SNFs

Hospital readmission penalties could transform relationships with SNFs, experts say

McKnight's Staff May 23, 2012

Healthcare reform efforts targeted at reducing hospital readmissions are here to stay, experts told participants in a McKnight's webcast Tuesday.

SNFs prepare to absorb nearly $800 million in Medicare cuts

McKnight's Staff May 10, 2012

Medicare cuts scheduled to hit in January will cost skilled nursing facilities close to $800 million in fiscal year 2014, a new analysis estimates.

Ten states to absorb majority of Medicare bad debt funding cuts, report finds

McKnight's Staff April 04, 2012

Bad debt provisions of recent legislation will cut skilled nursing facility payments by nearly $3 billion between 2012 and 2021, with a handful of states bearing the brunt of it, a report finds.

Why home care incentives will help SNFs

John O'Connor March 09, 2012

Under a new program, New Hampshire will receive a fistful of dollars in order to keep people out of nursing homes. Seems like a bad break, right? In fact, wise nursing home operators will be grateful.

Obama budget calls for Medicare cuts for SNFs, penalizes rehospitalizations

February 14, 2012

While President Obama's proposed 2013 budget contains expected Medicare cuts, long-term care groups have expressed their disappointment. Among other proposals, the American Health Care Association criticized a provision of the budget that would "align Medicare policy more closely with private sector standards by reducing bad debt payments to 25% for all eligible providers over three years starting in 2013."

Common pay system for three post-acute care settings appears doable, new report says

February 09, 2012

Relief could be on the horizon for providers, regulators and other stakeholders who have struggled to find common evaluation and payment models for individuals who move between post-acute care settings, researchers say.

As states cut Medicaid funds, nursing home group proposes bad debt fix

February 01, 2012

Forty states have either frozen or cut Medicaid-financed nursing home care for seniors between 2009 and 2011, a new survey has found.

SNFs should focus on partnerships, quality, to weather uncertain future, experts say

January 16, 2012

In order to survive an uncertain financial and regulatory environment, skilled nursing operators need to look at partnering with other healthcare systems and improving the quality of care, analysts say.

Nursing homes and hospitals work together to lower readmission rates

October 25, 2011

Techniques such as screening for sepsis and a standardized discharge form have helped to lower the rate of rehospitalized nursing home patients in Florida.

MedPAC votes against cost-of-living increase for skilled nursing facilities in FY 2012

January 14, 2011

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has recommended that Congress not provide a cost-of-living increase, also known as a market-basket update, for skilled nursing facilities in fiscal year 2012.