Nursing home providers participating in Medicare and Medicaid must give residents the opportunity to receive immunizations against influenza and pneumonia. See this memo from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The new rules require that facilities must educate residents about why immunization is important, warn them of the dangers of not being immunized, the right to refuse immunization, etc. By next spring, CMS will provide guidelines for state survey agency directors. In … [Read more...] about Immunizations for Nursing Home Residents
Long Term Care Providers and Foreign Drugs
It goes without saying that long term care providers are allowed to administer drugs to patients, and extra care is required when acquiring, receiving, dispensing and administering foreign prescription drugs. The attached letter (PDF) instructs state survey agency directors on what to do when providers administer foreign drugs. Foreign drugs that purport to be the same as Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs may be substandard and/or dangerous. Providers must make sure that foreign … [Read more...] about Long Term Care Providers and Foreign Drugs
Long Term Care Associations Speak Out
Many Medicare beneficiaries are elderly and most of them will likely have trouble understanding the complicated new drug plan because of age-related cognitive impairments. As a result, long term care providers will need to educate patients about the new plan, which some predict will prove burdensome. Several long term care association members expressed their concerns in this Dallas Morning News article (free registration): The American Health Care Association, which represents … [Read more...] about Long Term Care Associations Speak Out
Medicare’s New Prescription Drug Plan Causing Confusion
Under Medicare's new prescription drug plan, which goes into effect in January 2006, beneficiaries will have to choose between the new plan and free meds offered by private drug companies. These and other aspects of the program are causing confusion among seniors and industry experts. For example, the program won't be administered by the Social Security Administration, which oversees hospitalization and doctors fees under Medicare. Private insurance companies will manage the plan. … [Read more...] about Medicare’s New Prescription Drug Plan Causing Confusion
Echoing the Senate, House Approves Medicaid Cuts
Earlier this month I wrote that the Senate Finance Committee approved a bill that would reduce Medicare and Medicaid spending by $10 billion over five years. The full Senate approved the bill on November 4, 2005, and the House of Representatives recently passed its version of the bill, which would cut Medicaid funding by $12 billion over five years. If both chambers of Congress approve the House version of the bill, expect the following changes: Medicaid co-payments may rise with … [Read more...] about Echoing the Senate, House Approves Medicaid Cuts
Home Health Care Providers Can Expect $370 million in 2006
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that Medicare payments to home health agencies will increase by 2.8 percent next year. Home health care providers, paid through a prospective payment system, can expect $370 million in payments in 2006. How are payment rates calculated? From the CMS web site: Home health payment rates are updated annually by either the full home health market basket percentage, or by the home health market basket percentage as adjusted … [Read more...] about Home Health Care Providers Can Expect $370 million in 2006
Capped Rental Option For Medical Equipment Eliminated
A few days ago I wrote about the Senate's budget bill, which will reduce Medicare and Medicaid spending by $10 billion over five years. According to Medical News Today, the bill will also eliminate Medicare beneficiaries' choice of continuing to rent medical equipment in the capped rental category because a section of the legislation would discontinue that option. How does this effect providers? If Medicare beneficiaries have to pay to maintain the equipment, providers can no longer offer … [Read more...] about Capped Rental Option For Medical Equipment Eliminated
Drunken Moose Invades Nursing Home
If you have fruit trees on your premises, don't let the fruit fall to the ground and ferment lest this happen: They rarely have problems with drunks or rowdy animals, but residents of an elderly home in southern Sweden had to deal with both when a pair of intoxicated moose invaded the premises. The moose _ a cow and her calf _ had become drunk over the weekend by eating fermented apples they found outside the home in Sibbhult, southern Sweden, said Anna Karlsson, who works there. … [Read more...] about Drunken Moose Invades Nursing Home
New Medicare Drug Program vs. Free Meds
Medicare beneficiaries may have to choose between the new prescription drug program or free medication from drug companies. I recently wrote about Medicare's new prescription drug program, which goes into effect in January 2006. From the New York Times (registration required): Mr. Bach, 65, who is blind, received worrisome news last month from Bristol-Myers Squibb. The free Plavix he gets from the company's charitable foundation will stop if he enrolls in the new Medicare prescription … [Read more...] about New Medicare Drug Program vs. Free Meds
It’s National Hospice Month
November has been designated National Hospice Month. As more families continue to face difficult decisions about hospice care, providers have an opportunity to raise awareness about end-of-life issues for the terminally ill and their care-givers. The National Association for Homecare and Hospice has written an informative fact sheet called Hospice Facts & Statistics (PDF). I'm also linking to a letter to the editor at the Journal Standard written by a woman who works at a hospice called … [Read more...] about It’s National Hospice Month