News

CMS Publishes FY 2014 Proposed Payment Guidance

May 7, 2013

CMS publishes proposals for changes to FY 2014 payment rates, quality data collection and reporting requirements, and qualification criteria for long-term care providers in the Federal Register. 

Contaminated mattresses: A new source of concern in infection control?

May 7, 2013

Don’t take infection control lying down. The most effective risk management program can be undone by not taking a few simple precautions.

Florida loses its court battle to override HIPAA requirements

May 6, 2013

Who is entitled to access a deceased person’s protected health information? In Florida, the state’s law allows access to a range of unauthorized representatives.

National hospice provider charged with false claims submissions

May 6, 2013

Vitas Hospice Services is charged by DOJ with engaging in business practices that resulted in inappropriate patient admissions and upcoded claims submissions to Medicare.

Physical activity won’t chase the blues away for seniors

May 3, 2013

“Head, shoulders, knees and toes!”  While exercise may be good for the body, it doesn’t ease depression, according to a recent study.

LTC property investors shirk SNFs as financial risks

May 2, 2013

Several of long-term care’s biggest property owners are shedding their interest in the financially challenged skilled nursing sector.

CMS proposes $180 million increase in hospice reimbursements

May 1, 2013

CMS has proposed a new rule that would raise hospice payments under Medicare by $180 million next year.

Long-Term Living wins big at ASHPE

May 1, 2013

Long-Term Living earns four awards for its content excellence from the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors (ASHPE).  

Admission screening for C. difficile targets carriers

April 30, 2013

Hospital pre-admission testing may help to deter the spread of healthcare-acquired infections by identifying carriers prior to admission, according to a new study.

Activists petition for safer bed rails in nursing homes

April 29, 2013

Bed rails are supposed to keep residents safe, but some advocates say stricter standards are needed to keep them from doing more harm than good.

Assisted living redefined in new building codes

April 26, 2013

The International Building Code has been revised to reclassify assisted living facilities, acknowledging their difference from nursing homes and hospitals.

CMS sweetens the deal for fraud whistleblowers

April 25, 2013

Know about someone conducting sneaky Medicare billing practices? CMS’ new whistleblower proposal might pay you more than your boss does.

Research uncovers three issues responsible for ageism

April 25, 2013

Grandpa is too old to drive. Grandma keeps forgetting where her eyeglasses are. Many younger people foster these ageist attitudes, often unwarranted. As older Americans quickly outnumber the young, these discriminations need to be addressed.

Senate committee approves Tavenner for CMS helm

April 24, 2013

Marilyn Tavenner has obtained a vote of confidence from a Senate committee in her bid to become the first confirmed administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in seven years.

Poll: What do older Americans really know about long-term care?

April 24, 2013

Are boomers—and some Gen-Xers—in denial that they’ll ever need long-term care? A poll taken earlier this year indicates many Americans over 40 years of age, don’t see themselves as “old.”

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