June 01, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has increased its scrutiny of Medicare Part A filings recently and as a result, has reclaimed more funds than ever from providers, a long-term care compliance expert noted at a recent McKnight's Super Tuesday webcast.
May 08, 2013
Skilled nursing providers should ratchet up Medicare Part A compliance initiatives to meet the increasingly intense scrutiny of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a compliance expert said in a McKnight's Super Tuesday webcast. "CMS is serious about this," said Leah Klusch, executive director of The Alliance Training Center.
May 01, 2013
Q: You've been using technology in novel ways at Jewish Home Lifecare. What's the key to getting seniors to use technology to help improve their care? A: If the technology is too overwhelming, the elder's not going to use it. We've got a 70% compliance rating in terms of people who say they're going to use it every day or every other day and actually do. The reason is, it's simple.
April 21, 2013
Operational compliance for providers is taking on growing importance when it comes to Medicare covered services. The next McKnight's Super Tuesday webcast, May 7, will provide strategies providers can use to keep federal watchdogs at bay. The session, featuring noted expert Leah Klusch, will start at 1 p.m. Eastern Time and offer tips that will help ensure the best possible outcomes for residents and facilities.
An Oklahoma nursing home faces a $1.3 million Immediate Jeopardy fine for failing to appropriately supervise a registered sex offender resident.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will expand Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act enforcement efforts in the next two years, according to OCR Director Leon Rodriguez.
February 21, 2013
Over the years we've tried a number of different approaches to incentivize employees, with varying success. The one thing we did not do was to make flu shots mandatory, as this wasn't compatible with our management philosophy. So we had to come up with a different strategy to motivate compliance among staff members.
February 01, 2013
Nursing facilities have always faced an array of obligations in order to provide services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, which can sometimes seem burdensome in comparison with other providers. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as the healthcare reform law, is yet another example of how nursing facilities remain a target - the notable new obligation is the mandatory compliance program requirement. Adoption and implementation of compliance programs has previously been voluntary, although encouraged.
February 01, 2013
The role of avatars in senior care settings will be addressed during the 2013 McKnight's Online Expo technology session.
January 29, 2013
As they work to comply with the omnibus Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act rule published on Friday, long-term care providers can refer to a sample business associate agreement released recently by the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
December 04, 2012
Regardless of whether you are big or small, nursing facility leaders need to be much more vigilant with compliance program efforts.
Nonprofit healthcare providers are disproportionately targeted by outside compliance audits when compared to their for-profit counterparts, a new report asserts.
Optimus EMR Inc. recently announced the creation of Visum Solutions. The independent division was formed to provide tailored assistance to long-term care facilities. Available services target operations, billing, reimbursement, and compliance, in addition to specific client requests
Providers will get an up-close look at problems with the nursing home survey process from a nationally respected expert during the first 2012 McKnight's Super Tuesday webcast. The event will take place at 1 p.m. (Eastern) on Tuesday and earn attendees continuing education (CE) credit. Linda Elizaitis, RNC, RAC-CT, BS, the president of CMS Compliance Group, will examine national trends in survey deficiencies, note at least 10 things that can help an operator prevent deficiencies and also explain how to avoid so-called "gotcha" deficiencies. Registration for the no-cost event is ongoing.
March 30, 2012
It makes me sad to hear others from my profession argue against flu vaccination with statements such as, "I never got the flu and I have never been vaccinated." That is not the point. There is sound evidence that the vaccine is safe, that the vaccine works and it saves lives.
Nursing home administrators must be absolutely certain their billing department staff and MDS coordinators are up to speed on the newly implemented PPS rules for therapy, MDS expert Leah Klusch said Wednesday during a special McKnight's webcast.
November 09, 2010
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will expand compliance-related regulations for skilled nursing facilities.
October 08, 2010
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Tuesday released the first edition of a new quarterly newsletter that aims to help providers avoid Medicare billing and compliance errors.
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 for a "quality assurance assessment" program.
Technology that tracks caregivers' hand hygiene practices is proving effective at reducing costs and increasing compliance, according to the results of a recent pilot study.
March 01, 2009
A proposal that would require facilities through-out the state to prominently show their new federal star ratings has received pushback from nursing homes.
March 01, 2009
Patricia Boyer, MSM, NHA, RN President, Boyer & Associates, LLC
March 01, 2009
Sherrie Dornberger, RNC, CDONA, FACDONA President, NADONA
December 19, 2008
Nonprofit nursing homes provide a higher quality of care than for-profit facilities, according to an analysis by USA Today of the first ratings of nursing homes by the government's five-star rating system.
New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is expanding his practice of installing hidden cameras in nursing homes to include facilities in western New York, according to local news outlets.
October 01, 2008
Health officials on Tuesday issued new voluntary guidelines for nursing homes to help them avert fraud and abuse in Medicaid, Medicare and other federal healthcare programs. The 17-page long document was published in the Federal Register and complements guidance issued in 2000.
July 09, 2008
A healthcare system that proposes giving gift cards to residents and other customers it disappoints with poor service is on firm legal ground, federal regulators say.
June 19, 2008
Nursing home operators wasted little time Wednesday issuing rebuttals to the federal government's announcement that it would create and publish individual facility rankings on its Web site by the end of the year.
June 04, 2008
The federal government won 66 of 71 appeals cases brought by nursing home providers last year according to a recent report from the Center for Medicare Advocacy. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services won all 18 cases decided on the merits at the Appellate Division; it won 48 of 53 cases at the Civil Remedies Division.
The long-term care industry is still grappling with a House hearing criticizing nursing home quality and a report on problematic nursing home inspections that was released in conjunction with last Thursday's hearing.
