Nurse Staffing in Nursing Homes: CMS Transition to Payroll-Based Journal Staffing Data on Nursing Home Compare Will Provide Better Information for the PublicBeginning in April 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will … [Read more...] about Nursing Home Roundup
Quality of Care
Consumer Statement on New Federal Landmark Study on “Critical Incidents” in Assisted Living
A February 5, 2018 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that thousands of "Critical Incidents" in assisted living facilities occur regularly with little accountability, highlighting the need for federal … [Read more...] about Consumer Statement on New Federal Landmark Study on “Critical Incidents” in Assisted Living
Alert – Tax Cut Harm Just Got Worse; This Week in Sabotage; CMS Pushing MA Plans; SNF Deregulation
Tax Cut Bill Just Got Worse. Health Care at Risk. This Week in Sabotage CMS Steering to Medicare Advantage Administration And Nursing Home Industry: Lockstep in Deregulating Nursing Facilities & Reducing Resident ProtectionsTax Cut … [Read more...] about Alert – Tax Cut Harm Just Got Worse; This Week in Sabotage; CMS Pushing MA Plans; SNF Deregulation
CMA Alert – OIG Warns of Abuse in SNFs; Ted Kennedy, Jr. Joins CMA Advisory Board; “Jimmo” Corrective Action Plan
HHS OIG Warns of Potential Elder Abuse in Skilled Nursing Facilities Connecticut State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr. Joins Center for Medicare Advocacy Advisory Board Jimmo Corrective Action Plan CompletedHHS OIG Warns of Potential Elder Abuse … [Read more...] about CMA Alert – OIG Warns of Abuse in SNFs; Ted Kennedy, Jr. Joins CMA Advisory Board; “Jimmo” Corrective Action Plan
CMA Alert – Joint Replacement Model Undermines Care; OTC Hearing Aids Legislation Passed; More
Care is Compromised Under CMS’s Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) Model: A Case In Point Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act Signed into Law Severe Harm if ACA Cost-Sharing Payments EndCare is Compromised Under … [Read more...] about CMA Alert – Joint Replacement Model Undermines Care; OTC Hearing Aids Legislation Passed; More
Nursing Home “Advancing Excellence” Quality Program Ends after a Decade
Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes, a voluntary program promoted as an effort to improve quality of care in nursing homes, has ended after a decade. Unfortunately, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will continue the … [Read more...] about Nursing Home “Advancing Excellence” Quality Program Ends after a Decade
Don’t be Fooled by the Federal Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating System
In 2014, The New York Times reported that nursing facilities were gaming the Five-Star Quality Rating System on Nursing Home Compare and that “even nursing homes with a history of poor care rate highly in the areas that rely on self-reported … [Read more...] about Don’t be Fooled by the Federal Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating System
Proper Use of Electronic Health Records Could Enhance Patient Care
If properly utilized, Electronic Health Records (EHR) could increase the quality of care for Medicare’s beneficiaries and lower program costs. EHRs provide the possibility of easy transfer of information between providers, and better patient … [Read more...] about Proper Use of Electronic Health Records Could Enhance Patient Care
Medicare’s Value-Based Purchasing Program for Hospitals: Paying More to Low-Cost Hospitals That Provide Low Quality Care
In 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced expansion of Medicare’s Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program for acute care hospitals. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2015, and as mandated by Congress in the Affordable … [Read more...] about Medicare’s Value-Based Purchasing Program for Hospitals: Paying More to Low-Cost Hospitals That Provide Low Quality Care
New Report Highlights National Epidemic of Medical Errors
By Cynthia Ronzio, Public Health ConsultantThe British Medical Journal (BMJ) recently published a highly controversial and alarming study that claims that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US.[1] The authors used … [Read more...] about New Report Highlights National Epidemic of Medical Errors