This week the General Accounting Office (GAO) issued a report entitled “Medicare Advantage: Fundamental Improvements Needed in CMS’s Effort to Recover Substantial Amounts of Improper Payments. The report states that the Centers for … [Read more...] about Government Auditor Finds Billions in Improper Payments to Medicare Advantage Plans Coupled with Inadequate Oversight by Federal Regulator
Weekly Alert
Center Submits Comments in Support of Part B Drug Demonstration
As discussed in previous Alerts, on March 11, 2016 CMS published a proposed rule aimed at reforming how Medicare pays for drugs covered under Part B. CMS states that its main objective is to ensure that physicians are prescribing the most effective … [Read more...] about Center Submits Comments in Support of Part B Drug Demonstration
CMS Issues Many Important Proposed Medicare Rules
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently issued a host of Medicare-related proposed rules that are currently open for comment, including the following:MACRA (Physician Payment)On April 27, 2016, CMS released a … [Read more...] about CMS Issues Many Important Proposed Medicare Rules
Observation Status and the NOTICE Act: Advocates Not Over the MOON
In proposed rules updating Medicare reimbursement to acute care hospitals,[1] the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announces how it intends to implement the Notice of Observation Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility Act … [Read more...] about Observation Status and the NOTICE Act: Advocates Not Over the MOON
Reducing Hospital Readmissions by Addressing the Causes
Reports that 20% or more of unplanned hospital readmissions are avoidable has led to considerable interest in policymakers in reducing readmissions.[1] Actively reducing hospital readmissions is seen as a route to lower Medicare spending and … [Read more...] about Reducing Hospital Readmissions by Addressing the Causes
Improving Quality of Care for Nursing Home Residents by Improving Wages, Benefits, Training and Working Conditions for Nurse Aides
The single factor most critical to high quality of care and quality of life for nursing home residents is the staff who provide residents with care. Most direct care in nursing facilities is provided by nurse aides, primarily women of color, … [Read more...] about Improving Quality of Care for Nursing Home Residents by Improving Wages, Benefits, Training and Working Conditions for Nurse Aides
Notice About the Center’s Nurse Staffing Project
As part of the Center’s ongoing project on approaches to improve nurse staffing levels in nursing facilities, this week we are posting a paper on “Increasing Reimbursement.” This approach increases reimbursement to nursing … [Read more...] about Notice About the Center’s Nurse Staffing Project
Center Submits Comments to CMS Opposing Prior Authorization of Home Health Services
As discussed in our March 2, 2016 CMA Alert, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a notice in the Federal Register in February 2016 announcing its effort to seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to … [Read more...] about Center Submits Comments to CMS Opposing Prior Authorization of Home Health Services
Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act
The Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2015 is tremendously important for the protection of older people and people living with disabilities. The Reauthorization Act Bill passed the House with an amendment on March 21, 2016. The … [Read more...] about Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act
International Study: Privatization of Long-Term Care Facilities Does Not Lead to Greater Transparency or More Care
A comparison of the long-term care industry in California, Ontario (Canada), England, and Norway evaluates the extent to which ownership of nursing facilities has shifted from the public sector to private for-profit and not-for-profit companies, and … [Read more...] about International Study: Privatization of Long-Term Care Facilities Does Not Lead to Greater Transparency or More Care