As the senior living industry grapples with high expenses and depressed margins, some are embracing a once-unthinkable idea: Having taxpayers foot the bill for some or all of assisted living and memory care costs. While the industry has long resisted the allure of public dollars to help pay for operations, Medicare or Medicaid reimbursements could […]
U.S. President Donald J. Trump has officially taken the oath of office, and with that has come increasing uncertainty around many sweeping promises he made on the campaign trail and following the election, particularly in regard to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Residents at one West Coast senior living community have since expressed their concerns […]
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced Monday new, historic goals that encourage quality over quantity of Medicare-based care. Part of that goal centers around more Accountable Care Organization (ACO) participation as well as bundled payments that will help identify higher quality partners, rather than those who see the greatest number of patients. […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a new rule Monday that aims to improve incentives to participate in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). The changes would update and improve policies governing the Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program) by targeting several program areas including beneficiary assignment, data sharing, available risk models, eligibility requirements, participation […]
President Obama signed into law a bill to standardize data used by post-acute care providers Monday, which aims to increase quality, transparency and accountability to the post-acute care industry. The Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act, or IMPACT Act (H.R. 4994), received support from both Democrats and Republicans, and received praise from multiple health care […]
With many eyes on Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and their role in the future of senior care, the The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) shed some light Tuesday on the performances of its Pioneer ACOs to date. According to quality and financial performance results compiled by CMS, Medicare ACOs have improved patient care […]
Home-based primary care (HBPC) contributes to fewer skilled nursing facility (SNF) stays and reduces Medicare costs for ill seniors, a new report finds. A HBPC model led to 27% fewer SNF stays and 17% lower total Medicare costs over two years based on the study’s elderly participants, according to the report “Effects of Home- Based Primary Care on […]
Though roughly 1.4 million Americans are living in nursing homes today, this segment of senior housing isn’t exactly attractive to the average person, The New York Times writes in a recent article. In fact, nursing homes have developed a bad reputation as “smelly, indifferent places where people go to die,” according to the article, “Nursing Home […]
Nearly 3,000 nursing home jobs have already been lost in Ohio due to the squeeze created by an 11.1% reduction in Medicare reimbursement rates, and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care recently said this represents the “leading edge of a national trend” that could affect all skilled nursing patients as direct care staff is […]
