of care, but overly zealous consolidation can actually end up costing more, an expert panelist said at a Monday briefing.
House Republicans aim to block board’s Medicare authority
Jan 04, 2013
Republican House leaders say they will continue to fight a part of the healthcare reform law that could lead to Medicare spending reductions without direct input from Congress. The House was scheduled...
New provider payment system needed, nursing home alliance says
By
Elizabeth Newman
Dec 20, 2012
As federal debt negotiations continued Wednesday, an industry group unveiled its three-part plan for reform in post-acute care.
Provider taxes; SNF payments increasing, state Medicaid GAO survey finds
By
McKnight's Staff
Nov 26, 2012
While many states have increased provider taxes since 2008, many also raised payment rates for skilled nursing facilities, according to a three-year study from the General Accountability Office.