February 22, 2013
Well, here we go again. Less than three months after President Obama and Congress narrowly avoided walking off a fiscal cliff, we're bracing for Round 2. Only this time, we're all a bit worse for wear.
Neil L. Pruitt Jr. and Judith Y. Brachman are the first GOP appointees to the long-term care commission created as part of January's fiscal cliff deal.
February 01, 2013
Providers will have to hold their breath a little longer after receiving Medicare payments, thanks to a little-publicized provision of recently signed fiscal cliff legislation.
Long-term care facilities should prepare to pay more for food in 2013, with prices going up as much as 4%, according to a prominent industry voice.
February 01, 2013
The fiscal cliff avoidance deal seems to prove an adage about politics being the art of compromise. But as tradeoffs go, long-term care providers didn't fare too badly.
February 01, 2013
Providers generally lauded a deal that kept the nation from going over the so-called fiscal cliff in January. Spared were automatic Medicare cuts to physicians and facilities.
January 03, 2013
Long-term operators are cheering that Congress averted cutting Medicare payments through sequestration this week, and they're glad that another one-year postponement of physician pay cuts didn't come at their expense.
January 02, 2013
Should a person be congratulated and backslapped for simply doing his or her job? That's the question that should be on people's minds today as they ponder what has happened with fiscal cliff negotiations.
December 26, 2012
This month, "fiscal cliff" has become as much a part of the American lexicon as Happy Hanukah and Merry Christmas. For most Americans, the fiscal cliff - a mandatory 3% contraction of the federal government, is thought of as unimaginable. For Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) that have witnessed an 11% reduction in reimbursements in 2012, they have already endured a fiscal cliff and it is clear the future will not get any easier.
As providers and countless others around the nation anxiously await the fate of "fiscal cliff" negotiations in Washington, preparations also are underway for on-site holiday celebrations and observances. Nursing care is a 24/7 business that literally never stops. However, it is also necessary for professionals to take time to pause when possible to recharge their batteries and get ready for the year ahead. The McKnight's team wishes you a happy, healthy holiday season and all the best in 2013.
December 14, 2012
If you are like most long-term care professionals, you are likely watching the ongoing fiscal cliff standoff with a mixture of fear and disgust.
December 13, 2012
At financial discussions heat up about cuts needed to reduce the federal deficit, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) called Medicaid a "lifeline" and told fellow legislators to "Keep your hands off Medicaid, and keep your hands of Medicare."
December 12, 2012
As fiscal cliff negotiations continue, nine state chapters of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living have sent representatives to meet with lawmakers in the nation's capital.
While Congressional lawmakers continue to negotiate avoiding the looming so-called fiscal cliff, a long-term care provider group reports Americans oppose cutting Medicare payments to nursing homes.
December 03, 2012
With deficit reduction all the rage in Washington, the central question remains: Where might funding cuts and revenue streams come from? Medicare is clearly in the crosshairs, continuing to make providers anxious as deficit reduction talks stretched into the weekend.
November 26, 2012
We're hearing much out of Washington these days about the looming fiscal cliff. Assessments about its impact run the gamut from no big deal to very big deal. As is usually the case, the truth is probably somewhere in between
November 20, 2012
A medical device excise tax scheduled to hit Jan. 1 is causing uncertainty among manufacturers and providers, a healthcare expert said Monday.
November 12, 2012
The leader of the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care expressed optimism Friday after President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) spoke publicly about looming healthcare funding threats.
November 09, 2012
When he gave his acceptance speech Tuesday night, President Obama told the nation that "the best is yet to come." Many long-term care operators may not be in full agreement.
