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McKnight's Staff |
| Author: McKnight's Lont Term Care News |
| Article Date: 3/9/2012 |
McKnight's Long Term Care News reports, "States were actively refining and developing new regulations to monitor assisted living facilities during 2011, an annual report finds." A study from the National Center for Assisted Living indicates that "sixteen states adjusted assisted living regulations, statutes, and policies during 2011, while four of those - Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, and South Dakota - considered major changes." |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Senior Housing News |
| Author: Alyssa Gerace |
| Article Date: 3/8/2012 |
Senior Housing News reports that "sixteen states made changes to assisted living regulations, statutes, and policies in 2011, according to the National Center for Assisted Living's 2012 edition of "Assisted Living State Regulatory Review," and several more have changes in the works." The story notes that "four of those states (Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, and South Dakota) made 'major' changes, according to Karl Polzer, NCAL's senior policy director and the report's author." |
| Full Story: Report: 16 States Have Made Changes To Assisted Living Policies. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Forbes |
| Author: Howard Gleckman |
| Article Date: 3/8/2012 |
In a column in Forbes, Howard Gleckman writes, "Assisted living and other residential care facilities are looking more and more like nursing homes." He argues that "owners of care facilities need to recognize that a new generation of residents need more assistance with activities of daily living and greater medical support. The days when assisted living facilities were run like hotels for old people are long over." Gleckman argues that "Medicaid, which has been reluctant to finance stays in residential care facilities, needs to start thinking more creatively about the niche they serve. And government needs to find a regulatory middle ground that allows these facilities to operate creatively while protecting increasingly vulnerable residents." |
| Full Story: Columnist: Care Facilities Need To Care For New Generation Of Residents. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Bloomberg News |
| Author: Andrew Frye |
| Article Date: 3/8/2012 |
Bloomberg News reports, "Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU), the second-biggest US life insurer, said it will halt the sale of individual long-term care policies, joining rivals in retreating from the industry." In a statement issued yesterday, "the company will continue to offer group long-term care insurance." According to Prudential, "existing contracts are guaranteed renewable and won't change." |
| Full Story: Prudential Will Stop Selling Individual Long-Term Care Policies. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Topeka Capital-Journal |
| Author: Tim Carpenter |
| Article Date: 3/8/2012 |
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports, "A majority of the Senate and one-third of the House signed a resolution by Wednesday seeking a six-month delay in implementation of the governor's managed care reform of health care for children, seniors and the disabled on Medicaid." However, "the administration of Gov. Sam Brownback dismissed the misgivings of legislators and declared there was no justification to postpone the start past Jan. 1." |
| Full Story: Kansas Seek Delay Of Medicaid Managed Care Plan's Implementation. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Hill's Healthwatch Blog |
| Author: Julian Pecquet |
| Article Date: 3/5/2012 |
In The Hill "Healthwatch" blog, Julian Pecquet reports concern from some former Republican governors over House GOP Medicaid reform that is anticipated to be proposed again. The Republican budget previously proposed "would have replaced the Medicaid program with a block grant that gives states more flexibility to run their programs while cutting federal funding for the health program for low-income Americans. Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is expected to propose a similar approach again when he releases his FY 2013 budget this month or next." |
| Full Story: Former Governors Voice Worry Over Possible Block Grant. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: No |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Topeka Capital Journal |
| Author: Andy Marso |
| Article Date: 3/5/2012 |
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports, "A four-person panel of health care policy experts told providers and advocates Monday it might be time to take their concerns about Gov. Sam Brownback's managed care Medicaid plan to the Legislature or the federal government." Several audience members "said that although the administration has listened to their fears, it has done little to change the KanCare plan or slow its implementation." In addition, the panelists "fielded several questions about the likelihood of the state receiving a waiver from the federal Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services. The center, which falls under the Department of Health and Human Services led by former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, must approve the managed care plan for the state to continue receiving federal health care funds." |
| Full Story: Panelists Discuss Kansas Governor's Medicaid Plan |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnight's Long Term Care News |
| Author: McKnight's Staff |
| Article Date: 3/2/2012 |
McKnight's Long Term Care published an interview with Secretary Sebelius under the headline, "60 Seconds with...Kathleen Sebelius." Asked about the Administration‟s plan for Alzheimer‟s disease, Sebelius said, "As many as 5.1 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer‟s disease, and that number is quickly growing. As the US population ages, the number of people with this terrible disease could double or more by 2050." Therefore, "We can‟t delay our work to find treatments and a cure" or "to provide critical support to Americans |
| Full Story: Sebelius Says Administration Cannot Delay Efforts On Alzheimer’s |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Atlanta Business Chronicle |
| Author: Atlanta Business Chronicle |
| Article Date: 3/2/2012 |
The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that Orlando, FL-based "CNL Lifestyle Properties plans to buy four assisted living communities in metro Atlanta from Solomon Holdings III Dogwood Four LLC for about $80 million." The deal, which "is expected to close in May," includes "Dogwood Forest of Alpharetta in Alpharetta, Ga., Dogwood Forest of Eagles Landing in Stockbridge, Ga., Dogwood Forest of Fayetteville in Fayetteville, Ga., and Dogwood Forest of Gainesville in Gainesville, Ga." |
| Full Story: CFL Lifestyle Properties Plans Purchase Of Four Atlanta Assisted-Living Communities. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Boston Globe |
| Author: Boston Globe |
| Article Date: 3/2/2012 |
The Boston Globe reports New Hampshire as "the first state in the country to receive new Medicaid grant money to help seniors and people with disabilities remain in their homes." The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded the state "$26.5 million over three years" with a goal of helping "states shift from institutional care to home and community-based services." CMS is awarding the grants to states that "spend less than 50 percent of their total long-term care costs on community-based options." |
| Full Story: New Hampshire First State To Receive CMS Funding For Home Care Services. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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New York Times via Detroit news |
| Author: Joseph Berger |
| Article Date: 2/29/2012 |
The New York Times reports that "nursing home operators are closing some facilities and embracing an emerging model of care that allows many elderly patients to remain in their homes and still receive the medical and social services available in institutions." Under this model, "a team of doctors, social workers, physical and occupational therapists and other specialists provides managed care for individual patients at home, at adult day care centers and in visits to specialists." Currently, there are 84 nursing homes using this model in 29 states, up from 42 programs in 22 states in 2007. According to the American Health Care Association, "the number of nursing homes has declined by nearly 350 in the past six years." |
| Full Story: New At-Home Nursing Model Gains Popularity |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnight's Long Term Care News |
| Author: McKnight's Staff |
| Article Date: 2/29/2012 |
McKnight's Long Term Care News (2/29) reports, according to findings published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, "sodium phosphate enemas, which are commonly used to relieve constipation, can cause kidney failure and even death in elderly individuals." The study included 11 patients who experienced kidney failure or died after receiving sodium phosphate enemas. "Investigators said the amount of sodium in the solution could overwhelm the kidneys of elderly people who often have chronic kidney disease, especially those who don't drink enough water." |
| Full Story: Study Suggests Avoiding Use Of Sodium Phosphate Enemas In Elderly Patients |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: No |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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NJ.com |
| Author: Susan K. Livio |
| Article Date: 2/29/2012 |
The Newark Star Ledger reports an announcement by New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez that "the state will reach its goal of saving $300 million this year without having to impose service cuts or reducing the number of people insured." According to Velez, the state did not receive $107.3 million in federal reimbursement last year as it expected, but "enrollment slowed down, and pharmaceutical drug companies paid more rebates to help offset the cost of prescription drugs," plus approximately 155,000 seniors with disabilities were moved from Medicaid to managed care plans, thus leading to the savings.
