Healthcare, Senior Living, Economics
As foretold in the SNF PPS Final Rule, CMS was going to fine tune the MDS/RAI manual prior to October 1 when the new 2024 Fiscal Year starts. Generally, data such as this update comes much closer, sometimes even after the October 1 implementation date. Providers get a break for a change. Initial proposed changes … Read more
Back in early June, I wrote a post on how Medicare/CMS was intending to audit 5 claims from every participating SNF in the country. The audits would be staggered and conducted by MACs (Medicare Audit Contractors). That post is available here: https://wp.me/ptUlY-AR As we are now three months into the audit process, details are emerging … Read more
Usually I try to add some “light and levity” to my Wednesday features as the content on this site is pretty heavy health policy and economics, regulatory in nature, etc. In my work, my usual Wednesday messages internally are “fun” – a bit of Hump Day humor or whimsy. By title of this post, readers … Read more
Typically, I get the Friday Feature posts out early enough on a Friday for folk to read before a longer weekend or leaving the office early. Working today with my wife on an SNF/Hospice litigation matter got me behind but the same did form today’s Feature. My wife’s practice and our firm are seeing more … Read more
Yesterday, I wrote a post regarding health systems and providers looking at finding efficiencies and, in some cases, cutting staff – particularly at the administrative and executive levels. Providers are being tasked with making do with less as the economic headwinds remain stiff, even gale force in some cases. Part of the challenge for providers … Read more
I like tapas from time to time, especially for a happy hour gathering. Thursday seems to always be a good day to have little bites of something prior to a big weekend; even better if Friday is a short day or a day off into the weekend. In a post earlier this week I mentioned … Read more
The COVID pandemic illustrated a whole bunch of flaws, holes, and gaps within the U.S. health care system. To be fair, the pandemic illustrated flaws, holes, and gaps within U.S. society, government, the economy, etc. A trend that has been slowly moving forward seems to be accelerating through and post the pandemic and that trend … Read more
A practice concentration within my business, H2 Healthcare, LLC, belongs to my wife who is also, the firm’s Senior Partner and co-founder and co-owner. The practice area is compliance and a strong focus within, is litigation support/expert witness/forensic nursing. My wife is frankly, one of the foremost clinical compliance (nursing) experts in the nation, supporting … Read more
SNFs got a little early Christmas present yesterday when CMS announced its Final Rule (PPS) for Fiscal Year 2024 (begins October 1, 2023). Instead of a 3.7% increase as proposed in the initial rule, CMS finalized a 4% increase (plus an additional 0.3%). Back in April, I wrote about the proposed rule. That post is … Read more
Last Thursday, Senators Bob Casey (Pennsylvania), Ron Wyden (Oregon), and Chucky Grassley (Iowa) sent a letter to CMS asking that the agency “take immediate steps to strengthen the nursing home oversight system”. Their letter is a follow-up to a report from the Senate Committee on Aging, chaired by Casey, detailing a myriad of problems with … Read more