More Medicare prescription drug program controversy! The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will automatically enroll six million U.S. residents eligible for Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug plans who have not selected a plan by January 1, 2006. Dual eligibles not automatically enrolled will still be allowed to fill prescriptions at pharmacies. Consumer groups are concerned about beneficiaries' rights. They've sued the federal government, alleging that "CMS has failed … [Read more...] about CMS To Automatically Enroll Six Million Dual Eligibles
Amended Requirements for Paid Feeding Assistants
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) has released an update to Provider Letter #04-11 regarding paid feeding assistant requirements for nursing facilities. The Federal Code of Regulations amends Title 40, ยง19.101, of the Texas Administrative Code to include the definition for "paid feeding assistant." Assistants must have successfully completed the appropriate DADS training curriculum. Paid feeding assistants are allowed to feed residents without "complicated feeding … [Read more...] about Amended Requirements for Paid Feeding Assistants
Clostridium difficile –Some Important Information from MedSleuth
MedSleuth makes some important points about C-Diff and you should all take note of this: Two facts about Clostridium difficile are of increasing concern. First, it is becoming resistant to antibiotic treatment, and second, it is being discovered in otherwise healthy individuals who have neither been hospitalized nor been on antibiotics . MedSleuth goes on to quote some other important facts: In another article in the New England Journal of Medicine, health officials said … [Read more...] about Clostridium difficile –Some Important Information from MedSleuth
New Regulations for Critical Access Hospitals
Last month the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memo to state survey agency directors that will affect certain providers. The memo (PDF) contains information about changes to statutory requirements for critical access hospitals (CAH). Instead of paraphrasing, I'll quote from the memo: The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), enacted on December 8, 2003, contained a number of modifications to the CAH statutory requirements … [Read more...] about New Regulations for Critical Access Hospitals
Immunizations for Nursing Home Residents
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
The Folded Napkin . A Truckers Story
This story was sent to PPAT by one of the members. Carole at PPAT gave me permission to post it here. I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Downs Syndrome. I … [Read more...] about The Folded Napkin . A Truckers Story
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