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| Full Story: NJ Commissioner Says No "Draconian Cuts" To Medicaid Budget Expected This Year |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Modern Healthcare |
| Author: Melanie Evans |
| Article Date: 2/28/2012 |
Modern Healthcare's "Of Interest" blog reports, "State budget shortfalls for the coming year total about $47 billion, the smallest aggregate deficit since the Great Recession," according to a report (pdf) by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The report "found deficits in 29 states for the fiscal year ahead and another 10 states reported revenue for the current year fell $3.2 billion short of budget. Gaps are significantly smaller than in recent years," however. Still, "the gap is still large by historical standards," the report found. What's more, "continued state distress is troubling news for the nation's healthcare safety net," as Medicaid budgets continue to be squeezed. |
| Full Story: Despite Smaller State Budget Shortfalls, Medicaid Budgets Still Squeezed. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Capital Journal |
| Author: Andy Marso |
| Article Date: 2/28/2012 |
The Topeka Capital-Journal (2/28, Marso) reports, "When Gov. Sam Brownback's office released the names of the five companies bidding on Medicaid managed care contracts last week, one of them, Sunflower State Health Plan, was listed as based in Topeka." But the company "appears to have been established by St. Louis-based Centene Corp. specifically to bid on the KanCare Medicaid contracts, according to its website." Meanwhile, "The other four bidders for the three KanCare contracts are Amerigroup Corp., of Virginia Beach, Va.; Minnesota-based United Healthcare; Tampa, Fla.-based WellCare of Kansas Inc.; and CoventryHealth Care of Kansas, which has a Kansas base in Wichita and a national base in Bethesda, Md." The paper notes that Centene's board of directors includes former Rep. Dick Gephardt and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson. |
| Full Story: Kansas Receives Five Medicaid Managed Care Bids. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The NJ Record |
| Author: Colleen Diskin |
| Article Date: 2/25/2012 |
The Record reports that New Jersey "is taking another crack at simplifying its maze of elder-care services by moving most of its financial assistance and long-term-care funding programs under one new bureaucratic roof," as "the Department of Health and Senior Services will drop the second half of its title, with two of its divisions and 350 of its workers relocating into the Department of Human Services." The state intends "to divert more government dollars into home-care services to the elderly," and "to cut costs by putting private managed-care companies in charge of doling out Medicaid payments to the financially troubled nursing home industry." But "industry representatives, however, questioned whether the bureaucratic changes will make much of a difference if both the state and federal governments continue trying to squeeze money out of Medicaid and Medicare budgets." |
| Full Story: New Jersey Seeks To Improve Services For Elderly. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Associated Press |
| Author: Associated Press |
| Article Date: 2/23/2012 |
The AP (2/23, Neergaard) reports that yesterday, ?the Obama administration declared Alzheimer‟s „one of the most feared health conditions‟…as it issued a draft of a new national strategy to fight the ominous rise in this mind-destroying disease? and find efficacious treatments by 2025. The piece adds, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) spends about $450 million a year on dementia research. Earlier this month, the Obama administration announced it would add an extra $50 million to that tab this year, and seek $80 million more to spend on Alzheimer's research in 2013.
Now, the new National Alzheimer's Plan also makes clear that overwhelmed families need help right away to care for affected loved ones. The draft is open for public comment through the month of March. Meanwhile, NIH is bringing together top Alzheimer's scientists in May to discuss the most promising leads for better treatment. |
| Full Story: Government Drafts Alzheimer’s Strategy |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Naples Daily News/The News Service of Florida, Naplesnews.com |
| Author: Jim Saunders |
| Article Date: 2/23/2012 |
The Naples (FL) Daily News /The News Service of Florida (2/24, Saunders) reports, "Dubbing it a 'quality improvement' bill," the Florida Health & Human Services Committee on "Thursday approved a proposal that would provide extra Medicaid money to high-performing hospitals, nursing homes and managed-care plans." The legislation "also would place new regulations on assisted-living facilities, which face scrutiny after The Miami Herald reported last year about dangerous conditions in some facilities and a lack of state oversight." According to the Daily News, "The performance-pay plan would take effect during the 2015-16 fiscal year and would allow up to 1 percent increases in Medicaid payment rates for hospitals, nursing homes and managed-care plans." |
| Full Story: Florida Bill Would Provide More Medicaid Funds To High-Performing Facilities |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Senior Housing News |
| Author: Alyssa Gerace |
| Article Date: 2/23/2012 |
Senior Housing News reported "The need for senior care workers is exploding as the population ages, but estimates show that there won't be enough people trained to do the necessary work, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons." At the same time, "the demand for nurses will grow exponentially, projects the Bureau for Labor Statistics, and registered nursing will experience the largest increase of all occupations between 2010 and 2020." This means even more competition to acquire nurses and nurse's aides to staff care facilities. Andrew Carle, founder of George Mason University's senior housing administration program, recommends making "labor more productive" by focusing on technology. "We need technology that will make one nurse's aide, in the future, as productive as three, today, which is how you'll get the equivalent of six million workers [the estimated number that will be necessary] out of two million people." |
| Full Story: Expert: Focus On Technology To Make Care-Facility Labor More Productive |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Senior Housing News |
| Author: Alyssa Gerace |
| Article Date: 2/22/2012 |
In an ongoing series discussing the financial impact of long-term care on the US, Senior Housing News reports, "The average age and acuity of current residents in both independent and assisted living facilities is going up, and those who are moving in are often older, says Ryan Frederick, principal of Point Forward Solutions, a consulting and financial advisory firm serving the seniors housing and care industry." What's more, "some younger seniors aren't choosing to enter assisted living because of the higher age and acuity demographics, while those who enter independent living are staying longer before transitioning to a higher level of care." Nevertheless, "despite a longer independent living stay, residents' overall length of stay is shorter, and many places are experiencing a higher turnover than what they've historically had, says Frederick." This is an important issue for providers, because "high turnovers can be quite costly." |
| Full Story: Expert: Average Age Of Independent And Assisted-Living Facility Residents Going Up. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McClatchy Newspapers |
| Author: Michael Doyle |
| Article Date: 2/22/2012 |
McClatchy reports that the Supreme Court "on Wednesday kept alive the possibility that California doctors, pharmacists and senior citizens can challenge the state‟s Medicaid reimbursement cuts," but "the closely divided court didn‟t definitively side with the doctors. Instead, citing the complexity of the cases and some changed circumstances, justices ordered more arguments before a lower appellate court." McClatchy notes, "The 5-4 decision kicks the set of California Medicaid reimbursement cases back to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which had sided with the doctors, pharmacists and senior citizens." |
| Full Story: SCOTUS Sends California Medicaid Case Back To 9th Circuit |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Washington Post |
| Author: Patricia Sullivan |
| Article Date: 2/21/2012 |
The Washington Post reports on the Mary Marshall Assisted Living Residence in the Fort Myer area of Arlington County, which houses "twenty-five people with intellectual disabilities or mental illnesses" who are "all are 55 or older," making "this new center unique in the nation." The piece notes, "The opening of the center comes as the state closes four of its five large institutions for people with intellectual disabilities in favor of smaller, community-based residences, a nationwide trend as society rethinks its once-default attitude that the disabled should be confined and hidden from the public." |
| Full Story: Assisted Living Facility For Disabled Individuals Opens In Virginia |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Wall Street Journal |
| Author: Greene |
| Article Date: 2/18/2012 |
The Wall Street Journal (2/18, Greene, Subscription Publication, 2.08M) reported that there are companies and non-profits that provide low-cost help for family caretakers. For example, Genworth Financial, a long-term-care insurer, helps families with older patients with dementia create a care plan either online, in person, or over the phone. Another provider, Home Instead Senior Care, also provides services for patients with dementia. |
| Full Story: Resources Offered For Long-Term Care. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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WMUR Manchester |
| Article Date: 2/18/2012 |
The WMUR Manchester (2/18) reported that insurance companies are raising their premiums for long-term care "because the industry initially underestimated the cost of long-term care for an aging population." Roger Sevigny, New Hampshire insurance commissioner, said, "It's industry-wide," and added, "All carriers that sell long-term care have filed for a rate increase of one sort or another and it's all for the same reason." The insurance commission said that "with roughly 31,000 long-term care policies in New Hampshire...consumers need to be educated about the changes." |
| Full Story: Premiums Increase For Long-Term Care Insurance. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Westchester Journal News |
| Author: Jane Lerner |
| Article Date: 2/18/2012 |
The Westchester Journal News (2/18, Lerner) reported, "Pharmacy bills are soaring for older residents who have long relied on a state program to help them pay the costs." That's because "lawmakers slashed $36 million in" the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) "funding in the current budget," but "advocates for seniors are lobbying to get the funding restored." Governor Andrew "Cuomo's office defended the cuts, noting that Medicare Part D is available to help with prescription drug costs."
