Skilled nursing facilities that delay joining an Accountable Care Organization will likely be losers in the healthcare marketplace, according to John Durso, a partner at the law firm of Ungaretti & Harris LLP. Durso recently offered tips for nursing homes that are negotiating to join an integrated care network.
After a stroke, adults rely on their left hemisphere to preserve language function or recovery, new research suggests. This discovery could open up new rehabilitation strategies, researchers say.
March 12, 2013
Tennessee-based nursing home operator Grace Healthcare LLC will pay the federal government more than $2.7 million, settling charges that Grace violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare for unnecessary rehabilitation therapy.
February 01, 2013
Over the past 63 years, 11 presidents have come and gone, wars have been won and lost, and the long-term care industry has experienced a roller-coaster of changes. But one thing has remained consistent: Nora Morant has served residents at Charles Morris Nursing and Rehabilitation Center of the Jewish Association on Aging.
February 01, 2013
Instead of spending more time doing hands-on patient care, therapists who work with Medicare beneficiaries have been strapped with increased administrative tasks, sometimes leading to delayed services, or worse.
January 17, 2013
It's no secret health care is changing and that we, as professionals, need to be a part of that change to improve the overall system. Part of this improvement involves helping patients quickly return home after a visit to the hospital, and doing all we can so they do not have to return. Therapy can help with both of these goals.
December 05, 2012
A U.S. District Judge has called federal prosecutors' years-long delay in announcing a Medicare fraud case involving one of the nation's largest nursing home companies "absurd."
Federal health officials have agreed to changes in Medicare coverage rules that would make it easier for beneficiaries with chronic conditions to qualify for nursing home stays, outpatient therapy and home healthcare services, according to reports.
Inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) were overpaid by Medicare by $8.4 million between calendar year 2009 and 2010, a government report reveals.
A long-term care group is urging regulators to continue work on fixing the "observation stay loophole" that makes it harder for Medicare beneficiaries to get nursing home care.
July 10, 2012
What do professional athletes, teachers and healthcare workers have in common? In addition to being in professions with a lot of pressure, they're all putting lots of pressure on their knees.
July 10, 2012
What do professional athletes, teachers and healthcare workers have in common? In addition to being in professions with a lot of pressure, they're all putting lots of pressure on their knees.
An experimental "socially assistive" robot has been shown to get better results in elderly rehabilitation patients than human therapists, preliminary research finds.
June 26, 2012
The theory of improving function in China is overshadowed by the focus on comfort, reducing pain, and providing as much rest as possible. From a cultural standpoint, the family dynamics are very different from our American experiences.
Members of a Congressional conference committee need to authorize the longest possible exceptions extension for Medicare Part B therapy services, according to a coalition of therapy advocates.
The set of quality measures used on Medicare's Nursing Home Compare website should be updated to include more measures for short-stay rehabilitation residents, according to one panel of experts. The Nursing Home Compare program measure set contains a mix of process and outcome measures for safety and prevention of mortality, but there are some gaps, according to a new report from the Measures Application Panel (MAP).
December 06, 2011
Congress should extend the therapy caps exception process for medically necessary Medicare Part B outpatient therapy services, several long-term care groups said Tuesday.
August 01, 2011
As President Obama and Congress continue to evaluate a multitude of different ways to reduce Medicare spending, it is more important than ever for lawmakers to understand the critical role nursing homes play in providing the specialized care and therapy vital to patient rehabilitation, and central to avoiding costly rehospitalizations.
May 10, 2010
The Department of Health and Human Services has allocated stimulus funding for research projects that will attempt to determine the effectiveness of disability services, including rehabilitation services.
March 25, 2010
There are 10 essential steps to developing a top-notch rehabilitation program. Hiring quality people, developing specialized rehab programs and keeping your customers happy are a few.
Peter C. Clendenin, executive vice president of the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care, disclosed on Friday he will retire. A replacement has not yet been named.
October 21, 2009
Long-term care must have have certified electronic health records to keep pace with the rest of the healthcare industry.
October 05, 2009
The hourly salaries of long-term care physical therapy assistants rose by 2.25% over the last year, according to the recently released 2009-2010 Rehabilitation Compensation Report from Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service (HCS).
