The federal government’s funding of a value-based purchasing (VBP) demonstration project in the Medicare Advantage (MA) program did not improve quality of care, as measured by the plans’ five-star quality ratings. The findings from this demonstration … [Read more...] about Yet Again, Value-Based Purchasing Did Not Improve Quality
Quality of Care
Discharge Planning: Tips for Evaluating a Hospital’s Skilled Nursing Facility Placement Choices
Medicare beneficiaries often need care in a Medicare- participating skilled nursing facility (SNF) after an inpatient hospitalization. For these patients, hospitals are responsible for identifying skilled nursing facilities within the … [Read more...] about Discharge Planning: Tips for Evaluating a Hospital’s Skilled Nursing Facility Placement Choices
Advancing Excellence: Very Few Nursing Homes are “Full Active Participants” and Nearly Half of Them Provide Poor Care
In September 2006, the nursing home industry announced a voluntary quality improvement campaign – Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes.[1] The campaign, now in its ninth year and third phase, describes its mission: “to make nursing homes … [Read more...] about Advancing Excellence: Very Few Nursing Homes are “Full Active Participants” and Nearly Half of Them Provide Poor Care
Center for Medicare Advocacy Co-Authors Report Published by the Kaiser Family Foundation Comparing Consumer Protections in Major Health Plans
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has published a report entitled “Comparison of Consumer Protections in Three Health Insurance Markets: Medicare Advantage, Qualified Health Plans and Medicaid Managed Care Organizations.” The report is … [Read more...] about Center for Medicare Advocacy Co-Authors Report Published by the Kaiser Family Foundation Comparing Consumer Protections in Major Health Plans
Changes to Nursing Home Compare and the Five Star Quality Rating System
Two-Thirds of Nursing Facilities Nationwide Will See Decline In their Quality Measures; One-Third of Facilities Will See Decline in Their Overall Score As promised in October 2014,[1] the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has … [Read more...] about Changes to Nursing Home Compare and the Five Star Quality Rating System
Changes to Nursing Home Compare: Some Good, Some Bad
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to expand its focused surveys on resident assessments and nurse staffing for nursing facilities nationwide (but not in all facilities), beginning in early fiscal year 2015. … [Read more...] about Changes to Nursing Home Compare: Some Good, Some Bad
CMS Restructures Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Program
Separating Beneficiary Complaint Review Functions from Quality Improvement Functions On May 9, 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the first phase of its restructuring of the QIO functions. In the first … [Read more...] about CMS Restructures Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Program
The Myth of Improved Quality in Nursing Home Care: Setting the Record Straight Again
April 17, 2014 A recent report by the Department of Health and Human Services' Inspector General found that one third-of nursing home residents in a Medicare-nursing home stay suffered an adverse event or other harm in August 2011 and that … [Read more...] about The Myth of Improved Quality in Nursing Home Care: Setting the Record Straight Again
CMA Report: Examining Inappropriate Use of Antipsychotic Drugs in Nursing Facilities
The misuse of antipsychotic drugs by nursing homes has been the subject of Congressional hearings and Government reports for many decades.[1] More than 300,000 nursing home residents take antipsychotic drugs and, as the Inspector General found, … [Read more...] about CMA Report: Examining Inappropriate Use of Antipsychotic Drugs in Nursing Facilities
Debunking Nursing Home Myths about Quality of Care and Enforcement of Federal Care Standards
As policymakers in Washington, DC and beyond continue a national discussion about the state of long-term care in the United States, a critical component of the discussion is the quality of care provided in nursing homes across the … [Read more...] about Debunking Nursing Home Myths about Quality of Care and Enforcement of Federal Care Standards