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| State/Province: New York |
| Full Story: EPIC Cuts Increase Drug Costs For New York Seniors. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Provider Magazine |
| Author: Karen Everett Watson |
| Article Date: 2/16/2012 |
In a Provider Magazine (2/16, 52K), column, Karen Everett Watson, a gerontologist, blogger, and journalist based in Sacramento, California, wrote, "Everyone knows that death is inevitable, but for those with terminal illnesses, that knowledge brings urgency to be remembered beyond life, and for those left behind, there's a deep desire and need to connect with that departed loved one." Watson writes about a website called Immortum, which "is dedicated to patients who have terminal illnesses as a place where they can post their words, both private and public." In addition, "the website also has a forum for discussing end-of-life issues, a place for a Life Journal and one for delivering messages after death (Postlife Journal)."
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| Full Story: Website Offers Terminally Ill Patients A Place To Leave Messages. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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South Brunswick (NJ) Patch |
| Author: Mary E. O’Dowd |
| Article Date: 2/14/2012 |
The South Brunswick (NJ) Patch (2/14, James) reports in continuing coverage from yesterday, "Health and Senior Services Commissioner Mary E. O'Dowd joined the Health Care Association of New Jersey (HCANJ) today to announce a new partnership to enhance quality and consumer information about assisted living residences in New Jersey." That partnership, under the title "Advanced Standing, will offer a designation by the Health Care Association of New Jersey Foundation, which verifies that an assisted living facility has satisfied all state licensing regulations and also meets quality benchmarks." O'Dowd explained, "The Advanced Standing program will expand oversight of assisted living facilities and for the first time collect quality data on these facilities." Paul R. Langevin, Jr., President of the Health Care Association of New Jersey said, "The Advanced Standing program will give them an opportunity to prove the standards of excellence they have set for themselves."
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| Full Story: HCA New Jersey, State Partner On Quality Standards For Assisted Living Residences. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnight's |
| Article Date: 2/13/2012 |
McKnight's Long-Term Care News (2/14) reports, "Most states do not foresee major mid-year cuts in Medicaid for fiscal year 2012, according to a Kaiser Health survey." Rather, according to the survey, "thirty-three states in 2012 'took actions that expanded LTC services (primarily expanding home and community-based service (HCBS) programs),'" while "14 states in FY 2011 and 11 states in FY 2012 took action to restrict LTC services."
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| Full Story: Survey: Most States Do Not Anticipate Medicaid Cuts in 2012. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Los Angeles Times |
| Author: Noam N. Levey |
| Article Date: 2/10/2012 |
The Obama Administration issued regulations Thursday "requiring health plans to describe what they cover in clear, standardized language that is understandable to consumers," the Los Angeles Times (2/10, Levey) reports. The regulations are part of the Administration's effort to "implement a much-anticipated consumer protection in the new healthcare law." Beginning in the fall, "insurers and employers that offer health coverage will have to provide a six-page form that summarizes basic plan information, such as deductibles and co-pays, as well as costs for using in-network and out-of-network medical services." |
| Full Story: New Regulations Require Easy-To-Understand Summaries Of Health Coverage. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Huffington Post |
| Author: Sec. Kathleen Sebelius |
| Article Date: 2/10/2012 |
In the Huffington Post (2/10), Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius writes, "As the population of the United States ages, the time for bold action on the growing public health challenge posed by Alzheimer's is now." Touting "a historic $156 million investment to tackle Alzheimer's disease," Sebelius notes that this investment will, among other things, "immediately increase Alzheimer's disease research funding" through the National Institutes of Health, as well as provide "education and outreach to improve the public's understanding of Alzheimer's disease starting this year." She concludes, "If no effective strategies are found for Alzheimer's treatment or prevention, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease and the annual health care costs associated with Alzheimer's disease are projected to rise significantly in the coming years. Which is why -- we can't wait." |
| Full Story: Sebelius Touts Efforts To Fight Alzheimer's Disease. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Provider |
| Author: Patrick Connole |
| Article Date: 2/8/2012 |
Provider (2/8, Connole) reported, "Fresh research by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) confirms news in the government's job report last week that health care jobs, notably in the long term and post-acute care sector, will be a leading source of employment over the next decade." Specifically, "the rosier jobs report that showed the nation's unemployment rate falling to 8.3 percent also offered the Labor Department's projection that health care jobs are a likely source of future job growth, though such an expansion is under threat from reimbursement shortfalls and cuts for the Medicaid and Medicare programs." In addition, the report "reveals that eight of the 30 largest or fastest growing occupations...are integral to providing quality long term and post-acute care," namely, "registered nurses; personal care aides; home health aides; nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants; physical and occupational therapy assistants and aides; and physical therapists." |
| Full Story: AHCA Study: Healthcare Jobs Leading Source Of Employment In Coming Decade. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Associated Press; Los Angeles Times |
| Article Date: 2/8/2012 |
The AP (2/9) reports, "Senior Health Insurance Co. of Pennsylvania, or SHIP, had a claims process "designed to frustrate and confuse policyholders with needless demands for irrelevant information" in violation of its own policies and California law, according to the suit filed Tuesday in San Bernardino County Superior Court by the group Consumer Watchdog." The lawsuit "alleges that SHIP tried to avoid reimbursing policyholders for long-term care by ignoring or taking an unreasonably long time to respond to claims; requiring unnecessary paperwork and medical examinations; and requiring that the caregivers have licenses, in violation of company policy and California law. The suit, which seeks class-action status, was filed on behalf of Dr. William Hall, 78, of Upland."
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| Full Story: Lawsuit Alleges SHIP Tried To Avoid Reimbursements For Long-Term Care. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The New York Times |
| Author: Paula Span |
| Article Date: 2/8/2012 |
In the New York Times (2/9) "The New Old Age," Paula Span says, "Home care workers provide a crucial bulwark between older adults and assisted living or nursing homes." Yet "for close to 40 years, they and other domestic workers have been excluded from the federal Fair Labor Standards Act that mandates minimum wages and overtime pay for most other American workers." Noting that in December, the federal Department of Labor "proposed revising the Fair Labor Standards Act to include most home care aides" and "wants comments from the public," she encourages readers who "have had considerable experience with home care" to "let the regulators know what you think."
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| Full Story: Public Urged To Comment On Fair Pay Proposal For Home Health Aides. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Provider |
| Author: Patrick Connole |
| Article Date: 2/8/2012 |
In continuing coverage, Provider (2/8, Connole) reported, "The Obama Administration this week announced a new effort to combat what many call an epidemic in cases of Alzheimer's disease by releasing an additional $50 million for cutting-edge research." In addition, "the White House fiscal year 2013 budget will...include an $80 million funding boost for Alzheimer's research, according to the Department of Health and Human Services." An additional "$26 million is being made available for caregiver support, provider education, public awareness, and improvements in data infrastructure."
