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AHCA

As states cut Medicaid funds, nursing home group proposes bad debt fix

February 01, 2012

Forty states have either frozen or cut Medicaid-financed nursing home care for seniors between 2009 and 2011, a new survey has found.

Targeting hospital readmissions gives skilled nursing facilities opportunities, expert says

January 24, 2012

Skilled nursing facilities should know their track record and be able to spread word about it well if they want to thrive and help reduce rehospitalizations, a policy expert said Tuesday.

Skilled nursing groups slam MedPAC recommendations to revise payment system

December 20, 2011

Leading provider groups are sharply critical of a Medicare advisory committee's recommendation that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should massively overhaul the skilled nursing facility reimbursement system and rates.

Medicaid outlook bleak for providers in 2012, report finds

December 15, 2011

Unprecedented state budget deficits will result in historically low Medicaid reimbursements to long-term care facilities, a new report finds.

Skilled nursing facilities are at risk for falling into negative revenue margins, analysis reveals

December 07, 2011

Nursing homes could be pushed into negative margins if Congress passes proposed end-of-the-year legislation, a new analysis finds. Skilled nursing facilities, many of which are already struggling to stay in the black, were operating at margin of 0.75% of aggregate overall revenues in 2009, according to an analysis completed by The Moran Company, on behalf of the American Health Care Association.

LTC groups urge Congress to pass a therapy cap extension

December 06, 2011

Congress should extend the therapy caps exception process for medically necessary Medicare Part B outpatient therapy services, several long-term care groups said Tuesday.

Providers react to super-committee's failure to reach debt deal

November 22, 2011

Members of the congressional "super-committee" announced Monday that the panel has failed to devise a deficit reduction plan ahead of its Wednesday deadline, drawing sharp criticism from provider groups. The 12-member, bipartisan committee was tasked with finding a way to trim $1.2 trillion from the federal budget deficit over 10 years by a Nov. 23 deadline.

LTC groups eagerly await Supreme Court decision on healthcare reform

November 15, 2011

Despite the mixed feelings about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act among long-term care providers, all groups agree that they will be closely monitoring a case now headed to the Supreme Court. The high court said Monday it would hear oral arguments on ACA's constitutionality in March.

Providers say phased-in Medicare cuts would soften final payment rule damage, slow nursing home worker layoffs

November 09, 2011

Congress could stave off the predicted loss of 20,000 nursing home jobs by enacting a phased-in funding regulation over three years, according to one provider group.

Provider groups lobby for Medicare observation stay fix

October 21, 2011

Long-term care provider groups said at a congressional briefing Thursday that they want a Medicare policy on observation stays in hospitals to be changed.

LeadingAge: Don't stop fighting for CLASS Act

October 18, 2011

The Department of Health and Human Services may have shelved the CLASS long-term care benefit, but advocates of the program said mixed messages from the White House suggest otherwise. One major provider association said it would continue to fight to keep the program alive while another issued a statement Monday that was more resigned that the CLASS Act was all but dead.

SNF resident satisfaction up, survey citations down, report finds

October 13, 2011

Resident satisfaction rates have improved and health survey citations are declining in skilled nursing facilities, according to a new quality of care report.

Limit duplicate LTC inspections, report says

October 11, 2011

A recommendation to limit duplicative nursing home and assisted living inspections has drawn kudos from a leading healthcare group.

Staff stability and resident satisfaction are key goals for providers, quality guru says

September 29, 2011

Providers should be avidly trying to reduce rehospitalization rates as a measure of quality, according to an American Health Care Association executive.

Nursing home group offers fixes for 'flawed' painkiller legislation

September 29, 2011

The American Health Care Association says a recently introduced bill that purports to expedite the administration of painkillers to nursing home residents is "fundamentally flawed."

AHCA president: 'There is a way through this'

September 27, 2011

While this is a particularly challenging time for providers, the American Health Care Association president says he is optimistic about their future.

Questions about ACOs linger among healthcare providers, survey finds

September 26, 2011

As the Nov. 4 deadline for healthcare providers to get into the Bundled Payment initiative from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid approaches, healthcare providers are still struggling to figure out new approaches to reimbursement.

Nursing home group to sponsor GOP presidential candidate debate

September 22, 2011

The American Health Care Association announced that it will sponsor the New Hampshire Republican Presidential Primary Debate, which airs on Oct. 11.

Nursing home group criticizes proposed painkiller dispensing legislation

September 19, 2011

Newly proposed legislation aimed at easing painkiller-dispensing regulations in nursing homes is being loudly condemned by the American Health Care Association.

Largest U.S. long-term care association kicks off 62nd annual convention Sunday

September 15, 2011

The American Health Care Association will open its annual convention and expo Sunday at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. The event, which attracts upwards of 5,000 long-term care owners, operators, administrators, directors of nursing and other top managers, will run through Wednesday. Best-selling author Daniel Pink ("Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us"; "A Whole New Mind") will keynote the opening general session at 3 p.m. Monday. Corporate culture expert Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos.com Inc., will be the featured speaker at the closing general session at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

AHCA director of government relations Franklin dies

September 08, 2011

Reed Franklin, an American Health Care Association lobbyist, has died at the age of 45, an association spokesman said Wednesday. Franklin was the director of government relations for AHCA since 2009 and was the lead staffer on important issues such as therapy cap legislation.

Provider groups 'appalled' by CMS rule that would trim SNF payments by 11.1%

August 01, 2011

Provider groups slammed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Friday after the agency issued a final rule that would reduce Medicare payments to skilled nursing facilities by $3.87 billion for fiscal year 2012.

Provider groups suggest Medicare payment freezes, gradual recalibrations

July 01, 2011

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should keep Medicare payment rates to skilled nursing facilities at the current level for one year, instead of implementing an 11.3% cut in fiscal year 2012, says LeadingAge, a top lobbying organization for providers, in comments submitted to the federal agency.

Provider organization won't seek waiver to rule on employee insurance

June 21, 2011

A leading long-term care provider organization said it would not seek a waiver for its members on mandated employee health insurance under a provision of the Affordable Care Act.

LTC liability costs are up, frequency is down, study shows

June 17, 2011

Long-term care liability costs are on the rise due to a 4% annual increase in the average claim size, according to a new study conducted by Aon Corp. and the American Health Care Association.

Remembering Paul Willging

David Kyllo May 25, 2011

Those of us who were fortunate enough to work alongside Dr. Paul Willging quickly learned of the depth of his commitment to long-term care and to those people who dedicate their lives to providing such care.

Nursing home residents dead after Missouri tornado

May 25, 2011

At least 10 nursing home residents and one employee were killed in a Sunday tornado that hit Joplin, MO. The storm killed at least 117 people, and may have caused up to $3 billion in insured losses to 10,000 buildings, according to a preliminary estimate released Tuesday by Eqecat Inc.

AHCA names Myers new VP of policy and government relations

May 17, 2011

Capitol Hill veteran Jeff Myers is the American Health Care Association's new go-to government relations' lobbyist, the organization announced Monday.

Nursing home operators ask the government for health reform insurance exemptions

May 17, 2011

Overwhelmed at the prospect of offering health insurance for every employee, several nursing home operators are asking the Obama administration for exemption from certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Administration proposes possible steep cuts for nursing home Medicare reimbursement, providers warn of 'dramatic impact'

April 29, 2011

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services late Thursday announced a rule that could cut certain Medicare reimbursements to skilled nursing facility operators by as much as 11.3% in fiscal 2012. Provider lobbyists immediately issued a statement warning such a move would create "dramatic impact on the lives of nursing home residents and patients."