President Bush today may veto H.R. 6331, a measure that would temporarily delay the full implementation of therapy caps and a 10.6% cut in Medicare physician pay.

Redesigning the regulatory survey of nursing homes would help determine how far current resources can be stretched to improve quality, according to a panelist who participated in a long-term care reform conference held on Friday.

After keeping the healthcare community in a state of uncertainty for several days, the Senate late Wednesday passed the Medicare bill that continues the exceptions process for Medicare Part B therapy caps and delays other onerous healthcare regulations.

The Brookings Institute will hold a briefing on the future of long-term care reform Friday morning, and the guest list includes some heavy hitters from inside the Beltway.

Senate Democratic leaders are hoping for a vote on the critical Medicare bill by the end of the week, news and industry sources say.

Democratic senators return from their holiday recess this week with a clear objective: to vote on the now-familiar H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter Wednesday urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to maintain the exceptions process for Medicare Part B therapy caps. The action comes after the agency earlier in the week told the nursing home industry that it would not take such action.

Leaders of the largest nursing home association in America are openly questioning the legality of federal regulators' proposal to reduce Medicare reimbursement levels by 3.3% in fiscal year 2009.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Monday told the long-term care community it will not extend the therapy caps exceptions process, which expired Monday. As a result, many residents now will be subject to financial caps on Part B outpatient therapy.

President Bush on Monday signed a war-spending bill that delays six of seven Medicaid regulations until April of 2009. The move represents a so-called "win" for nursing-home providers.