New York's Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is ready to crack down on substandard nursing homes. According to Spitzer, the Jennifer Matthew Nursing and Rehabilitation Center neglected patients and denied them medication. From an editorial in the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: Hidden cameras helped reveal, Spitzer claims, that residents were routinely left lying in waste while staff napped, that medication was denied and that help call bells were put out of reach of patients. Spitzer … [Read more...] about New York Nursing Home Under Fire
Medicare Goes to Court
Medicare's controversial new prescription drug program has been taken to court. A federal district judge has ruled that federal courts have no authority to order the continuation of existing drug benefits to people with Medicare who are losing Medicaid drug coverage. Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center and one of the plaintiffs in the case, said the health and safety of the nation's oldest, poorest and frailest Americans "rests squarely with the Bush Administration." … [Read more...] about Medicare Goes to Court
Medicare Therapy Cap
The American Physical Therapy Association has announced that Medicare therapy services will be subject to two caps. Physical therapy and speech language pathology will have a combined cap of $1,740 and a separate cap for occupational therapy, all effective on January 1, 2006. Just as Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, doctors, and certain long term care providers have complained about Medicare's reportedly confusing new prescription drug program, physical therapists have issues with the new … [Read more...] about Medicare Therapy Cap
Long Term Care At Home
As baby boomers age, costs for long term care will continue to grow, and states like Vermont are doing something about it. Vermont has instituted a program called Choice for Care, which allows all eligible recipients to choose long term care at home instead of a nursing home. Many elderly people probably prefer to remain at home and independent, and the program will allow them more flexibility to do so. The program sends 12 nurses across the state to assess the needs of Vermont's Medicaid … [Read more...] about Long Term Care At Home
‘People with Medicare are frustrated and bewildered…’
Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, a national consumer service organization, issued a statement related to Medicare's new prescription drug program. An excerpt: Less than five percent of people who could voluntarily choose a prescription drug plan have done so (see calculations below). People with Medicare are frustrated and bewildered about a program that is needlessly complex and unreliable. The reasons for these appalling enrollment numbers are self-evident. … [Read more...] about ‘People with Medicare are frustrated and bewildered…’
Drugs Excluded from Medicare Part D
The blogger over at Over! My! Med! Body! is a third year medical student. His blog is very informative about Health Care policies. He recently posted an article that will answer questions you may have about why some medications seem to be missing from the Medicare Drug Calculator. He obtained the following information from a Medicare patient advocate: In your tutorial, you mention that you have questions with the "Enter My Medications" section. First, the Federal legislation … [Read more...] about Drugs Excluded from Medicare Part D
‘It might as well be in Chinese.’
Medicare's new prescription drug plan is causing more headaches. Many beneficiaries don't understand it, and doctors say it's "unrealistic" for them to bear the burden of explaining it. From the Associated Press: Millions of senior citizens will become eligible for the benefit Jan. 1, but many don't know whether it will save them money, or which private insurance plan they should choose among the dozens that have bombarded their mailboxes with ads in recent months. Many don't know how … [Read more...] about ‘It might as well be in Chinese.’
Building and Electrical Codes
The Texas legislature recently amended sections of the Local Government Code, which will affect certain long term care providers. The amendments were added to define "International Building Code" and "Commercial." The letter can be accessed through PDF file by clicking here. All municipalities must adopt the International Building Code as the standard for commercial buildings for which construction begins on or after January 1, 2006. You can read the text of the bill here. … [Read more...] about Building and Electrical Codes
New Texas Provider Letter on Medicare RX–Jan. 1, 2006 Deadline
Texas DADS has published a new provider letter regarding Medicare Rx. as impacts Nursing Homes and ICF-MRs . The letter addresses dual beneficiaries of Medicaid/Medicare: Effective January 1, 2006, all full-dual Medicare beneficiaries (Medicare beneficiaries who currently receive prescription drug coverage through Medicaid) will be transitioned from Medicaid prescription drug coverage to the new Medicare Rx Prescription Drug coverage (Medicare Rx). We are providing you with … [Read more...] about New Texas Provider Letter on Medicare RX–Jan. 1, 2006 Deadline
Decisions for 41 Million
Medicare's new prescription drug program goes into effect in less that two weeks, and pharmacies and nursing homes are making preparations. About 41 million eligible Medicare beneficiaries will get to select plans that will cover part of the prescription drug costs. As I've written before, long term care providers are concerned that elderly patients, many of whom have cognitive problems, may not have the ability to make informed choices about coverage. "None of the residents in my facility … [Read more...] about Decisions for 41 Million