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Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly

CLTC Weekly is a free email newsletter that delivers the latest weekly news on the long-term care industry, including important CMS regulatory changes, a tip of the week, and much, much more.

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2002

Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly

Issue 35, September 2, 2010

• Notice: Last issue of CLTC Weekly

  HCPro is sorry to report that this is the last issue of CLTC Weekly. We thank you for being a loyal...

• Skilled Healthcare found liable for improper staffing, fight far from over

  Skilled Healthcare, a California-based support provider to long-term care facilities, was found...

• Tip of the week: Get to know the chronic care measure domains

  Increasingly, SNFs must rely on data and data analysis to objectively view the quality of care...

Issue 34, August 26, 2010

• Notice: Second to last issue of CLTC Weekly

  HCPro is sorry to report that this is the second to last issue of CLTC Weekly. We thank you for...

• CMS releases transition information during RUG-IV call

  During the RUG-IV National Provider Call on August 24, CMS provided listeners with important...

• Tip of the week: Develop policies that address key OSHA compliance issues

  Although all workers are responsible for maintaining compliance with Occupational Safety and Health...

Issue 33, August 19, 2010

• Pharmaceutical company halts Alzheimer’s clinical trials

  Eli Lilly, an Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company working towards developing a clinical...

• Tip of the week: Comprehending contractual law

  Contracts and contractual law are important for long-term care administrators to understand. A...

• Quick poll: Do you think the delay of RUG-IV will be repealed by Congress prior to October 1, 2010?

  Quick poll: Do you think the delay of RUG-IV will be repealed by Congress prior to October 1, 2010?

Issue 32, August 19, 2010

• National Immunization Awareness Month

  August is National Immunization Awareness Month and CMS is encouraging providers to educate seniors...

• Updates from CMS' MDS 3.0 Train-the-Trainer Conference

  Much is being discussed in Las Vegas at the MDS 3.0 Train-the-Trainer Conference. CMS has provided...

• Tip of the week: Critical leadership skills for LTC administrators

  Long-term care staff members will rely on their administrator for occasional assistance, support...

Issue 31, August 5, 2010

• CMS releases updates to ICD-9 codes

  CMS recently released its annual ICD-9 code revisions. The changes will be implemented October 1...

• Bill introduced to improve LTC survey system

  On August 2, Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) introduced the Enhancing Quality through Survey...

• Tip of the week: Recognizing parasitic agents in long-term care facilities

  Illnesses are common in healthcare settings. Long-term care facilities are no different.

• Quick poll: When will your facility begin training for ICD-10 implementation (scheduled for October 1, 2013)?

  Quick poll: When will your facility begin training for ICD-10 implementation (scheduled for October...

Issue 30, July 29, 2010

• Overview of RAI changes

  CMS has released all updated sections of the RAI User’s Manual for the MDS 3.0, except for...

• Rite Aid to pay $1 million in HIPAA settlement

  To settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA...

• Tip of the week: Recognizing bacteria in long-term care facilities

  Illnesses are common in healthcare settings. Long-term care facilities are no different.

• Quick poll: MDS 3.0 will be implemented in about two months. Is your facility adequately prepared?

  Quick poll: MDS 3.0 will be implemented in about two months. Is your facility adequately prepared?

Issue 29, July 22, 2010

• CMS releases Final Rule for SNF PPS FY 2011

  CMS released a display copy of the Final Rule for SNF PPS fiscal year (FY) 2011 on July 16.

• House passes bill to repeal RUG-IV delay

  On July 14, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5712, which would repeal the one-year delay of...

• Tip of the week: Recognizing molds and fungal infections in long-term care facilities

  Molds can be very dangerous, especially if the spores are inhaled. Molds reproduce through small...

• Quick poll: In regards to the House's vote to repeal the delay of RUG-IV, I am _________.

  Quick poll: In regards to the House's vote to repeal the delay of RUG-IV, I am _________.

Issue 28, July 15, 2010

• CMS releases civil money penalties proposed rule

  The proposed rule, included in the Federal Register July 12, incorporates specific provisions of...

• New study reveals five-star ratings do not match customer satisfactions

  Holleran, a national research firm specializing in the not-for-profit senior living sector...

• Tip of the week: Understand liability in your facility

  Liability exists in various forms. The liability that exists in healthcare does not exist just for...

