CMS: Medicaid spending to rise to $674 billion in 10 years
Oct 20, 2008
Government spending on Medicaid is expected to reach $674 billion by 2017, with annual spending projected to outpace U.S. economic growth, according to a report released Friday by the Centers for Medicare...
Candidates, lawmakers vow healthcare reform will occur, despite financial upheaval
Oct 17, 2008
The current global financial crisis will not prevent the next Congress or president from making healthcare reforms, key leaders are saying.
Medicaid reform pilot to enhance choices confuses beneficiaries
Oct 17, 2008
A Florida pilot program designed to give Medicare beneficiaries more choice and control concerning their healthcare plans has led to more confusion than anything else, according to a recent review by the...
Supplemental compliance program guidance available for nursing facilities
Oct 13, 2008
The Office of Inspector General has supplemented 2000 compliance program guidance for nursing facilities.
Yarwood: Five-star rating system, card-check legislation loom large
Oct 07, 2008
While the nursing home industry can be proud of its accomplishments in Washington over the last year, many challenges await. These include card-check legislation in Congress and a problematic five-star...
States react to OIG nursing home deficiency report
Oct 03, 2008
After the release of a recent Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General report on nursing home violations, states are coming out in defense of their records.
Officials give nursing homes new help to avert fraud and abuse
Oct 01, 2008
Health officials on Tuesday issued new voluntary guidelines for nursing homes to help them avert fraud and abuse in Medicaid, Medicare and other federal healthcare programs. The 17-page long document was...
Tougher economy means greater likelihood of Medicaid cuts, Kaiser survey reveals
Oct 01, 2008
A new survey of state officials shows that increasing budget pressures could lead states to start clicking down their Medicaid programs. Most have resisted cuts thus far, but the odds of that continuing...
OIG: Nearly all nursing homes violated federal standards in 2007
Sep 30, 2008
More than nine out of 10 nursing homes in the United States last year were cited for violating federal health and safety standards, according to a report released Monday by the Department of Health and...
Democrats discuss federal Medicaid increase as part of economic stimulus plan
Sep 18, 2008
How to jump-start the economy is a big topic these days. This week, Democrats returned to a familiar stimulus theme: increasing the share of federal Medicaid payments.