April 11, 2013
The White House's proposed budget includes $81 billion in Medicare payment reductions to long-term care providers. The reductions would take place over 10 years, as part of the Obama administration's plan to reduce healthcare spending by $400 billion.
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March 01, 2013
President Obama touched on several issues that matter to long-term care operators during last month's State of the Union address. His most urgent message to lawmakers: Do not not allow sequestration cuts to kick in. Otherwise, providers will feel the pinch of an automatic 2% Medicare funding cut.
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.
February 13, 2013
In a State of the Union address largely focused on jobs and the economy, President Obama challenged a divided Congress to avoid automatic funding cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, raise the minimum wage and relax immigration rules.
January 30, 2013
I recently watched the presidential inauguration from the comfort of a fake leather couch at a car dealership. Over the din of overhead pages for the service department, Sales Manager in Chief Barack Obama was making an aggressive pitch, and I half expected him to finish his speech by asking, "So, America, what can I do to get you into this brand new future today?"
November 16, 2012
As $6 billion investments go, the 2012 presidential and Congressional races didn't deliver much of a return. Except, of course, for people who like to spend money in order to keep things the way they are.
November 12, 2012
As late as Friday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) indicated he still would like to upend Obamacare. But he really needs to find a less frustrating way to spend his working hours.
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.
When President Obama speaks today about mandated sequestration cuts to Medicare funding, he is expected to set off the most intense period of lobbying yet among healthcare providers. Long-term care stakeholders are especially fearful of the potential compounding effect the 2% across-the-board reductions could have, given other restrictions already in play. One solution LTC lobbyists are recommending: A massive exception them from the mandate, much as the defense sector enjoys. Congress put off taking action earlier on the funding cuts but now the piper must be paid — unless lawmakers somehow act to mitigate or otherwise postpone the cuts again.
November 07, 2012
Dear Diary: Tuesday's election raises so many questions, including: Will Obomneycare live or die? Will the anger, polarization and poor spelling that rears its head sometimes in comments after McKnight's articles get better or worse? Will we turn out to be a nation that makes "hard choices" at the expense of the aging and vulnerable? Or will we just ring up another four years of well-intended compassion on the credit card?
With just 11 days remaining until America either re-elects Barack Obama or chooses Mitt Romney to succeed him as president, campaigning and political posturing are expected to reach new heights. One huge point of focus will be the future of healthcare, including Medicare and Medicaid funding, which the candidates clearly differ on. Major nursing home associations and their leaders have not endorsed a candidate, though the top executive at LeadingAge earlier this week said he thought aspects of the administration-backed Affordable Care Act would be more beneficial for his provider members than proposals from the challenger.
Republican members of the House Ways and Means Committee have threatened to subpoena federal health officials to gain access to public relations contracts related to the Affordable Care Act.
October 23, 2012
Hours before the final presidential debate started Monday, LeadingAge President and CEO Larry Minnix made it clear whom he thought long-term care providers need to vote for. While not outright campaigning for President Obama, Minnix said the incumbent's policies would be better for the future of the profession than those proposed by his challenger, Mitt Romney.
With Medicare, Medicaid and other healthcare issues playing more prominently in presidential campaigning this year compared to past election cycles, Tuesday's debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney could bring more fireworks on provider-related subjects. Fresh off hot verbal sparring between their running mates Thursday night, the men at the top of their respective tickets can expect to field numerous healthcare-related questions next Tuesday. The format will feature questions posed by audience members, who have identified themselves as undecided voters, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY.
October 05, 2012
If you're wondering what Wednesday night's presidential debate means for long-term care, you have plenty of company.
September 26, 2012
If President Obama is re-elected in November, governors who have resisted implementing the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion will likely change their tune, a former government official speculated last week.
September 13, 2012
I won't know what to think about polls until I find out how other Americans feel about them. Until then, put me down as undecided. But, seriously, here's one that intrigues me, because it actually attempts to measure perceptions of presidential character in real-life terms.
August 30, 2012
A friend once told me that long-term care operators are Republicans who make a living off Democratic policies. If that's the case, many of these folks may have to hold their noses when they cast votes in November.
Medicare and Medicaid federal expenditures will drop sharply over the next 10 years, according to a revised fiscal year 2013 "mid-session review" budget update.
July 06, 2012
What a stress-filled week for Our Nation's President. The Supreme Court finally ruled on his signature accomplishment—the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — and pandemonium instantly ensued.
April 19, 2012
Assisted living facilities, with or without a specialized memory wing, have started teaming up with in-home care companies that offer professional caregivers highly skilled in dementia care.
March 26, 2012
It's becoming increasingly obvious that our elected leaders need to quit playing political chicken. Otherwise, there are going to be some bleak days ahead for We the People.
March 02, 2012
The Affordable Care Act has freed up $3 billion in grant money available to states looking to keep elderly and disabled individuals out of long-term care institutions.
February 24, 2012
President Obama has signed legislation that delays a pay cut for doctors treating Medicare patients. That comes as good news for physicians, but not so much for nursing facilities.
The Obama administration has announced an "accommodation" to its controversial law requiring all employer insurance plans to offer free contraceptive services in their health plans.
January 26, 2012
In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Obama proposed the creation of a Veterans Job Corp to curb high unemployment rates for returning veterans. That's opportunity knocking for long-term care providers.
As expected, the House Ways and Means Committee passed a bill on Wednesday repealing the CLASS Act.
May 24, 2011
When did it become so popular to be "antipatriotic"? Does it make you "hip" nowadays?
April 14, 2011
President Obama outlined his plan Wednesday to cut the nation's deficit by $4 trillion in 12 years but also vowed to preserve entitlement programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
March 10, 2011
We might have just been subjected to the biggest dose of chutzpah seen in a long, long while. It smacked of the old image of the leering used-car salesman (sorry, used car sales people) rubbing his thumb and forefinger together to imply he could save YOU money.