• Quick poll: What is the biggest area of concern when it comes to your facility?s reimbursement?

  Quick poll: What is the biggest area of concern when it comes to your facility’s...

Issue 27, July 8, 2010

• White House reveals health insurance Web site

  The Obama administration introduced HealthCare.gov on June 30. The new site, which was authorized...

• Research suggests adolescent activity linked to mental health in women

  An active lifestyle during the teenage years may provide young women with a healthy mind in late...

• Tip of the week: Recognizing viruses in long-term care facilities

  Illnesses are common in healthcare settings. Long-term care facilities are no different.

• Quick poll: Which of the following do you and your staff need more education on?

  Quick poll: Which of the following do you and your staff need more education on?

Issue 26, July 1, 2010

• CMS releases quarterly update to HCPCS codes

  On June 18, CMS issued the October quarterly update to the 2010 annual update of HCPCS codes. A...

• Medicare physician payment cuts retroactively delayed

  The House passed a six-month plan, known as the doc fix, on June 24 that repeals a 21% reduction of...

• Tip of the week: Understanding the resident review process of the QIS

  The resident review looks at major care issues that will be targeted and whether important quality...

Issue 25, June 24, 2010

• Berwick’s nomination causes Republican outcries

  It appears Dr. Donald Berwick’s confirmation as the next CMS administrator could take some...

• Where can I find information on the QI/QM report?

  Q: We teach the MEPAP 2nd edition – the required course for those pursuing certification...

• Tip of the week: Things to remember when conducting MDS 3.0 interviews

  The MDS 3.0 will implement new guidelines for conducting interviews that will help capture the...

• Quick poll: What is the biggest area of concern when it comes to resident safety in your facility?

  Quick poll: What is the biggest area of concern when it comes to resident safety in your facility?

Issue 24, June 17, 2010

• AHIMA summit highlights future of HIT

  During the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) Long-Term and...

• New study says diet has little effect on dementia risk

  Recent research suggests that dietary choices do not play a major role in the development of...

• Tip of the week: Adhering to advance directives and elder law

  An advance directive is a document in which a person makes provisions for medical care if unable to...

Issue 23, June 10, 2010

• First batch of Medicare rebate checks mailed this week

  Beginning June 10, the first round of $250 Medicare rebate checks will be mailed to approximately...

• Pending Medicaid cuts would drastically affect many states

  More than 30 states may be forced to address significant budget deficits in the approaching fiscal...

• Tip of the week: Getting to know microbes

  A number of microbes (or germs) live in our bodies and can help keep us healthy. In contrast to...

• Quick poll: Do you think Congress will repeal section 10325 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), thus allowing for the full and complete implementation of RUG-IV on October 1, 2010, as originally planned?

  Quick poll: Do you think Congress will repeal section 10325 of the Patient Protection and...

Issue 22, June 3, 2010

• Medicare payment cut deadline comes and goes

  When the Senate adjourned May 28 for Memorial Day break, they left Capitol Hill without addressing...

• Tip of the week: Understand immediate jeopardy violations

  Immediate jeopardy is defined by CMS as, “a situation in which the provider’s...

Issue 21, May 27, 2010

• CMS works toward building MDS 3.0 and partial RUG-IV infrastructure

  In a notification released May 24 via the listserv, CMS addressed the immediate need for a grouper...

• Tip of the week: Understanding the Code of Federal Regulations

  The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is a national publication of a codified system of general and...

• Quick poll: Roughly how many residents in your facility make use of Medigap?

  Quick poll: Roughly how many residents in your facility make use of Medigap?

Issue 20, May 20, 2010

• Elderly at risk of developing dementia through care of spouse

  A new study suggests that seniors who care for a spouse suffering from dementia have an increased...

Issue 19, May 13, 2010

• Despite industry concerns, genetic testing kits hit the market

  On May 14, the first major U.S. retail chain will begin selling genetic testing kits. Insight...

• Quick poll: Would you be interested in attending an online version of the MDS 3.0 Boot Camp?

  Quick poll: Would you be interested in attending an online version of the MDS 3.0 Boot Camp?

Issue 18, May 6, 2010

• CDC releases data on nursing home resident emergency department visits

  The National Center for Health Statistics recently unveiled data from the 2004 National Nursing...

• National Nursing Home Week begins on Mother’s Day

  Celebrated in nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities across the country, National Nursing Home...