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| Full Story: Obama Administration Releases Additional $50M For Alzheimer's Research. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnight's |
| Author: James M. Berklan |
| Article Date: 2/8/2012 |
In the McKnight's Long-Term Care News (2/8) "Editor's Blog," James M. Berklan discussed "a first-in-the-nation effort by...assisted living providers" in New Jersey with Friday's unveiling of the "Advanced Standing" program at Princeton's Brandywine Senior Living. Berklan explained how the program will work: "Provider volunteers for the program; provider will be checked for compliance with regulations; provider also must attain quality benchmarks established by a peer review panel; provider's quality data will be compared against standards established by the National Center for Assisted Living. Provider will pay something in the neighborhood of $3,000 to take part." He added, "Successful providers will obtain a coveted 'Advanced Standing' label. It will be displayed prominently by the Health Care Association of New Jersey, and, they hope, the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services, as well."
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| Full Story: "Advanced Standing" Program Set To Be Unveiled In New Jersey. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Bloomberg Businessweek |
| Author: Shobhana Chandra and Ilan Kolet |
| Article Date: 2/2/2012 |
Bloomberg News (2/2, Chandra, Kolet) reports on the positive economic impact of a growing elderly population in the US, which, along with "rising health-care spending," is "driving demand for workers from nursing aides to surgeons. While the economy lost 7.5 million positions during the recession, health care expanded staff. Together with social assistance, it will add more than 5.6 million employees to become the largest job gainer by 2020, according to new projections released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics."
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| Full Story: Aging US Driving Demand For Healthcare Workers. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Provider |
| Author: Kayleigh Karutis |
| Article Date: 2/1/2012 |
Provider (February, 2012, Karutis) reports that this past June in Massachusetts, "EPOCH Assisted Living at Boylston Place in Chestnut Hill became the first such community in the state to install a technology growing rapidly in popularity: a hearing loop," a system that "involves a copper wire, called a loop, installed around the perimeter of a room. ... Residents with hearing aids enter the space and simply push a button on their own hearing device to pick up the loop's signal. Their hearing aid becomes a wireless, convenient, and personal amplification device, allowing them to hear clearly."
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| Full Story: Massachusetts Assisted Living Provider Installs Hearing Loop. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Washington Times |
| Author: Paige Winfield Cunningham |
| Article Date: 2/1/2012 |
The Washington Times (2/2, Cunningham) reports, "The House voted Wednesday to repeal a part of President Obama's health care law deemed unsustainable by his own administration, sending the bill to the Senate, where Democrats have indicated they aren't ready to kill the long-term care program." Notably, "more than two dozen House Democrats broke party ranks to join Republicans in a 267-159 vote to repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act." The Times adds that "Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius effectively suspended the program last fall, conceding she couldn't find a way to make it pay for itself."
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| Full Story: House Votes To Repeal CLASS Act. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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| | |
NationalJournal |
| Author: Margot Sanger-Katz |
| Article Date: 2/1/2012 |
The National Journal (2/2, Sanger-Katz, Subscription Publication) reports, "Patients concerned about their risk of getting sick during a hospital stay can now compare the rates of patients getting one deadly type of infection online," as "the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published the infection rates on its Hospital Compare website, where the government already publishes data about patient satisfaction and some other types of medical errors in order to help consumers choose quality hospitals." According to the Journal, "the type of infection being tracked by CMS is central-line-associated infections, or CLABSIs, among patients in intensive care units. Central lines are catheters inserted deep into the body to deliver medicines and nutrition." |
| Full Story: CMS Publishing Hospital Infection Rates On Hospital Compare Website. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Provider |
| Author: Steve Kovacs |
| Article Date: 2/1/2012 |
Provider (February 2012, Kovacs) reports on how clean laundry plays "an important role" in the quality of care at long-term care facilities. "Linens, towels, and garments washed in highly effective products that are also commonly used within the home can be comforting and reassuring to guests who may be dealing with serious health issues." In fact, "in a recent poll of more than 500 professionals working in long term care facilities across the country, 85 percent of those surveyed agreed that residents who are surrounded by familiar sensory experiences, such as softness or fragrances, say they feel more comfortable and at home in their living environment." |
| Full Story: Clean Laundry Contributes To Quality Of Care At Long-Term Care Facilities. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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| | |
Des Moines Register |
| Article Date: 2/1/2012 |
The Des Moines Register (2/1) editorialized, "Iowa lawmakers are considering legislation to ensure everyone knows when a convicted sex offender is living in a state-regulated facility," including nursing homes and assisted living facilities. However, "that isn't enough for some lawmakers. They say a special home for elderly and disabled sex offenders is needed." The Register instead suggests that "homes should carefully monitor all residents. That requires enough staff and paying special attention to anyone acting inappropriately, because an elderly person with dementia can do that, even with no history of such behavior." Instead of "targeting only those on a registry, care centers have a duty to keep a closer eye on everyone."
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| Full Story: Care Centers Have Duty To Keep Closer Eye On Everyone, Des Moines Register Says. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Hill |
| Author: Pete Kasperowicz |
| Article Date: 1/31/2012 |
The Hill (2/1, Kasperowicz) reports in its "Floor Action" blog, "The House on Tuesday evening approved a rule that will govern debate on a bill that would repeal an element in the 2010 healthcare establishing a voluntary long-term healthcare program that the Obama administration has admitted is not financially viable." Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) argued, "The CLASS Act was a budgetary gimmick introduced by congressional Democrats in the Obamacare bill to fit a 10-year budget score." According to Sessions, "These are the facts; the program is not viable and not sustainable." |
| Full Story: House Approves Rule To Govern Debate On CLASS Repeal |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Hill |
| Author: Julian Pecquet and Sam Baker |
| Article Date: 1/31/2012 |
The Hill (2/1, Pecquet, Baker) reports in its "Healthwatch" blog, "Tuesday was the deadline to submit public comments on Health and Human Services's proposal for essential health benefits. As a reminder, HHS punted the issue to the states and will let them choose a 'benchmark' policy that all plans in the state will have to match." Reviewing feedback received thus far, The Hill notes that AARP said, "We recognize some state flexibility may be desirable given the variation in state insurance markets," but "we are concerned the proposed approach could result in individuals getting substantially different benefits across the states -- and potentially inadequate benefits."
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| Full Story: AARP Concerned By HHS Proposal For Essential Health Benefits. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Fort Morgan Times |
| Author: Katie Collins Brush News-Tribune Staff Writer |
| Article Date: 1/31/2012 |
The Fort Morgan (CO) Times (2/1, Collins) reports, "Just as the Baby Boomer generation's numbers made nationwide impacts on schools and on the work force in the past, so too will they influence the future of health care," and "their impact on senior health care will call for a redefinition of the industry, prompting changes on all levels from the government, to providers and patients." Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center CEO Barbara Bradshaw remarked, "Because Baby Boomers will be saying, as consumers, what they want and don't want, increased home care support will be vital so that we deliver the care they need in the place they call home."
