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Therapy

A new hit to therapy providers

Liza Berger July 09, 2010

Another proposed rehab rule threatens to cut significant revenues from long-term care providers.

Doc pay fix temporary resolves nursing home therapy reimbursement rates

June 30, 2010

The recent temporary physician pay fix also decides certain nursing home therapy reimbursement rates.

CMS conference call Wednesday to focus on RUG-IV, MDS 3.0

June 21, 2010

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a conference call Wednesday to discuss the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System Resource Utilization Group-Version 4 (RUG-IV).

Report: Nursing home therapy reimbursement under review as reform law toughens up

March 30, 2010

Healthcare analysts at the Department of Health and Human Services are re-evaluating Medicare's "ultra-high" billing category for therapy services in skilled nursing facilities as a potential way to reduce wasteful spending, according to a Washington Post report.

Clendenin to retire from NASL

March 15, 2010

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.

Apply outcomes measurement to therapy services

Bill Goulding March 09, 2010

Outcomes measurement is a powerful tool that can help demonstrate the quality of therapy your long-term care facility is providing. Why not give it a try?

Sun Healthcare reports solid fourth-quarter, annual growth

March 05, 2010

Sun Healthcare on Wednesday reported "respectable" earnings growth of 7.7% for the fourth quarter of last year and 18.3% for 2009 overall. The nation's sixth-largest skilled nursing provider said Medicare payments for higher acuity residents, as well as upticks in its affiliated hospice and therapy businesses, drove results.

Therapy caps, payment, assessment reform to top long-term care conference

February 05, 2010

The future of Medicare Part B therapy caps will be a hot topic next week when the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL) holds its winter meeting at the Ritz Carlton in suburban Washington. Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) is the keynote speaker at the opening session Thursday morning. Current and former federal regulators, as well as representatives of the two biggest nursing home associations, will be among those presenting sessions during the two-day meeting.

Caps for Medicare Part B therapy take effect

January 04, 2010

Therapy caps are in effect after the exceptions process expired last week.

RehabCare Group announces merger with Triumph HealthCare

November 04, 2009

RehabCare Group, Inc., one of the largest national providers of physical rehabilitation services to long-term care facilities, on Tuesday announced plans to merge with hospital group Triumph HealthCare.

Modest salary gains for long-term care-based rehabilitation staff

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).

New CMS rule to eliminate section of MDS, revise RUGs

August 25, 2009

A controversial new rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid rule will recalibrate Medicare case mixes under the Resource Utilization Group (RUG) system. Specifically, it will eliminate a section of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and change the RUG classification process for short-stay residents.

Amid healthcare reform frenzy, AAHSA continues push for long-term care reform

June 09, 2009

Despite concerns that potential healthcare reform legislation will exclude a long-term care piece, the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging is keeping the pressure on lawmakers to consider providers' needs.

Researchers discuss common therapies that may cause health problems in seniors

June 03, 2009

Two therapies commonly prescribed to seniors carry some significant risks, according to reports presented in Chicago during this week's Digestive Disease Week.

Better to let sleeping nursing-home dogs lie

Liza Berger May 11, 2009

Seniors urged to overcome health worries to improve mobility

April 27, 2009

Cautioning elderly people from attempting to do too much physically is actually counterproductive, researchers suggest. They say that many seniors who worry about their health or possible negative outcomes from exercising instead choose to remain inactive, therefore causing greater potential harm later in life.

Study: Expectations, motivation may affect post-hospitalization mobility for seniors

April 08, 2009

Seniors hospitalized for illness experience greater functional decline than surgical patients. The difference could be a function of expectations and personal motivation, a recent study suggests.

Study: Rehospitalizations--some of which are preventable--cost billions

April 03, 2009

More than 50% of Medicare patients are rehospitalized within 12 months of discharge and 20% wind up back in the hospital after only 30 days. That adds up, according to a report published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Computer use boosts brain power for tech-savvy seniors

March 30, 2009

Whether it's checking e-mail, playing games or downloading music, using computer programs appears to keep the aging mind nimble, suggests new research.

Wound care: advanced tools and talented care teams lead to solid wound management

John Andrews March 01, 2009

Advanced wound care tools help caregivers treat complicated pressure ulcers. But solid wound management also involves a talented care team

Medicare beneficiaries with several ADLs cost more, report finds

January 30, 2009

Medicare beneficiaries who require assistance with three or more activities of daily living account for up to one-quarter of all Medicare Part A and B spending. This despite the fact they constitute only 7% of the Medicare population, according to a new analysis.

Baucus's healthcare plan would direct funds away from nursing homes

November 13, 2008

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) on Wednesday unveiled his plan for universal healthcare coverage. The plan emphasizes restructuring long-term care.

New Web tool allows some nursing homes to compare themselves with peers

October 09, 2008

The American Health Care Association introduced a new Web-based tool this week that offers a way for member organizations to compare themselves with their peers.

Osteoarthritis-related hospitalizations soar

September 11, 2008

Hospitalizations for osteoarthritis more than doubled from 1993 to 2006, according to an analysis by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Nursing home napping leads to poor rehab recovery, research finds

September 08, 2008

Excessive daytime sleeping among seniors undergoing rehabilitation treatment actually hinders their recovery--even up to three months after discharge--according to new research.

New code seeks to prevent unethical treatment of foreign-educated nurses

September 05, 2008

Authors from several healthcare organizations have developed a code to protect the rights of foreign-educated nurses, including those who work in long-term care.

Nursing homes revel in CMS' decision to hold off on Medicare reductions

August 04, 2008

Last week's decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to halt its planned $770 million cuts in Medicare Part A payments to nursing homes for fiscal year 2009 drew loud praise from the long-term care sector.

In major reversal, CMS decides not to cut $770 million from SNFs in 2009

August 01, 2008

Reversing earlier plans, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will not trim $770 million in Medicare Part A payments to nursing homes in the next fiscal year. This development comes as welcome news to long-term care providers, who had rallied against the planned cuts.

CMS decides not to extend therapy caps exemptions process

July 01, 2008

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Monday told the long-term care community it will not extend the therapy caps exceptions process, which expired Monday. As a result, many residents now will be subject to financial caps on Part B outpatient therapy.

Senate fails to pass Medicare bill so full wrath of therapy caps to be felt again

June 30, 2008

Medicare therapy caps for Part B therapy are scheduled to take full effect again on Tuesday after the Senate failed to pass a crucial Medicare bill before it recessed for the Fourth of July holiday late last week.