• Tip of the week: Getting to know Stage II of the QIS

  During Stage II, state surveyors use the Critical Element Pathways for each triggered care area...

• Long-Term and Post-Acute Care HIT Summit

  The 2010 Long-Term and Post-Acute Care (LTPAC) Summit is the leading health information...

Issue 17, April 29, 2010

• Use of PET imaging tests on the rise

  From 1999 to 2006, the amount of positron emission tomography (PET) tests for elderly cancer...

• Risk of Alzheimer’s disease possibly linked to diet

  A new study reports that older adults who eat a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts, fish, and...

• Tip of the week: Getting to know Stage I of the QIS

  Stage I of the Quality Indicator Survey (QIS) is the initial quality assessment to identify care...

• Quick poll: Is your facility prepared for the therapy changes under the MDS 3.0?

  Quick poll: Is your facility prepared for the therapy changes under the MDS 3.0?

Issue 16, April 22, 2010

• CMS proposes cutting inpatient payments by 0.1%

  On April 19, CMS released a hospital inpatient and long-term care prospective payment system...

• President announces choice for CMS administrator

  Since 2006, the position of CMS administrator has been occupied through temporary appointments. But...

• Tip of the week: Implement and value a safety committee

  An important protocol for administrators to target is establishing a safety committee. The...

Issue 15, April 15, 2010

• Clinical benefits of hallucinogens re-evaluated

  Spurned for years by mainstream medicine following their boisterous display during the 1960s...

• CMS makes changes to MDS 3.0

  CMS posted new versions of the MDS 3.0 item subsets on its Web site April 9, along with a document...

• Tip of the week: Understand the difference between a state and federal survey

  In reality, there is no major difference between state and federal surveys. Both are required as...

• Quick poll: What are your thoughts on the partial RUG-IV delayed implementation outlined in the healthcare reform bill?

  Quick poll: What are your thoughts on the partial RUG-IV delayed implementation outlined in the...

Issue 14, April 8, 2010

• Healthcare reform means big changes for timely filing requirements

  Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which President Obama signed into law March...

• Full plate for new CMS administrator

  CMS, which is an $800 billion bureaucracy with nearly 5,000 employees, is also the biggest payer of...

• Tip of the week: Understand OSHA citations

  Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations can be very stiff, and the monetary...

Issue 13, April 1, 2010

• LTC leaders urge Senate to reconsider pain medication regulations

  The March 24 U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, titled “The War on Drugs Meets...

• Doctors aim to prevent Alzheimer’s through activity

  In an attempt to reduce the likelihood of Alzheimer’s development, a handful of doctors and...

• Tip of the week: Understand infection control terms

  To cause disease, microbial agents first need to adhere to the host organism – in this case...

• Quick poll: Do you plan on training your CNAs and RNs on ADL coding under the MDS 3.0?

  Quick poll: Do you plan on training your CNAs and RNs on ADL coding under the MDS 3.0?

Issue 12, March 25, 2010

• House passes healthcare reform bill

  On March 21, the House voted to pass a landmark healthcare reform bill, known as the Patient...

• Healthcare reform: Is the RUG-IV delay here to stay?

  The healthcare reform bill signed into law by President Obama on March 23 contains a provision...

• OIG’s Compendium of Unimplemented Recommendations released

  The Office of Inspector General (OIG) released its Compendium of Unimplemented Office of Inspector...

• Tip of the week: Understand union unfair labor practices

  As with any activities governed by law, labor practices must adhere to the legal mandates stated...

• Quick poll: Which of the following cause the most difficulties for billers in your facility?

  Quick poll: Which of the following cause the most difficulties for billers in your facility?

Issue 11, March 18, 2010

• Want to reach thousands of long-term care professionals?

  Want to reach thousands of long-term care professionals?

• Metabolic drugs top the list of medication spending for the elderly

  The cost of prescription drugs bought for Medicare beneficiaries reached $81.7 billion in 2007...

• Tip of the week: Understand employer unfair labor practices

  As with any activities governed by law, labor practices must adhere to the legal mandates stated...

Issue 10, March 11, 2010

• Antipsychotic use alarmingly high in some states

  The use of antipsychotic drugs, also known as psychotropics, appears to be very excessive in many...

• MedPAC releases March report to Congress

  On March 1, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) sent its semi-annual Medicare Payment...