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| Full Story: Baby Boomers To Impact Senior Healthcare. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Washington Post |
| Author: Posted by Sarah Kliff |
| Article Date: 1/31/2012 |
In the Washington Post (2/1) "Ezra Klein's Wonkblog," Sarah Kliff discusses a New York Times opinion piece (1/31) by Zeke Emanuel and Jeffrey Liebman suggesting that "health insurance companies are going the way of the dinosaurs," with accountable care organizations taking over. Kliff disagrees, citing a Health Affairs study on "a handful of health-care systems' experience piloting a shared-savings model." The study found that "none of the three systems the researchers focused on were able to get the new payment model off the ground." Kliff concludes, "Accountable care organizations may be the future of American health care -- but also looks likely that the future isn't quite here yet." |
| Full Story: ACOs Said To Be Not Ready To Take Over US Healthcare Yet. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Philadelphia Inquirer |
| Author: Don Sapatkin |
| Article Date: 1/26/2012 |
The Philadelphia Inquirer (1/26, Sapatkin) reports, "The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare's" increased "efforts over the summer to target waste, fraud, and abuse quickly bore fruit in the fall," as "adult Medicaid enrollment alone was down 109,000 through November." But new "calculations show a decline of just 6,000 participants for the same" time frame. According to the Inquirer, if last month's data are included, "enrollment is up by 23,000 since August -- a time when officials agree that tens of thousands of people lost benefits after overdue reviews found they were ineligible." |
| State/Province: Pennsylvania |
| Full Story: New Calculations Show Increase In Adult Medicaid Participants In Pennsylvania. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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HealthLeaders Media |
| Author: Margaret Dick Tocknell |
| Article Date: 1/25/2012 |
Health Leaders Media (1/26, Tocknell) reports a number of "comments about what was said or not said about healthcare in the State of the Union address." In particular, "Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living" said, "Our profession has made great strides, yet we are struggling to meet growing demand in the light of diminishing federal and state funding. ... That significant progress could all be put at risk if policymakers continue to avoid serious discussions centering on how we are reimbursed."
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| Full Story: AHCA CEO Says Policymakers Need To Discuss Healthcare Seriously. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnight's |
| Article Date: 1/25/2012 |
McKnight's Long Term Care News (1/26) reports, "Long-term care saw a significant jump in merger, acquisition and takeover activity in 2011, according to a new report" from Irving Levin Associates. The report indicates that "the dollar volume in LTC mergers and acquisitions jumped from $12.1 million in 2010 to $16.3 million in 2011."
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| Full Story: Report: LTC Merger, Acquisition Spending Up In 2011. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Provider Magazine |
| Author: Patrick Connole |
| Article Date: 1/23/2012 |
"For the second straight year, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) released its own assessment of the LTPAC sector to coincide with the annual presidential report of the nation's standing. The AHCA/NCAL report offers positive news on the steps being taken by providers to fulfill the mission of giving high-quality care, but warns future advances are not a certainty without adequate reimbursement." Gov. Mark Parkinson, president and chief executive officer of AHCA/NCAL, remarked, "Our profession has made great strides, yet we are struggling to meet growing demand in the light of diminishing federal and state funding." |
| Full Story: AHCA/NCAL Releases Assessment Of LTPAC Sector. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Washington Post |
| Article Date: 1/23/2012 |
In a Washington Post /Kaiser Health News (1/24, Mayer) column, Caroline E. Mayer writes, "The question of whether to get [long-term care (LTC)] insurance bedevils consumers and their advisers." According to Mayer, "Unlike medical insurance, it is intended primarily to cover people who need assistance with so-called activities of daily living - for example, the care of a dementia patient or someone recovering from a broken hip." In order "to determine if a long-term-care policy makes sense for you, it is important to understand how the coverage works and what's available." |
| Full Story: LTC Insurance May Not Be Beneficial For Everyone. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Hill |
| Author: Sam Baker |
| Article Date: 1/12/2012 |
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| State/Province: District of Columbia |
| Full Story: Patient groups seek delay on ‘essential benefit’ rules |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: No |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnights |
| Article Date: 1/12/2012 |
McKnight's Long Term Care News (1/13) reports on a study from the Association for Community Affiliated Plans, which recommends "the federal government and states should create an integrated care model for dual-eligible beneficiaries" in an effort "to promote coordination between Medicare and Medicaid services and to save money." Report authors Jane Hyatt Thorpe, J.D. and Katherine Jett Hayes, J.D. of George Washington University said that "under the plan, states could provide long-term care services in a managed care environment or with a limited pool of providers." |
| Full Story: Report Calls For Creation Of Integrated Care Model For Dual-Eligibles. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Daily Record |
| Article Date: 1/11/2012 |
New Jersey's Daily Record (1/11) reports, "The Chelsea at Montville assisted living residence...has been named the 2011 Business of the Year by the Montville Township Chamber of Commerce." Last year, "the Chelsea was recognized as a recipient of the Bronze National Quality Award for its outstanding performance in the health care profession," which is awarded by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living. That award "highlights facilities across the nation that have demonstrated their intention to pursue a rigorous quality improvement system." |
| State/Province: New Jersey |
| Full Story: Bronze National Quality Award Winner Named Local Business Of The Year |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Chicago Tribune |
| Author: Jill Schlesinger, CFP, the Editor-at-Large |
| Article Date: 1/11/2012 |
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| State/Province: Illinois |
| Full Story: Long-term care insurance: Options remain after CLASS act scrapped |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: No |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnights |
| Article Date: 1/11/2012 |
McKnight's Long Term Care News (1/12) reports, "Iowa governor Terry Branstad (R) will ask the state legislature to require notification when sex offenders move into long-term care [LTC] facilities, he said Monday." The piece notes that the rule "would be enforced by the Department of Inspections and Appeals." |
| State/Province: Iowa |
| Full Story: Iowa governor introduces LTC sex offender rule |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Capital-Journal |
| Author: Andy Marso |
| Article Date: 1/11/2012 |
The Topeka Capital-Journal (1/13, Marso) reports that Kansas Senator Roger Reitz "ripped" a "proposal to switch state Medicaid to managed care plans." Reitz said "that in 50 years of practice he had never seen managed care plans work well and he's already worried about whether the Kansas plan will cover things like pain specialists and sleep apnea prevention." |
| State/Province: Kansas |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Hill |
| Author: Pete Kasperowicz |
| Article Date: 1/9/2012 |
The Hill (1/9, Kasperowicz) reported House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman Rep. John Kline (R-MN) "has put forward a formal request for all documents related to the three National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recess appointments that were made last week, a request Kline said is warranted because two of the three appointments did not go through a formal vetting process in Congress. 'The complete departure from and total disregard for normal policies governing the appointments of these individuals to the Board raises serious questions about their qualifications, background, and the future of the NLRB,' Kline wrote." The Hill notes that the President "made the controversial decision to appoint Terence Flynn, Sharon Block and Richard Griffin to the NLRB, even though Block and Griffin were nominated just weeks ago, in mid-December, and had not completed the vetting process as Flynn had." |
| State/Province: District of Columbia |
| Full Story: House GOP probes for documents on NLRB appointments |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The boston Glove |
| Author: Jan Brogan |
| Article Date: 1/3/2012 |
The Boston Globe (1/3, Brogan) reports, "Last month, Medicare announced it would cover up to 20 sessions per year of intensive behavioral intervention for obese patients." This announcement being seen by some in the "wellness coaching industry" as a "foot in the door." They argue that "even though the Medicare decision currently specifies that the sessions be provided by a doctor or nurse practitioner...it is an invitation for everyone in the field -- including wellness coaches -- to test new protocols and submit data." |
| Full Story: Medicare To Pay For Behavioral Intervention For Obese Patients. |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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| | |
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living |
| Author: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living |
| Article Date: 12/21/2011 |
|
| Full Story: Many assisted living residents are Medicaid-dependent, government report says |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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New York Times |
| Author: Gardiner Harris, Reed Ableson & Robert Pear |
| Article Date: 12/20/2011 |
On Friday the Obama administration announced that each state will have the ability to pick from the benefits offered under the health care law offerings, signaling that the administration is working toward a gradualist approach in implementing the law as the 2012 election year approaches.
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| Full Story: A Piecemeal Approach to Health Law in States |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Los Angeles Times |
| Author: David G. Savage |
| Article Date: 12/19/2011 |
The justices schedule 5 1/2 hours of argument, the most for a case since the 1960s, a sign they see it as a landmark test of federal regulatory power.
|
| Full Story: Supreme Court to hear arguments in March on healthcare law |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Provider Magazine |
| Author: Patrick Connole |
| Article Date: 12/19/2011 |
The “2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities” which was conducted by researchers at the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Center for Health Statistics is providing important new data and trend information on assisted living and residential care facilities. Among the findings, 19 percent of all RCF residents receive Medicaid and 43 percent of facilities house and least one Medicaid beneficiary.
