Bill would help nursing homes pay for sprinkler system updates
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 21, 2013
Nursing homes that need to update their sprinkler systems would benefit from a recently introduced tax bill.
Lawmakers call for public disclosure of Medicare payments, ask for input on post-acute reforms
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 20, 2013
The battle against Medicare waste, fraud and abuse heated up on Capitol Hill this week. Lawmakers introduced a bill to make Medicare claims and payments publicly available and asked for provider input...
Medicare should cover SNF stays without prior hospitalization, American Medical Association asserts
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 20, 2013
The American Medical Association will work to change the 72-hour hospitalization requirement for Medicare Part A coverage of skilled nursing care. Delegates approved this resolution at the AMA annual conference...
Government agency launches health IT webpage for long-term care providers
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 19, 2013
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has unveiled a new webpage with information and resources for long-term and post-acute (LTPAC) providers.
FDA responds to provider pressure, backs off stricter control of fecal transplants for C. diff
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 19, 2013
Individuals with treatment-resistant Clostridium difficile can undergo fecal transplants after giving informed consent, the Food and Drug Administration recently announced. This is a victory for providers,...
Judge denies Omnicare’s ‘untimely’ motion to disqualify whistleblower in nursing home...
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 19, 2013
Omnicare has failed to disqualify a whistleblower who alleges the long-term care pharmacy paid kickbacks to nursing homes, ruled a district court judge.
Increasing resident and staff satisfaction in SNFs
By
McKnight's Staff
Myles Cochran
Jun 18, 2013
Resident engagement starts with clear communication and frequent contact with caregivers. When residents place a call on a nurse call system, it relays information to caregivers about the needs of the...
Provider groups protest MedPAC recommendations to reduce therapy caps
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 18, 2013
Resident care would suffer and providers would shoulder a larger burden if Congress acts on the latest recommendations from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, advocates for the long-term care sector...
Tight timeline forces LTC commission to narrow its ambitions, member says
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 18, 2013
With its report due by the end of September, the Congressional Long-Term Care Commission is setting its sights on what can be accomplished in an “extraordinarily short time-frame,” according...
HHS proposes rule to improve consistency of long-term care ombudsman programs
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 18, 2013
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Aging has proposed a rule to create federal guidelines for long-term care ombudsman programs, to create more uniformity and address...