Healthcare, Senior Living, Economics
This topic fits a line from the old police serials of my younger days. These are the favorites I watched religiously like Adam-12, the Rookies, The FBI, etc. The line, generally at a crime scene: Move on folks, nothing to see here. That line fits today’s topic. The mid-year report illustrated softness in activity principally … Read more
Value-Based Care is kind of a vogue term, one that I encounter quite often. I also have used it when speaking or writing and know most people have no idea what it means or how it can be developed and/or applied. Value-based care is not a new concept. Medicare tried a foray into it back … Read more
Every year, the accounting firm of Clifton Larson Allen (CLA) produces an industry trends report based on accumulated cost report data. The report provides a good snapshot of the nursing home industry, nationwide, with insights on regions and states. The report is available here: 38th-snf-cost-comparison-and-industry-trends-report As I’ve written on numerous posts on this site, the … Read more
Happy Hump Day eve! There is so much going on right now with the economy, government shutdown (whew, avoided that one for a bit) dynamics, election news, and health policy that it is becoming difficult to parse topics into stuff of value. Hopefully, a couple of quick updates will make room for more insightful analysis … Read more
With election season heating-up, I’m going to drop some posts in from time to time on health policy issues that candidates SHOULD be talking about – not that they will. The issues I will put forth are the biggies, not the trivial stuff that campaigns and parties use as talking points (e.g., improving Obama Care, … Read more
No other segment of senior living/senior care got rocked as much by the pandemic as skilled nursing. Frankly, the industry had challenges from labor shortages and lagging reimbursement entering the pandemic (2020). The pandemic didn’t just accentuate these issues, it blew them up in terms of magnitude (impact) while adding supply chain issues, inflation, and … Read more
Back a few weeks ago I did a post summarizing the 2024 Final PPS Rule for Skilled Nursing Facilities. Recall, these rules come out yearly, updating payment rates and other provisions impacting payment and some, impacting policy. Typically, the initial or proposed rule starts in spring and then after comments, etc., becomes final during the … Read more
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
With a push to find increasing value in care delivery on the part of payers, providers in assisted living and home health are seeking to carve out a niche in what can best be described as “hospital or acute care” alternative locations. The most forward trend is occurring in home health, known as hospital-at-home care. … Read more