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| Full Story: Feds Unveil First National Survey of ALF Facilities, Residents |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Bloomberg |
| Author: Steven Sloan and Richard Rubin |
| Article Date: 12/9/2011 |
While proposals by both Democratic and Republican House members have some similarities, the two parties still disagree on how a payroll tax holiday extension and a “doc fix” should be paid for. “At this moment, I don’t see the formula that gets 60 votes,” said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND). “I’m still hopeful that we will.”
|
| Full Story: Loaded-Up Payroll Tax-Cut Bills Set to Collide in U.S. Congress |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & AssistedLiving |
| Author: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & AssistedLiving |
| Article Date: 12/9/2011 |
|
| Full Story: GOP bill would extend Medicare therapy caps exceptions process, delay physician pay cut for two years |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: No |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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| | |
New York Times |
| Author: Jennifer Steinhauer and Robert Pear |
| Article Date: 12/8/2011 |
On Thursday House Republicans announced they will move forward with a bill proposal that would make changes to entitlement programs and freeze federal worker pay in order to cover the cost of an extension of the payroll tax holiday. The bill would also include a “doc fix” measure and an oil pipeline opposed by President Obama.
|
| Full Story: Republicans Unveil Plan for Payroll Tax |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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USA Today |
| Author: Kelly Kennedy |
| Article Date: 12/6/2011 |
Today the government will announce that 2.65 million Medicare recipients have saved more than $1.5 billion on their prescriptions this yearas a result of a provision of the health care law that put a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs for those in the doughnut hole."We're very pleased with the numbers," Jonathan Blum, director of the Center for Medicare, told USA TODAY. "We found the Part D premiums have also stayed constant, despite predictions that they would go up in 2012."
|
| Full Story: Health Care Law Changing Behavior |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Politico |
| Author: Joanne Kenen & David Nather |
| Article Date: 12/5/2011 |
The year 2012 will be a big year in determining whether Obama’s health care law will move forward, be altered or virtually disappear. Influencing factors which will determine the law’s outcome include a Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of the individual mandate and a presidential election.
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| Full Story: Health Care Forecast |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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NPR |
| Author: Julie Rovner |
| Article Date: 12/5/2011 |
Economists from RAND Health and Dartmouth College and a nursing professor from Vanderbilt University have found a pronounced rise in the number of women between the ages of 23 and 26 who are choosing to go into nursing. "If these young nurses follow the same life-cycle employment patterns as those who preceded them... then they will be the largest cohort of registered nurses ever observed," the authors wrote. The findings could allay fears of an impending nursing shortage. |
| Full Story: Young People Put Dent In Nursing Shortage |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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| | |
Washington Post/Bloomberg |
| Author: Michael A. Fletcher |
| Article Date: 11/29/2011 |
A report released on Tuesday by the National Governors Association indicates that Medicaid will place the largest budgetary burden on states due to the increase of applicants, decrease in federal funding and growing health care costs. When the health care law overhaul goes into effect in 2014, the states will be required to take on even more financial responsibilities.
|
| State/Province: District of Columbia |
| Full Story: States face bleak economic forecast, report says |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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NPR |
| Author: Julie Rovner |
| Article Date: 11/29/2011 |
A new round of grants designed to assist states in setting up insurance marketplaces has been announced by the Obama administration. Thirteen states will receive these grants, seven of which are headed by GOP governors who are part of the multi-state lawsuit contesting the constitutionality of the very health care law from which the grants are coming from. It is likely that the governors who oppose the health care law are accepting the grants in order to have health exchanges in place should the Supreme Court rule the law is constitutional. |
| Full Story: GOP Governors Hedge Bets On Health Insurance Exchanges |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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| | |
Associated Press, Washington Post |
| Author: Associated Press, Washington Post |
| Article Date: 11/29/2011 |
|
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: No |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Politico |
| Author: Jason Millman |
| Article Date: 11/28/2011 |
The Supreme Court ruling on the new health care law is not anticipated to be announced until around the end of June, 2012, but states will be expected to have health exchanges ready for the Department of Health and Human Services to assess by that time. Some states have already set to work to get exchanges organized while others refuse to do so while the fate of the law still undecided. |
| State/Province: District of Columbia |
| Full Story: States squirm over health exchanges |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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| | |
Politico |
| Author: Jason Millman |
| Article Date: 11/28/2011 |
Requests submitted by Indiana and Louisiana for waivers from the health law’s medical loss ratio which require insurers to spend 80 percent of premiums on medical care, have been denied by the Department of Health and Human Services. Earlier this year the HHS denied similar requests from Delaware and North Dakota. |
| State/Province: District of Columbia |
| Full Story: Health care waivers nixed for Indiana, Louisiana |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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New York Times |
| Author: Jane E. Brody |
| Article Date: 11/28/2011 |
A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause symptoms like incontinence, depression, memory loss, fatigue and low blood pressure. Vitamin B12 deficiency is easy to treat and can improve the quality of life for affected seniors. In some individuals B12 deficiencies have led to a misdiagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia. |
| State/Province: New York |
| Full Story: It Could Be Old Age, or It Could Be Low B12 |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & AssistedLiving |
| Author: McKnight's |
| Article Date: 11/22/2011 |
Newly-signed legislation, which changes the calculation for Medicaid eligibility to include Social Security benefits, has drawn fire from disability rights activists. The new formula could make it too hard for some disabled persons to get long-term care services covered by Medicaid, critics say.
|
| Full Story: Obama takes heat for correcting Medicaid loophole |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & AssistedLiving, |
| Author: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & AssistedLiving, |
| Article Date: 11/22/2011 |
According to American Health Care Association president and CEO, Gov. Mark Parkinson, in the aftermath of the supercommittee’s failure, the association is pushing a proposal designed to “reduce Medicare costs for post-acute care and encourage skilled nursing facilities to reduce $5 billion worth of hospital readmissions over 10 years.” Health Facilities Association of Maryland president Joseph DeMattos, Jr. weighed in saying that the committee’s failure was a “tremendous missed opportunity.” DeMattos went on to say that other possible plans have been presented in the past by the “Gang of Six” and other groups. “However, if taken in isolation, each of these packages included provisions that would hurt the future stability of quality long-term and rehabilitative care — for instance a balanced approach cannot be reached by cost shifting federal cuts to struggling state budgets,” DeMattos said.
|
| Full Story: Providers react to super-committee's failure to reach debt deal |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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New York Times |
| Author: Jennifer Steinhauer, Helene Cooper and Robert Pear |
| Article Date: 11/21/2011 |
Following the announcement by the congressional deficit-reduction supercommittee that their efforts to find $1.2 trillion in reductions had failed, President Obama made his own announcement. In a preemptive strike, Obama pledged to veto any future legislation seeking to side-step the automatic cuts set to go into place. The President also sad that $2.2 trillion would be cut from the budget “one way or another. . . There will be no easy off-ramps on this one.”
|
| Full Story: Panel Fails to Reach Deal on Plan for Deficit Reduction |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Provider Magazine |
| Author: Patrick Connole |
| Article Date: 11/21/2011 |
Neil Pruitt Jr., chairman and CEO of UHS-Pruitt Corp. and chairman of the American Health Care Association says that despite the failure of the deficit-reduction supercommittee and the federal and state reductions to reimbursement levels for providers, “quality” will remain the focus of the LTC industry. “I am so proud we’ve not sat back and instead are focused on our quality agenda,” said Pruitt.
|
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Kaiser Health News |
| Author: Marilyn Werber Serafiniand Mary Agnes Carey |
| Article Date: 11/20/2011 |
Regardless of whether Congress' super committee meets its deadline for finding ways to reduce the federal deficit, budget and policy experts are braced for Washington soon to face the painful task of finding more savings - and they anticipate that health spending will be at the top of the list.
