Providers: Get detailed contracts when entering Medicaid managed care systems, AHCA guidance urges
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 04, 2013
Long-term care providers should be cautious adopters as Medicaid managed care programs grow in scope and number, according to a new report and toolkit from the American Health Care Association. Advisory...
Gulf Coast receives highest Medicare payouts for post-acute care, CMS national databank shows
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 04, 2013
States around the Gulf of Mexico and in the Rust Belt face the highest post-acute care costs in the nation, according to Medicare data released Monday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Play to your strengths
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 01, 2013
Hospitals are penalized for high readmission rates, but you know that. Today’s hospital penalty is determined by looking at Medicare beneficiaries leaving an acute care stay with a hospital DRG of...
Government officials released good news about the long-term solvency of the Medicare program Friday. The projections were based in large measure on lower projected reimbursements for skilled nursing facilities.
Court throws out Immediate Jeopardy citation for undercooked eggs, repudiates interpretation of ‘ambiguous’...
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 03, 2013
A Texas nursing home recently won a legal battle challenging an Immediate Jeopardy citation for serving undercooked eggs to residents.
Probiotics reduce risk of C. diff symptoms by 64%, researchers say
By
McKnight's Staff
Jun 03, 2013
Long-term care facilities dealing with an outbreak of Clostridium difficile have a good chance of reducing symptoms of the infection by administering probiotics, according to a recently released comprehensive...
CMS updates survey guidelines for antipsychotic drugs in dementia care
By
McKnight's Staff
May 31, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has updated survey guidelines regarding nursing homes’ use of antipsychotic medications for dementia care. The 59-page interim guidance revises Appendix...
SNF margins cut in half, Alliance report says
By
McKnight's Staff
May 31, 2013
With income margins decimated by Medicare and Medicaid cuts and access to capital strangled, skilled nursing facilities will be unable to care for the nation’s booming senior population unless changes...
Government officials face increased pressure over troubled dual-eligible initiative
By
McKnight's Staff
May 31, 2013
A long-criticized project to improve the healthcare delivery and payment system for people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid has again been under fire in recent days, prompting government officials...
Minimum Data Set information identifying providers will be shared with health plans to fight fraud, CMS...
By
McKnight's Staff
May 30, 2013
To combat fraud and abuse, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to make provider-specific Minimum Data Set information available to health plans, according to a notice in Wednesday’s...