— “Although CMS posted the new manual Tuesday, just one week before it goes into effect, the agency previously had issued guidance to long-term care providers on notable changes regarding therapy and nutritional status.” – McKnight’s
— “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has decided to ease guidelines concerning auditors’ requests for additional documentation. CMS is giving providers a small break by saying auditors should accept additional documentation submissions in a variety of ways.” – McKnight’s
— “Hospitals are increasingly keeping patients for extended observation stays, which do not count toward Medicare’s three-day inpatient requirement to cover subsequent skilled nursing care. Long-term care advocates and providers, seniors, public policy leaders and lawmakers have all called for a solution to the observation stay problem, which saddles Medicare beneficiaries with significant costs for post-acute care, and in some cases deprives them of needed services.” – McKnight’s
— On Saturday, the Texas Tribune live-blogged from the Texas Tribune Festival’s Health Care track, which covered Affordable Care Act and Medicaid discussions.
— “Long-term care providers will feel some effects but should not experience serious disruptions due to the shutdown of the federal government, according to prominent trade associations.” – McKnight’s