In mid-2004, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit became the first federal appellate court holding that the companionship services exemption under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSAâ€) could not be used by home health agencies to avoid paying its home care attendants minimum wage and overtime pay. (Coke v Long Island Care at Home, Ltd., 376 F3d 118 (2d Cir 2004)). Citing a 2005 Wage and Hour Advisory Memorandum issued by the Department of Labor (DOL), the US … [Read more...] about U.S. Supreme Court to Address Companionship Exemption Under FLSA
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U.S. Supreme Court to Address Companionship Exemption Under FLSA
In mid-2004, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit became the first federal appellate court holding that the companionship services exemption under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSAâ€) could not be used by home health agencies to avoid paying its home care attendants minimum wage and overtime pay. (Coke v Long Island Care at Home, Ltd., 376 F3d 118 (2d Cir 2004)). Citing a 2005 Wage and Hour Advisory Memorandum issued by the Department of Labor (DOL), the US … [Read more...] about U.S. Supreme Court to Address Companionship Exemption Under FLSA
National Provider Identifier
A National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a 10-digit number used to identify providers under the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, there are only 151 days left to comply with the NPI requirement. From the site: If you are a health care provider who bills for services, you probably need an NPI. If you bill Medicare for services, you definitely need an NPI! Getting an NPI is easy. Getting an NPI is … [Read more...] about National Provider Identifier
Physicians Medicare Reimbursement Reduction Reversed
Physicians receiving Medicare reimbursements will get a reprieve. Before adjourning last week, Congress passed a bill that will reverse a 5.1 percent reduction in reimbursement. (Kaiser Network) Reimbursement rates will remain at their current levels, and physicians who report quality-of-care data will get a 1.5 percent increase. Back in September, one lawmaker, House Ways and Means Committee Chair Bill Thomas, offered to block the reduction if the American Medical Association (AMA) and other … [Read more...] about Physicians Medicare Reimbursement Reduction Reversed
‘Cultural Transformation’ in the Long Term Care Industry
I’ve blogged about the impending retirement of waves of baby boomers before. It’s a hot topic in the health care industry, which will need to adjust to the influx of Americans who’ll need long term, and sometimes specialized care. A bipartisan committee called The National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care, co-chaired by former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, will release a report that will guide the industry and help it prepare for new patients and new … [Read more...] about ‘Cultural Transformation’ in the Long Term Care Industry
Party-Line Medicare Battles Continue
The new majority party in Congress didn’t wait long before it starting pulling rank. Under the current Medicare law, passed in 2003, the federal government is prohibited from negotiating drug prices or establishing a list of preferred drugs. Soon-to-be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the Democrats will try to repeal the ban straight out of the starting gate. (Kaiser Network) So much for Republicans’ efforts to partially privatize the system. One of the concerns about the government … [Read more...] about Party-Line Medicare Battles Continue
Provider Letters: Incident Reporting and Provider/Survey Conference
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) issued a provider letter to Licensed Nursing Facilities, Medicare/Medicaid-certified Nursing Facilities, and Skilled Nursing Facilities about guidelines for reporting incidents. Superseding guidelines dated July 14, 2000, the revised guidelines require any facility staffer who believes a resident has been abused, neglected, or exploited by another staffer to report it, pursuant to Health and Safety Code §242.122 and 40 Texas … [Read more...] about Provider Letters: Incident Reporting and Provider/Survey Conference
Physicians Reject Offer To Block Reimbursement Rate Cuts
Last month I mentioned that the American Medical Association (AMA) and other doctors groups planned to lobby Congress during the August recess to block a scheduled reduction in Medicare reimbursement rates. In the ongoing saga, one lawmaker recently made an offer that was easy to refuse: send us quality-of-care reports, and we’ll block the reduction. (Kaiser Network) No thanks, said the AMA. Physicians are not only trying to block the cut; they’re seeking a 2 percent increase in … [Read more...] about Physicians Reject Offer To Block Reimbursement Rate Cuts
CMS Chief to Resign
Mark McClellan, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is resigning. McClellen had been CMS chief since March 2004. According to Medical News Today, McClellan is headed to the conservative think tank, American Enterprise Institute. McClellan, born right here in Austin, Texas, oversaw the launch of Medicare's new prescription drug program, Medicare Part D. He is a medical doctor who's served in the federal government since the late 1990s. He is the brother … [Read more...] about CMS Chief to Resign
Provider Letters: Permanency Planning and Non-Emergency Ambulance Transportation
Effective September 1, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability (DADS) must delegate "the development of a permanency plan to a mental retardation authority (MRA), to a private entity other than an entity providing long-term institutional care, or to DADS personnel" for an individual under 22 receiving services or seeking admission to an institution. DADS will delegate the responsibilities to the local mental retardation authority where the individual or his legally authorized … [Read more...] about Provider Letters: Permanency Planning and Non-Emergency Ambulance Transportation
