According to the trustees who monitor Medicare and Social Security, the trust fund that supports Medicare will be out of money by 2018. The main reason appears to be rising health care costs. (Washington Post) Medicare and Social Security are funded through payroll taxes, so expect those to increase in the near future to compensate for higher costs. The bottom line is that beneficiaries probably will have to pay more out-of-pocket expenses. Before this bad news was reported, a study on … [Read more...] about Medicare Bankrupt By 2018?
Mandatory Background Checks for LTC Employees in Michigan
In a move designed to improve standards in long term care facilities, Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed a measure earlier this year that requires nursing homes and other assisted living facilities to conduct criminal background checks on prospective employees, the Michigan Long Term Care Partnership Workforce Background Check. (WILX News) At the web site, Michigan Long Term Care Partnership, you'll find the text of the bill, legal guides, and information on the background check … [Read more...] about Mandatory Background Checks for LTC Employees in Michigan
Provider Letter: ACDs for Residents of Nursing Facilities
In a letter dated April 28, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) announced a change regarding funding for Assistive Communication Devices (ACDs). Effective April 1, nursing facilities will be allowed to request reimbursement for ACDs for Medicaid-eligible residents under the following conditions: Obtain from a speech-language therapist licensed in Texas an evaluation of the resident; Obtain from the resident's primary care physician an attestation of medical … [Read more...] about Provider Letter: ACDs for Residents of Nursing Facilities
CMS Nixes Medicare Deadline Extension
Leslie Norwalk, deputy administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), said unequivocally that extending the Medicare prescription drug program deadline is "legally not permissible." The deadline for enrolling in the program is May 15. Under exceptional circumstances, however, CMS allows additional time without penalty. From a Kaiser Network report: Under a new policy announced this month, CMS will allow "ongoing" enrollment in the Medicare prescription drug … [Read more...] about CMS Nixes Medicare Deadline Extension
Amnesty, Illegal Immigration, and Medicaid
President George W. Bush's amnesty plan for illegal aliens is controversial for many reasons. Some believe it will "reward" criminal behavior, while others believe illegal aliens depress wages. Some lawmakers and their constituents believe granting legal status to aliens would be potentially burdensome to the Medicaid system. From Medical News Today: Under the 1996 welfare law, legal immigrants cannot apply for Medicaid or welfare benefits during their first five years in the U.S., but … [Read more...] about Amnesty, Illegal Immigration, and Medicaid
Provider Letter: Texas NATCEP Review
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services has issued a new provider letter to nursing facilities alerting them to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's (CMS) recent review of the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP). You may download the letter here. From the letter: Among its findings, CMS reporting difficulty in evaluation nursing facility documentation regarding annual performance reviews and in-service training of Certified Nurse Aides … [Read more...] about Provider Letter: Texas NATCEP Review
The Time to Plan for Long Term Care is Now
Long term care expert Catherine Hawes, Ph.D., a professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, says: "We spend more time doing research about a car we want to buy than we do when selecting a nursing home or assisted living facility." (Medical News Today) Hawes is right, of course. We have a tendency to focus more on our immediate needs and less on some distant possibility in the future. Because we're living longer, however, at some point we may need to be … [Read more...] about The Time to Plan for Long Term Care is Now
New Jersey Democrats Ask For Medicare Drug Extension
As many of you may know, May 15 is the deadline for beneficiaries to enroll in Medicare's new prescription drug program. I've blogged about the controversial drug plan several times. According to some news stories, the plan is confusing to doctors, providers, and beneficiaries. According to others, beneficiaries aren't as confused about the plan as politicians claim. U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg (pictured) and Robert Menendez of New Jersey are calling for an extension of the May 15 deadline … [Read more...] about New Jersey Democrats Ask For Medicare Drug Extension
Universal Health Care in Massachusetts
By now you've probably heard or read about Massachusetts's new health care law, which would require the uninsured to sign up for health coverage or risk being penalized on their state income taxes. Plans will be offered on a sliding scale, and those who can't afford plans will receive subsidies. Medical News Today has a round-up of opinions. As others have pointed out, about 10 percent of Massachusetts residents are uninsured, compared to 16 percent nationally. Unemployment in the state is … [Read more...] about Universal Health Care in Massachusetts
Should CMS Release Provider Quality Data?
The New York Times stated in a recent editorial that employers and Medicare beneficiaries should have access to information that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid keep on who the best doctors are at the most affordable rates, and reported that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) refuses to release the data. From the article (free registration required): The conflicting perspectives were described by Robert Pear in yesterday's Times. The Business Roundtable, which … [Read more...] about Should CMS Release Provider Quality Data?