Some health care leaders are already laying the groundwork to redirect the debate, to insure that effort doesn’t just shift spending from one part of the health care system to another federal program that provides coverage to about 48 million elderly and disabled people, which eats 15 percent of the federal budget. The proposals include cutting payments to medical providers, asking beneficiaries to pay more for their coverage, and increasing the eligibility age.
The health care interests who stand to take another hit in 2013 want to begin planning now. The current efforts are still informal and very low-key. But several pivotal health care leaders, most of whom have been through previous national health debates and cost-cutting campaigns together, say some of the recent efforts to reduce spending too often just transfer costs off the federal budget and instead slap them on individuals, insurers, doctors or hospitals.
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| Full Story: Health Leaders Prepare For Round Two Of Cuts |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Star Tribune |
| Author: Jackie Crosby |
| Article Date: 11/19/2011 |
Big jumps in the cost of long-term care policies lead to worries that many will skip coverage for nursing homes and old-age care.
As a result of rising medical care costs and poor returns on their investments, insurance companies have been steadily increasing premiums for long-term care insurance. In 2008 the average rate increase among insurance companies was 13 percent – in 2010 it was 40 percent.
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| Full Story: No insurance against price increases |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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New York Times |
| Author: Adam Liptak |
| Article Date: 11/14/2011 |
Supreme Court Justices today agreed to hear appeals from the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, in Atlanta, challenging the health care overhaul law. The court will decide whether the health care overhaul mandate is constitutional and whether, if it is not, how much of the balance of the law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, must fall along with it. Oral arguments are to be heard by March and a decision will be handed down in late June.
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| Full Story: Supreme Court to hear case challenging health law |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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The Washington Post |
| Author: Sarah Kliff |
| Article Date: 11/14/2011 |
The Obama administration is expected to announce Monday as much as $1 billion in funding to hire, train and deploy health-care workers, part of the White House’s broader “We Can’t Wait” agenda to bolster the economy after President Obama’s jobs bill stalled in Congress.
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| Full Story: Obama administration to announce effort to expand health-care workforce |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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The Hill’s Healthwatch |
| Author: Julian Pecquet |
| Article Date: 11/13/2011 |
When a vote on repeal of the CLASS Act comes up in the next week, House Democrats will face a dilemma. "It puts the Democrats in a very difficult position," Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.), the bill's sponsor, told The Hill recently. "They have to decide whether they're going to do the fiscally responsible thing and repeal the program or support something that is fiscally irresponsible."
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| Full Story: House Democrats’ unity tested over CLASS Act repeal vote |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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SeniorHomes.com |
| Author: Angela Stringfellow |
| Article Date: 11/11/2011 |
Veterans day, a time to honor those who have served our country, is a major celebratory event in long-term care facilities across the nation today. Jessica McKay, Public Affairs Manager for Ashby Ponds in Northern Virginia, reminds us that this is a great time to listen to veterans tell of their experiences, and to recognize the contribution and sacrifice these brave individuals have made for our country. She urges us to take a few moments today to thank the special veterans in our lives and invite them to share their stories.
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| Full Story: Our nation’s veterans are a wealth of information |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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Associated Press, Long Island Press |
| Author: Michael Virtanen |
| Article Date: 11/11/2011 |
New York courts specializing in the state’s 4,000 medical malpractice cases filed each year have begun expanding following the success of a Bronx judge in settling cases early, cutting court backlogs and saving money.
“If you have a matter that needs to be resolved, getting compensation to the injured person in a timely fashion is important. We see it as a continued relationship with our patients. … OK, there’s an error, and we’re going to help deal with it,” said Suzanne Blundi, corporate counsel for NYC’s Health and Hositals Corp.
Earlier this year, Judge Pfau issued, and the Administrative Board of the Courts approved, new rules for the state trial courts on medical malpractice, calling for settlement conferences 45 days after court papers are filed indicating that the case is ready for trial.
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| Full Story: More NY courts to focus on medical malpractice |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Provider Magazine |
| Author: Meg LaPorte |
| Article Date: 11/10/2011 |
Georgetown University law professor and former director of Medicaid for the CMS, Tim Westmoreland, spoke at a Thursday Hill briefing. In part, Westmoreland said that cutting Medicaid at this time would be like cutting FEMA during a disastrous storm. “Cutting Medicaid in the middle of a recession is anti-stimulus,” Westmoreland told listeners. “It’s exactly the wrong plan at exactly the wrong time. If anything,” Westmoreland continued, “now is the time to increase FMAP” [the federal matching rate for state Medicaid programs].
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| Full Story: Medicaid briefing: Cuts now would hurt economy |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Associated Press, Boston Globe |
| Author: Matt Sedensky |
| Article Date: 11/5/2011 |
According to the American Geriatrics Society, only one geriatrician exists for every 2,600 people over the age of 74. This equates to a huge shortage of qualified specialists in this field. Geriatrician first-year fellowship spots are hard to fill and a contributing factor is that geriatricians generally make about a third of the annual salary of what other medical specialists make.
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| Full Story: Boomers’ aging casts light on geriatrics shortage |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Lund Report |
| Author: Diane Lund-Muzikant |
| Article Date: 11/3/2011 |
Oregon has shut down the On the Move program following a DOJ investigation found that the project’s manager had “knowingly and intentionally” failed to report accurate information to her supervisors.
Jim Carlson, executive director of the Oregon Health Care Association said, “I think state officials made the right decision in pulling the plug from the standpoint of bad outcomes for people who were enrolled, and it also didn’t appear to be a wise expenditure of taxpayer money. We had never thought the program was a good fit for Oregon because we have some of the lowest nursing home utilization in the country. There were never any clearly defined criteria on who was appropriate for the program and that ultimately contributed to the many poor outcomes -- not to mention the many providers and clients who felt misled.”
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| Full Story: $27.8 million later, Oregon shuts down the On the Move program |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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Provider Magazine |
| Author: Patrick Connole |
| Article Date: 11/2/2011 |
At a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on Wednesday, entitled “Ensuring Quality and Oversight in Assisted Living,” testimony focused on recent newspaper reports that detailed violations in some Florida assisted living facilities.
A statement to the committee by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) said, “The failure of Florida’s regulatory system to ensure quality care in several of the state’s assisted living facilities, as documented in a Miami Herald series and during today’s hearing, is unacceptable and must be addressed. While what occurred in Florida is unacceptable, similar regulatory failures are not happening in the vast majority of other states. NCAL believes that states are the appropriate government bodies to regulate assisted living and that state regulation and enforcement should be strong and adequately funded.”
NCAL said that many of the issues occurred in ALFs caring for people with mental health needs. “Policymakers need to ensure that people with mental health needs are placed in facilities that can meet their needs and that adequate resources are provided for their care,” NCAL added.
“We understand that this is a difficult issue to raise in these times of budget austerity, but adequate funding for Medicaid and other programs serving low-income elderly and people with disabilities simply must become a priority, both at the state and national levels,” NCAL said.
Details of the panel hearing are available here. |
| Full Story: Senate Aging Panel Discusses Assisted Living Quality Oversight |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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New York Times |
| Author: Robert Pear |
| Article Date: 11/1/2011 |
On Tuesday four fiscal policy experts advised the congressional deficit reduction committee that they will have to adopt spending cuts and increase tax revenues if they are to be successful. Erskine B. Bowles, a co-chairman of the president’s fiscal commission said, “I am worried you’re going to fail — fail the country.” Representative Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), co-chairman of the select committee said, “The focus on revenues is a diversion from the real source of the problem, and that is health care spending. Unless we fundamentally, structurally reform our health care programs, everything else we do is tinkering around the edges.” The AARP came under fire during the meeting for working to block Social Security and Medicare changes.
