February 28, 2013
Skilled nursing facilities in highly populated states on the East Coast and in the Midwest would be hit hardest by Medicare cuts if sequestration takes effect, according to figures released by the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care on Wednesday.
December 07, 2012
A federal experiment for dual-eligibles that hopes to cut Medicaid and Medicare costs through managed care is set to exponentially expand, and some are worried it is destined to fail, according to a report from Kaiser Health News.
California nursing home residents have more ammunition to sue the operators of the facilities they live in for violating state nurse-staffing regulations, an appeals court ruled this week.
July 18, 2012
Regardless of whether states choose to expand Medicaid, states are facing fiscal crisis related to rising healthcare costs and government pension obligations, a new report finds.
May 09, 2012
Just say "cheese" was my first reaction when I saw the notice.
Caregivers for low-income seniors and the disabled often live in poverty or near-poverty themselves, according to a new study.
February 23, 2012
The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled against the idea of providers suing the state of California for its efforts to cut Medicaid reimbursements by 10%. The nation's highest court sent the case back to the 9th Circuit Court for further consideration.
January 30, 2012
Nursing homes that provide below-average consultant pharmacist salaries may be getting what they pay for, a state investigation suggests.
January 03, 2012
A federal judge granted an injunction last week that stopped the state of California from implementing a 10% reimbursement cut to skilled nursing facilities operating within hospitals.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is offering $9 million in grants to expand a program that trains retirees to spot Medicare fraud.
October 31, 2011
The Obama administration has approved a request to cut Medicaid payments to California healthcare providers, including nursing homes, by 10%, which will mean $623 million in less reimbursement over the next two years.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have parted ways with the Obama administration regarding the rights of Medicaid beneficiaries to sue their states over discontinuation of benefits and access to care.
Nursing homes in California, as of the start of the year, must publicly post their facilities' ratings as determined by the federal Five-Star Quality Rating System.
A new law in California strictly enforces the nursing home staffing mandate of 3.2 nursing hours per patient day.
Administrators at the embattled Motion Picture and Television Fund nursing home violated California state laws when they relocated dozens of residents last year, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The Supreme Court should not review a ruling that blocked a 10% across-the-board cut to California Medicaid providers. That is the opinion of a group of national provider groups.
A 78-year-old gay resident has settled a lawsuit with Sonoma County, CA. He had accused the county of separating him and his now-deceased gay partner, forcing them into long-term care facilities and selling off all their possessions.
A report issued Thursday by the California State Auditor finds that nursing home regulators in California are lax when it comes to collecting fines from nursing homes that violate regulations.
The purpose of a 2004 California law was to provide nursing homes with additional funding to hire staff and increase wages. Instead, a number of nursing home providers took advantage of it to increase profits and pad their bottom line, according to a recent watchdog group report.
The California state budget drama continued to play out this week as lawmakers prepare to vote Thursday on an agreement that would close a $26 billion shortfall. The compromise would be one that includes billions of dollars in healthcare and education cuts.
July 02, 2009
Tuesday at midnight was the deadline for most states to have completed their budget proposals for the coming fiscal year. Many didn't make it, placing state services, including Medicaid programs, at risk of significant cuts.
The battle appears to be raging on over representation of California's healthcare workers. Recent reports indicate that as part of its strategy to win, the Service Employees International Union may be resorting to anti-organization tactics it once railed against.
