Healthcare, Senior Living, Economics
rhislop3 This is the second post of a four-part series on the status and implications of the continuing roll-forward/roll-out of the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). In this post, the context is the implications for providers, given the evolving state of the ACA and some of the current uncertainty of its future. Important to note: Affirmatively, the … Read more
A number of my regular readers and clients routinely ask for my thoughts/analysis on where the Reform Act/Affordable Care Act/Obamacare is at, particularly in-light of the recent one-year delay in the employer mandate. Given the complexity of this subject and the scope of the overall law, a single post won’t cover the subject adequately. In compiling … Read more
Since last week, I’ve fielded a number of questions/inquiries stemming from the PBS segment on Assisted Living. Interesting, a number of the queries have come from sources tangential to the industry (policy folks, trade associations, advocacy groups, etc.). Thematically, these sources are looking for answers as to “why” and “what can be done”. Aside from … Read more
PBS is planning on airing a segment tomorrow (Tuesday, July 30) on its program Frontline, highlighting Assisted Living care in the United States (titled “Life and Death in Assisted Living”). Much of the content focuses on Emeritus and other large, for-profit operators. A link to the PBS website follows as summary to the broadcast. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/pressroom/frontline-propublica-investigate-assisted-living-in-america/ … Read more
Among the improvement laggards in the current slow economic recovery was the real estate sector of the economy. Despite record low borrowing rates, home sales seemed stuck in neutral even as positive GDP growth resumed, modest gains in employment occurred, and consumer confidence improved. Starting late summer 2012 and accelerating in to 2013, the real … Read more
As a wrap to my two previous articles regarding recent fraud and False Claims Act suits and issues in the hospice industry, a concluding piece is warranted. As I have written before, the fraud issues and cases in the Hospice industry divide (though not equally) between the providers committing the fraud and an inferior Medicare Hospice Benefit … Read more
On May 5, the U.S. Department of Justice released its most recent complaint (legal suit filed in Federal court) against Chemed, the corporate parent of Vitas. The complaint is a False Claims Act suit. Briefly for the uninitiated, a False Claims Act suit alleges that the Medicare provider knowingly (or unknowingly but once discovered, did … Read more
Over the past couple of months or so, I’ve watched rather intently, the developing storm clouds in the Hospice industry. Suffice to say, what is now apparent takes the form of a perfect storm. For industry “watchers”, the news regarding Vitas and the amalgamation of federal false claims act suits is a reflection on the … Read more
In spite of best intentions, wicked winter weather across the middle U.S. has kept me off-track a bit and thus, I haven’t quite met my goal of having these all published by Valentine’s Day. Below is my and my firm’s consensus Outlook on the Home Health industry for calendar year 2013 (part FY 2014). Summary … Read more
The smallest provider centric benefit (by outlay) under Medicare is also one of the fastest growing in terms of expenditures and agency growth. Lately, it’s arguably become the most controversial in terms of payment and expenditure growth correlated with fraud. In the past year, the industry saw multiple large-scale investigations and ultimately, legal actions and OIG/Department of Justice … Read more