More on this story:
Bipartisan budget hawks to debt-cutting panel: Raise revenue, revamp health programs
By Associated Press, November 1
Budget veterans have advice for 'super committee'
Four experts urge the congressional deficit reduction panel to focus less on politics and more on the economic consequences of failure to reach agreement.By Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, November 2, 2011, 1:06 a.m.
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| Full Story: Deficit Panel Is Warned That It Must Not Fail and Is Urged to Compromise |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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New York Times |
| Author: Gardiner Harris |
| Article Date: 10/31/2011 |
President Obama is signing an executive order on Monday targeted at resolving severe shortages of vital medicines. The F.D.A. will be instructed to ramp up reporting of potential shortages of a specific list of prescription drugs; speed reviews of drug production applications; and inform the Justice Department about possible instances of collusion or price gouging.
At least 180 crucial drugs have been in dangerously short supply this year, with prices of the available quantities rising as much as eightyfold.
Also on Monday, the administration will release two reports that claim the shortages have been caused by a dysfunctional marketplace.
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| Full Story: Obama tries to speed response to shortages in vital medicines |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Messenger |
| Author: Bill Shea |
| Article Date: 10/28/2011 |
At a legislative forum at the Marian Home and Village yesterday, a group of Iowa long-term-care professionals told two lawmakers that the new centralized system for handling Medicaid applications is so slow that nursing homes are not getting reimbursements.
''We're having a horrible time with eligibility,'' said Steve Ackerson, the executive director of the Iowa Health Care Association and Iowa Center for Assisted Living.
''Everybody says nursing homes make so much money,'' he added. ''Nobody has any idea of all the costs that we eat on a daily basis.'' Ackerson said that nursing homes would even consider paying a fee to upgrade Medicaid’s new system in order to avoid the large gaps in payments that are currently plaguing the facilities.
In addition to asking the legislature to improve the Medicaid process, nursing homes are requesting recalculation of the base rates for Medicaid reimbursement. They also want families of Medicaid recipients to be allowed to pay for things like single-person rooms and want the legislature to continue to provide money for a nursing home replacement and renovation program.
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| Full Story: Iowa care pay system decried |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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CMS Provider Resource |
| Author: CMS Provider Resource |
| Article Date: 10/27/2011 |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging everyone 6 months of age and older to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu. The risks for complications, hospitalizations, and deaths from the flu are higher among individuals aged 65 years and older. Medicare pays for the seasonal flu vaccine and its administration for seniors and others with Medicare with no co-pay or deductible. And remember, vaccination is particularly important for healthcare workers, who may spread the flu to high-risk patients; don’t forget to immunize yourself and your staff. Protect your patients. Protect your family. Protect yourself. Get the Flu Vaccination – Not the Flu.
Remember – The flu vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. CMS has posted the 2011-2012 seasonal flu vaccine payment limits at http://www.CMS.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/10_VaccinesPricing.asp. Note that the flu vaccine is NOT a Part D-covered drug.
For more information on coverage and billing of the flu vaccine and its administration, as well as related educational provider resources, visit http://www.CMS.gov/MLNProducts/35_PreventiveServices.aspand http://www.cms.gov/immunizations.
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| Full Story: Vaccination is the Best Protection Against the Flu |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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Provider Magazine |
| Author: Patrick Connole |
| Article Date: 10/27/2011 |
The seniors housing average occupancy rate increased 0.2 percentage points to 88.1 percent in the third quarter of 2011, according to the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry’s (NIC’s) MAP service.
The occupancy rate for independent living properties averaged 87.9 percent, and the occupancy rate for assisted living properties averaged 88.6 percent in the third quarter, 1.0 and 1.1 percentage points, respectively, above their cyclical lows.
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| Full Story: Seniors Housing Extends Modest Recovery To Third Quarter |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Associated Press, New York Times. |
| Article Date: 10/26/2011 |
Congressional deficit-reduction committee Democrats introduced a proposal to the group on Tuesday which was followed within 24 hours by a Republican counter-proposal. Inside sources say the Dems proposal calls for $1.3 trillion in higher tax revenue as well as enough spending cuts to total $3 trillion over the next 10 years. The Republicans’ plan would include $500 billion in spending cuts from Medicare and $185 billion from Medicaid over a decade. Also included in the plan would be airport fees, public land sales and an increase in Medicare premiums. Sources say the division between the Republican and Democratic committee members is still clear, even after weeks of closed-door negotiations.
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| Full Story: Supercommittee GOP, Democrats swap offers |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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By , Reuters |
| Author: Joan Gralla |
| Article Date: 10/26/2011 |
On Wednesday, results of a study by the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems indicated that a 5 percent cut to Medicaid would cost U.S. states $14 billion and would put tens of thousands of people out of jobs. "Such a drastic reduction would stifle business activity and job creation in states already struggling through the recession," the association said.
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| Full Story: States may lose big in jobs, funds if Medicaid cut |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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ABC News |
| Author: Huma Khan |
| Article Date: 10/26/2011 |
A new study published in Health Affairs shows that the federal government may have to spend an additional $58 billion on the Medicaid program annually once the enrollment requirements are changed under Obama’s health care law. "Our results indicate that policy makers should prepare to handle a broad range of contingencies in the Medicaid expansion under health reform," the report concluded. |
| Full Story: New Study Says Government Should Prepare for Contingencies in Medicaid Expansion |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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The Hill’s Healthwatch |
| Author: Julian Pecquet |
| Article Date: 10/25/2011 |
At a Wednesday hearing by two Energy and Commerce panels, House Republicans will be drumming up support for a repeal of the CLASS Act. Assistant secretary for aging, Kathy Greenlee said in written testimony, "One of the main reasons we decided not to move forward with CLASS at this me is that we know no one would be hurt more if CLASS started and failed than the people who had paid into it and were counting on it the most. As prudent stewards of taxpayer dollars and the people we serve, we simply cannot let that happen."
Supporters are not giving up. Ted Kennedy’s son, Patrick, will address the panels in an attempt to resurrect the program championed by his father. |
| Full Story: GOP to pressure Obama to support repealing CLASS Act |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
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New York Times |
| Author: Gardiner Harris and Robert Pear |
| Article Date: 10/24/2011 |
Currently, only 3 percent of Americans have long-term care insurance. The CLASS Act “was designed to serve as a bridge between the affluent who can care for their own and the poor who get Medicaid,” said Diane Rowland, executive vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The program would have allowed people who voluntarily paid premiums for only five years to get benefits for life. For those who couldn’t afford more, there would be premiums of only $5 a month.
CMS chief actuary, Richard S. Foster, said in July 2009 that “36 years of actuarial experience lead me to believe that this program would collapse in short order and require significant federal subsidies to continue.”
Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, said recently, “Everyone involved in the debate knew the proposal was impossible to deliver, and many of us said so.”
As Republicans continue their fight to repeal the entire health reform law, and Obama is focused on re-election, the White House has concluded that the Class Act, even a revised one, would have no chance of passing in the present Congress. |
| Full Story: Still no relief in sight for long-term care |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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Health Blog, Wall Street Journal |
| Author: Laura Landro |
| Article Date: 10/24/2011 |
A new study published online in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has found that orders about resuscitation written on POLST forms, signed by both patient and doctor, were honored 98% of the time, and orders to limit medical interventions were honored 91.1% of the time. About 24% of POLST orders were rewritten near the end of life to reflect a change of preferences, primarily for palliative care.
Started in Oregon almost 20 years ago, the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment forms are currently in use in about 14 states, and more are in development. |
| Full Story: Informed patient: Advance directives cut unwanted hospitalizations |
| Approval Status: Approved |
| Abstracted: Yes |
| Sort Order: 20 |
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