In early April, Reed Smith hosted an enlightening conference entitled “Reed Smith 2014 Washington Health Care Conference: Focus on Post-Acute Care” in Washington, D.C. The conference brought together a panel of experts to discuss episodic care, bundling models, and alternative payment and delivery systems, as well as other speakers to present from the perspective of investors and Capitol Hill. The conference was capped with a stimulating keynote address from American Enterprise Institute resident scholar Dr. Norman Ornstein on the current polarized nature of American politics, particularly in regards to national health policy.
Continue Reading Highlights from Reed Smith’s Post-Acute Care Conference
Nursing Homes
HHS OIG Identifies “Top 25” Priorities
The OIG has released its “Compendium of Priority Recommendations,” which lists 25 priority issues for which the OIG has open recommendation and that, if implemented, would best protect the integrity of HHS programs. The 25 top priorities are as follows:
- Medicare Policies and Payments: address wasteful Medicare policies and payment rates for clinical laboratories, hospitals,
…
Reed Smith Hosting Washington Health Care Conference: Focus on Post-Acute Care on April 4, 2014 – One Week Left to Register
On April 4th, 2014, Reed Smith will host its inaugural Washington Health Care Conference at The Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. With a keynote from Dr. Norman Ornstein, this year’s conference will focus on post-acute care, bringing together leading industry professionals for a discussion on several important issues. Limited seating is still available for this complimentary program. If you are interested in registering, please email Lindsay Korenich at lkorenich@reedsmith.com.
Continue Reading Reed Smith Hosting Washington Health Care Conference: Focus on Post-Acute Care on April 4, 2014 – One Week Left to Register
OIG Assesses Adverse Events Among Medicare Beneficiaries in SNFs
The OIG released a report on March 3, 2014, “Adverse Events in Skilled Nursing Facilities: National Incidence among Medicare Beneficiaries,” that examines the national incidence rate, preventability, and cost of adverse events in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). This report is an outgrowth of a series of studies about hospital adverse events. For purposes of this…
CMS Call on Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes (Feb. 26)
On February 26, 2014, CMS is hosting a call to discuss the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes, which includes as a goal reducing the use of unnecessary antipsychotic medications in nursing homes. This call will focus on the role of surveyors in the implementation of the partnership, the importance of leadership,…
OIG Focuses on Hospitalization of Nursing Home Patients
A recent OIG report, "Medicare Nursing Home Resident Hospitalization Rates Merit Additional Monitoring,” examines the extent to which Medicare nursing home residents are hospitalized. The OIG found that in FY 2011, nursing homes transferred one quarter of their Medicare residents to hospitals for inpatient admissions in FY 2011, and Medicare spent $14.3 billion on these…
CMS Call on Dementia Care in Nursing Homes (Nov. 25)
CMS is hosting a call on November 25, 2013 to discuss progress to date in implementing the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes. The partnership is focused on delivering person-centered, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary care and reducing the use of unnecessary antipsychotic medications in nursing homes. The target audience for the call is…
CMS Finalizes Medicare/Medicaid Requirements for Long Term Care Facilities Providing Hospice Services
On June 27, 2013, CMS published a final rule that revises the requirements that an institution must meet to qualify as a skilled nursing facility (SNF) in the Medicare program, or as a nursing facility (NF) in the Medicaid program with regard to hospice services. Specifically, the rule requires SNFs and NFs that chose…
CMS Call on Improving Dementia Care in Nursing Homes (July 10)
On July 10, 2013, CMS is hosting a provider call on its National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes. This initiative focuses on delivering person-centered, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary dementia care, while reducing the use of unnecessary antipsychotic medications in nursing homes (and eventually other care settings).
CMS Finalizes ACA Nursing Facility Closure Notification Rules
On March 19, 2013, CMS published a final rule that adopts, with technical changes and a few clarifications, a February 18, 2011 interim final rule implementing an ACA provision imposing notification requirements in connection with closure of a Medicare skilled nursing facility (SNF) or Medicaid nursing facility (NF). Under the rule, in the case…
CMS Proposes Reforms to Reduce Provider Regulatory Burdens
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a proposed rule on February 7, 2013 that it estimates would save health care providers $676 million annually by streamlining unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome regulations and making reforms to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). The provisions of the wide-ranging proposal would affect…
CMS Call to Focus on Improving Dementia Care in Nursing Homes (Jan. 31)
On January 31, 2013, CMS is hosting a call on its National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes. The partnership is focused on improving dementia care through the use of individualized, person-centered care approaches, which CMS hopes will reduce the use of unnecessary antipsychotic medications in nursing homes and eventually other care settings.…
December Congressional Hearings and Markups
On December 13, 2012, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to focus on improving care for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. In addition, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee held a hearing entitled “State of Uncertainty: Implementation of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Exchanges and Medicaid Expansion.” On December 20,…
OIG Report on Criminal Convictions of Nurse Aides with Substantiated Findings of Abuse, Neglect, & Misappropriation
A new OIG study provides baseline information for an ACA-mandated report on the extent to which nurse aides with substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, and/or misappropriation had previous criminal convictions that could have been detected through background checks. Based on a review of state records, the OIG found that 19% of nurse aides who received…
OIG Finds Lax CMS Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank Reporting
The OIG recently followed up on a 2010 report which found that CMS did not report all adverse actions against providers to the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB) as required. The OIG found that as of April 1, 2012, CMS improved its reporting of adverse actions for durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers, but…
HHS Notice on HAI Strategy for LTC Facilities
On July 23, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a notice soliciting public comments on the development of a new long-term care facilities strategy module of the National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections: Roadmap to Elimination. This module will be part of a broader plan to reduce healthcare-associated infections…
CMS Nursing Home Action Plan
CMS has released its 2012 Nursing Home Action Plan, which discusses CMS strategies to: (1) enhance consumer engagement; (2) strengthen survey processes, standards, and enforcement; (3) promote quality improvement; (4) create strategic approaches through partnerships; and (5) advance quality through innovation and demonstration.
OIG Reviews Nursing Facility Compliance with Rules for Residents Receiving Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs
The OIG has issued a report entitled “Nursing Facility Assessments and Care Plans for Residents Receiving Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs.” Based on a small random sample of nursing facility resident records (375 records) from 2007, the OIG found that few records included evidence that the facilities met all federal requirements related to resident assessments…
CMS Partnership Seeks to Improve Dementia Care In Nursing Homes
On May 30, 2012, CMS announced the “Partnership to Improve Dementia Care” to reduce unnecessary antipsychotic drug use in nursing homes. Under the Partnership, federal and state agencies, nursing homes and other providers, advocacy groups, and caregivers have committed to working together to reduce the use of antipsychotics in nursing homes by 15% by…
OIG Examines Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness
The OIG has issued a report entitled “Gaps Continue To Exist in Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness and Response during Disasters: 2007–2010.” According to the OIG, most nursing homes nationwide met federal requirements for written emergency plans and preparedness training. Some gaps in nursing home preparedness and response continue, however, including unreliable transportation contracts…