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Medicaid

Senior advocacy groups call for rights, protections for LGBT seniors

March 18, 2010

State and federal lawmakers should find a way to legally recognize same-sex elderly couples to extend social supports, financial security and healthcare benefits to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender seniors, a new report contends.

Obama: Healthcare bill would help seniors on Medicare

March 16, 2010

The healthcare reform package, if passed, will add almost a decade of solvency to the Medicare program, President Obama told seniors Monday during a stop in Ohio.

Obama targets Medicare, Medicaid waste

March 12, 2010

President Obama on Wednesday instructed the heads of all executive departments and agencies to increase their use of "Payment Recapture Audits" to reduce the amount of improper Medicare, Medicaid and other similar payments.

Shift long-term care payment responsibility from Medicaid to Medicare, research group suggests

March 08, 2010

In order to better coordinate care for nursing home residents who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, responsibility for long-term nursing facility services should be shifted from Medicaid to Medicare, suggests a recently released policy brief from policy research group Mathematica.

AHCA, Alliance slam MedPAC for skilled nursing pay freeze recommendation; providers call for end to therapy caps

March 04, 2010

This year's recommendations from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission don't take into account the worsening situation facing state Medicaid programs, and could prove harmful to senior care if adopted by congress, long-term care groups warned Wednesday.

Senate Dems join call for state Medicaid funding extension

February 26, 2010

Senate Democrats sent a letter to Harry Reid (D-NV) requesting that the majority leader include a six-month extension of state Medicaid assistance in his new healthcare stopgap legislation.

Federal government gives states more than $4 billion to help with Medicare Part D 'clawback' costs

February 22, 2010

The Obama administration is granting $4.3 billion to states to help them offset the cost of Medicare drug coverage for those dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

Healthcare reform is still alive

Liza Berger February 22, 2010

The release of President Obama's healthcare reform proposal couldn't have come at a better time. The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging is holding its advocacy conference in the capital this week.

States spend more on Medicaid than expected so far this fiscal year, Kaiser report finds

February 19, 2010

The economic downturn has negatively affected nearly every state budget and Medicaid program, according to a new report from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured.

Lawmakers have a lot to answer for when providers make Hill visits Tuesday

Liza Berger February 19, 2010

When long-term care providers hit Capitol Hill Tuesday their congressmen better be prepared.

Congressional report explains FMAP proposals

February 12, 2010

Amid calls to extend the temporary federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) increase, the Congressional Research Service has released a report examining the various proposals that would affect the FMAP.

Republicans set to debate healthcare ideas with Obama; Medicaid, malpractice caps may be on agenda

February 10, 2010

Republicans are scheduled to participate in a televised showdown with President Obama on healthcare reform on Feb. 25.

Increased Medicaid enrollment contributes to healthcare spending rise in 2009

February 05, 2010

By 2012, taxpayers will be footing the bill for 50% of all healthcare spending in the U.S., a new government report suggests.

Obama's FY 2011 budget to extend FMAP increase, ramp up anti-fraud efforts

February 01, 2010

President Obama is scheduled to unveil his FY 2011 federal budget proposal today. The blueprint would provide states with some additional Medicaid funding and crack down on Medicare and Medicaid fraud.

Opting out of Medicaid could hurt tens of thousands of seniors in Nevada

February 01, 2010

Some states have considered opting out of Medicaid in response to healthcare reform proposals to expand the Medicaid program. A new report from Nevada reveals that such a move would be disastrous for the state's elderly and vulnerable residents.

AAHSA members to call lawmakers today, urging them to pass healthcare reform

January 26, 2010

The White House has signaled that it may be scaling back the healthcare reform bill, and one long-term care group is speaking out about it.

Nursing homes, others urge Congress to extend FMAP increase until mid-2011

January 25, 2010

Hundreds of groups, including the American Health Care Association, recently signed a letter asking congressional leaders to extend until at least June 30, 2011, the temporary increase in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP).

CLASS Act to survive, even if healthcare reform doesn't

Liza Berger January 21, 2010

Larry Minnix sounded weary but determined. The CLASS Act may become a casualty of healthcare reform, but it is not going away, the head of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging assured me Wednesday.

A blow to healthcare reform

Liza Berger January 20, 2010

The buzz among long-term care providers today, as expected, is the upset in the Massachusetts Senate race. How healthcare reform will play out now is anyone's guess.

Nelson calls for all states to receive Medicaid exemption

January 11, 2010

During last month's Senate healthcare debate, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) negotiated a deal that would exempt his state from having to pay its share of a proposed Medicaid expansion plan. Now he's calling for a similar deal for the other 49 states.

Action-packed 2010 awaits nursing homes

Liza Berger December 31, 2009

Ah, the New Year. As much as many of us try to downplay it, the holiday carries an undeniable host of expectations. While I can't pretend I know how to read tea leaves, my prediction is that the coming year for nursing homes will not be a dull one.

House votes to extends FMAP increase through June 2011

December 18, 2009

The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to extend by six months a 6.2% increase of the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) under Medicaid. The extension translates to an additional $23.5 billion in Medicaid funds.

An unwelcome gift from MedPAC

Liza Berger December 16, 2009

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! What has Santa brought you this year? The usual: A preliminary recommendation to freeze Medicare rates for the following year.

Healthcare reform holds promise for dual eligibles

Dr. Bruce Chernof December 15, 2009

The proposed "Federal Coordinated Health Care Office" would help to improve the care and services for dual eligibles, or those eligible for Medicare and Medicare.

HHS finalizes FMAP matching rates for Medicaid programs

December 11, 2009

The Department of Health and Human Services on Monday finalized the adjusted federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) matching rates for state Medicaid programs for the third and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2009.

States' belt tightening worsens Medicaid shortfalls to nursing homes

Liza Berger December 09, 2009

Nursing homes have been a casualty of this recession. That is clear from the newly released study about Medicaid rates from accounting firm Eljay LLC.

Medicaid expected to underpay nursing homes this year by $14.17 per patient day

December 09, 2009

Nursing homes will face Medicaid underfunding in 2009 by a projected $14.17 per Medicaid patient day. That totals $4.7 billion for the year, according to a new report from accounting firm Eljay LLC.

Senate set to begin debate this week on healthcare reform bill

November 30, 2009

Fresh from its Thanksgiving break, the Senate is scheduled to pick up its debate over healthcare reform on Tuesday. Some provisions affecting senior care providers are similar to those in the House bill and some are different.

Kennedy continues father's commitment to long-term care

Liza Berger November 19, 2009

It was heartening this week to see Edward M. Kennedy Jr., son of the late senator, encouraging long-term care providers to push for reform. It would have made his dad proud.

State budgets unlikely to recover until 'late in the next decade,' governors say

November 16, 2009

The recession has seriously bruised states over the last year and they will continue to face fiscal difficulties, according to reports released last week by the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers.