The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that works with states to provide Medicaid and is in charge of the Medicare program, announced a rule earlier this year that is scheduled to take effect on September 16. The rule would bar nursing homes from forcing residents to sign arbitration agreements. Springdale Health and Rehabilitation Center and The Maples at Har-Ber Meadows, two nursing home facilities in Arkansas, … [Read more...]
Medicare Incentive Program for Nursing Homes Takes Effect
The Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program required by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA), which was passed in 2014, officially took effect on October 1, 2018. The VBP program essentially provides bonuses to nursing homes that perform well and cuts funding for those that underperform. A nursing home’s performance is based on how many of their patients are admitted or re-admitted to hospitals for ailments that could have been prevented … [Read more...]
Long-Term Care: What Choices Are Right for You and Your Loved Ones?
As the population ages, the need for long-term care rises. Even if you and your loved ones are currently healthy, there is reason to be prepared should a need for long-term care occur. What are your plans regarding long-term care? If you do require care, how will you pay for it? Planning to meet long-term care needs Alarming numbers. None of us wants to believe we will require long-term care, but according to some statistics 44 percent of men … [Read more...]
New Mexico Has Some of the Worst Nursing Homes in the Country
New Mexico may have some of the worst nursing homes in the country, according to a recent report by the Albuquerque Journal, which found that 2,217 infractions have been reported in state facilities over the past few years. All of those facilities are certified by Medicaid and Medicare. Accounts “I had to hold (feces) in my hand,” said one resident, describing a time when they were left holding their colostomy bag for hours on end. “I finally … [Read more...]
Choosing the Best Possible Memory Care Community
As your loved ones age, their cognitive abilities may begin to diminish. Whether they suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia, they will probably need an intense level of care that you and your family cannot provide. Whereas other symptoms of age – such as loss of hearing or impaired mobility – may be treated with relative ease, cognitive impairment often requires specialized units with unique features, specifically designed to soothe your loved … [Read more...]