The total amount of money Americans will spend on health care at continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and skilled nursing facilities is projected to increase at a steady pace over the next decade, according to a new report from the Office of the Actuary at the Read More »
Federal Watchdog Criticizes Gaps in Assisted Living Regulations
There are major gaps in the regulation of assisted living communities nationwide, and steps should be taken at the federal level to ensure they’re swiftly and properly addressed, according to a recently published report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report, titled “Improved Read More »
CMS Bans Arbitration Agreements in Long-Term Care
In one fell swoop, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has squashed the controversial use of pre-dispute arbitration agreements in long-term care. The move was announced Wednesday, when CMS issued a new final rule governing the nation’s long-term care facilities. The new rule, Read More »
CareSouth Beefs Up Senior Living Services to Coincide with $170 Million Acquisition
Alongside its $170 million acquisition by HealthSouth Corporation (NYSE: HLS), CareSouth Health System has announced its plan to retain its Health at Home partnership and rename its Senior Living Services division to further focus on such communities. As part of the acquisition, national home health, post-acute and Read More »
Editor’s Picks: Senior Living Nonprofit Merger Strikes $1.5 Billion Agreement
In case you missed it, here are the top headlines grabbing readers’ attention this week, plus some other notable stories from around the web that caught our eye here at SHN: Most Read on SHN ABHOW, be.group Merger to Create $1.5 Billion Senior Living Nonprofit — California-based Read More »
Pioneer ACO Expansion Ahead Following $384 Million Savings
The Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model generated over $384 million in savings to Medicare over its first two years, giving cause to expansion of the patient care model to a larger population of Medicare beneficiaries. The savings to Medicare, an average of approximately $300 per Read More »
CMS Proposes 1.4% Payment Boost for SNFs in 2016
Skilled nursing facilities stand to see Medicare reimbursements increase by 1.4% in fiscal year 2016, under the proposed payment rate announced today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. That would be an overall $500 million increase from fiscal year 2015, CMS noted. The Read More »
Health Care Spending Growth At 53-Year Low
Americans’ health care spending is following a pattern of slow growth, between 3.6% and 4.1% for five consecutive years, according to new data from the Office of the Actuary (OACT) at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). And it grew more slowly last year than at Read More »
CMS Outlines $58 MIllion in Medicare Home Health Cuts for 2015
Changes that could go into effect next year would reduce Medicare payments to home health agencies by .3%, or $58 million, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Tuesday. The proposed rule that cuts the Medicare home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) reflects Read More »
CMS Proposes Disaster Prep Rules for Senior Care Providers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently proposed a rule to improve staff emergency preparedness among its participating providers, including senior housing. The 120-page proposed rule would establish national emergency preparedness requirements for providers and suppliers participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs Read More »