Medicare should cover people who go to a skilled nursing facility without a preceding hospital stay, experts recently told the Senate Special Committee on Aging.
Medicare should pay for skilled nursing services without a qualifying hospital stay, experts tell Senators
By
Tim Mullaney
Jul 31, 2014
The time has come to eliminate hospital stay requirements for beneficiaries to qualify for Medicare coverage of skilled nursing services, experts told a Senate committee Wednesday.
‘2-midnight rule’ is increasing observation stays, not decreasing them as hoped, Johns Hopkins...
By
Tim Mullaney
May 23, 2014
A Medicare policy change meant to reduce the number of hospital observation stays actually is having the opposite effect, a senior Johns Hopkins Medical System executive told a Congressional panel this...
The potential break-up between hospitals and long-term care
By
Elizabeth Newman
Apr 17, 2014
The attempts of the hospital lobby and long-term care to move beyond casually dating to going steady hit a snag at the steps of a courthouse Monday.
Hospitals slap the government with lawsuits over ‘two-midnight’ policy to reduce observation...
By
Tim Mullaney
Apr 16, 2014
The American Hospital Association and other hospital groups have sued the federal government over the so-called “two-midnight rule,” which was designed in part to ease access to skilled nursing...
Observation stay bills in focus for LTC providers
By
Elizabeth Newman
Mar 19, 2014
Nonprofit long-term care providers continued to focus on bills related to observation stays during visits on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
Senate bill would revamp 2-midnight rule for hospital inpatient admissions
By
Tim Mullaney
Mar 07, 2014
Providers’ complaints about the so-called “two-midnight rule” for determining hospital inpatient status have led to a new bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate, which would create less rigid...
CMS clarifies reporting requirements for hospice providers operating in skilled nursing facilities
By
Tim Mullaney
Feb 04, 2014
New revisions to the Medicare Claims Processing manual are intended to clarify requirements for hospice providers operating in skilled nursing facilities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced...
Inpatient admissions plummet
By
Tim Mullaney
Feb 01, 2014
A new admissions policy has driven hospital inpatient stays to record low levels, according to Citigroup analysts.
Open Door Forum on ‘two-midnight’ hospital stay policy Tuesday
Jan 31, 2014
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is holding a special Open Door Forum conference call at 1 p.m. (Eastern Time) Tuesday to discuss the “two-midnight” hospital inpatient policy. Callers...