Provider Letter PL 18-17 (NF) This letter addresses feeding assistance care for nursing home residents and staffing requirements to implement rules. HHSC and Long Term Care Regulatory (LTCR) determined that the topic of feeding assistance required an updated and consolidated communication to providers. The letter details: Policy Details & Provider Responsibilities: A paid feeding assistant is an individual who meets the requirements specified in the Texas Administrative Code who is … [Read more...] about Provider Letter: Feeding Assistance Rules for Nursing Facilities
HHS Releases Report on Hospice Care Fraud in US
A report released recently released by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the US Department of Health titled: Vulnerabilities in the Medicare Hospice Program Affect Quality Care and Program Integrity has highlighted that hospice care fraud is a nationwide problem in the US. The report found that hospices do not always provide needed services to beneficiaries and sometimes provide poor quality care for Nursing home residents and other patients. When care is provided hospices’ inappropriate … [Read more...] about HHS Releases Report on Hospice Care Fraud in US
Elderly patients at risk at Nursing homes that overmedicate
National reports by Human rights advocates say that nursing homes are overprescribing antipsychotics to patients. According to the latest data from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, known as CMS, the percentage of long-term nursing home residents being given antipsychotic drugs dropped from about 24 percent in late 2011 to under 16 percent last year. Yet advocacy groups reveal that misuse of drugs remains a major problem in nursing facilities. The findings outlined in a … [Read more...] about Elderly patients at risk at Nursing homes that overmedicate
Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) adopted new rules for Disabled Patients
Provider Letter 18-04 The new rule describes the requirement of a facility to allow a resident to use a wheelchair self-release seatbelt if the resident meets certain conditions. Addressed to providers including Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs), Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability or Related Conditions (ICFs/IID), and Nursing Facilities (NFs). The new rules implement §322.0515, Texas Health and Safety Code, as added by House Bill (HB) 284 of the 85th … [Read more...] about Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) adopted new rules for Disabled Patients
Medicare program’s penalty protocols for Nursing homes change under Trump Administration
In 2016, the nursing home industry requested the change in the Medicare program's penalty protocols and now, according to reports, a new policy from the Trump administration will roll back fines against nursing homes cited for mistreatment or neglect. The New York Times research found that nearly 6,500 nursing homes in the U.S. have received at least one citation for a serious violation since 2013 and about two-thirds of those have been fined by Medicare.According to this New York Times excerpt … [Read more...] about Medicare program’s penalty protocols for Nursing homes change under Trump Administration
Abuse & poor quality care rate in Texas nursing homes is nearly four times the national average
Many nursing homes have hired Certified Nurse Aides with criminal histories legally. Using data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, it has been discovered that the patient abuse rate in Texas nursing homes is nearly four times the national average. 25% of the state's 1,200 long-term care centers have been cited for serious standard deficiencies- According to reports by the AARPIn Texas, there are many nurse aides in nursing facilities that have criminal … [Read more...] about Abuse & poor quality care rate in Texas nursing homes is nearly four times the national average
Nursing Home Disaster Preparation Under Scrutiny, Evaluated by Senators
The Hurricane Ima weather disaster claimed the lives of nine nursing home residents in Florida who died as a result of lack of A/C due to power outages and non-working backup generators. In Texas, Hurricane Harvey brought attention to the fact that an El Paso, Texas, nursing home had no plan for how to bring wheelchair-dependent people down flights of stairs, while many others had to wade through waist-deep floodwaters to exit the facilities. As a result of these disturbing occurrences, … [Read more...] about Nursing Home Disaster Preparation Under Scrutiny, Evaluated by Senators
Status on Pre-Dispute Arbitration Agreement
A coalition of states has joined together to oppose the Administration proposal to end the ban on pre-dispute arbitration agreements used by nursing homes. This band arises from a final rule promulgated in October of 2016. Meanwhile, though the American Health Care Association supports ending the ban, it also opposes other provisions seeking to impose more regulation on the agreements themselves and submitted those in comments to the proposed new rule. … [Read more...] about Status on Pre-Dispute Arbitration Agreement
Information and Provider Letters: Critical Incident Reporting
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) released three information letters and one provider letter: Resident Choice of Health Professionals DADS reminded Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) and Home and Community Support Services Agencies of a resident's right to choose and contract with his or her own health care professionals. According to DADS, ALFs must specify in the facility resident admission agreement any requirements the facility imposes on non-facility … [Read more...] about Information and Provider Letters: Critical Incident Reporting
The Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act of 2008
Congress is considering the Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act of 2008, which make pre-admission arbitration agreements invalid and unenforceable. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial Law and Administrative Law just approved the bill and refused amendments which would prevent it from being applied retroactively, among other things. Specifically, the bill: ...requires that agreements to arbitrate nursing home disputes be made after the dispute has arisen and not at the time … [Read more...] about The Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act of 2008