• Tip of the week: Understand the Patient Self-Determination Act

  The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 is a critical piece of legislation that has had a...

• Quick poll: Is your facility comfortable billing for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine?

  Quick poll: Is your facility comfortable billing for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine?

Issue 9, March 4, 2010

• Two nursing home chains pay $14 million to settle kickback probe

  The Justice Department recently announced that Atlanta-based Mariner Health Care Inc., subsidiary...

• Therapy cap exceptions process extended until March 31

  On March 2, President Obama signed into law the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4691...

• Tip of the week: Prepare a survey folder

  It is very important for administrators to have a survey folder that is available at all times and...

Issue 8, February 25, 2010

• White House releases modified healthcare overhaul initiative

  Posted February 22 on the White House Web site, President Obama issued his own unique healthcare...

• Stroke patients’ language abilities improve through singing

  Doctors at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston are using singing therapy to treat stroke...

• Tip of the week: Critical leadership skills for LTC administrators

  Long-term care staff members will rely on their administrator for occasional assistance, support...

Issue 7, February 18, 2010

• New study ties decreased muscle strength to functional impairments in older adults

  Published in the January issue of the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA...

• Cambridge scientists identify gene potentially connected to early dementia

  After studying the brains of 515 individuals with fronto-temporal dementia (FTD), which is the...

• Quick poll: How interested would you be in purchasing a video that teaches nursing home staff good interviewing skills for the MDS 3.0 and QIS interviews?

  Quick poll: How interested would you be in purchasing a video that teaches nursing home staff good...

Issue 6, February 11, 2010

• New study suggests high blood pressure elevates risk of dementia

  The latest report linking high blood pressure (hypertension) and dementia was published in the...

• White House to host bipartisan healthcare reform summit

  On February 7, President Obama announced his plans for a summit to be held later this month in the...

• Tip of the week: Understand the basics of negligence suits

  Negligence is based on a duty – in this case, the nursing facility has to properly and...

• Quick poll: Does your facility struggle with Medicare secondary payer claims?

  Does your facility struggle with Medicare secondary payer claims?

Issue 5, February 4, 2010

• Obama releases FY 2011 budget with no reductions in SNF funding

  President Obama’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, which he released February 1...

• One in five nursing homes received poor overall quality rating

  Based on government data compiled in 2008 and 2009, one in five of the country’s nursing...

• Tip of the week: Understand liability in your facility

  Liability exists in various forms. The liability that exists in healthcare does not exist just for...

Issue 4, January 28, 2010

• CBO report notes increase in Medicare spending over next ten years

  A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report released January 26 says if the 2009 payment rates...

• HHS and DOJ hold healthcare fraud summit

  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) will hold the...

• Tip of the week: Comprehending the enforcement cycle

  Traditionally, the enforcement cycle begins the day the survey team leaves the facility. Nursing...

• Quick poll: Has your facility faced a Medicare payment ban?

  Quick poll: Has your facility faced a Medicare payment ban?

Issue 3, January 21, 2010

• GOP win in Massachusetts thickens national healthcare reform plot

  With his upset victory, Scott Brown became the first Bay State Republican elected to the US Senate...

• JwsrgtawdrgwARDGohnson & Johnson accused of paying kickbacks

  In a Justice Department lawsuit filed January 15, Johnson & Johnson is accused of paying...

• Johnson & Johnson accused of paying kickbacks

  In a Justice Department lawsuit filed January 15, Johnson & Johnson is accused of paying...

• Tip of the week: Understanding MDS basics for residents skilled under Part A

  The Minimum Data Set (MDS) drives all billing, including consolidated billing. It is a federal...

Issue 2, January 14, 2010

• Senate health bill includes RUG-IV delay

  As initially reported on MDSCentral, the Senate healthcare reform bill, known as the Patient...

• Scientists produce potential Alzheimer’s disease treatment of the cocktail variety

  A nutritional cocktail, called Souvenaid, is believed to help restore the synapses (the junctions...

• Tip of the week: Understanding MDS basics for non-skilled residents

  The Minimum Data Set (MDS) drives all billing, including consolidated billing. It is a federal...

• Quick poll: Is your facility concerned about complying with the nursing home transparency requirements in current healthcare reform legislation?

  Quick poll: Is your facility concerned about complying with the nursing home transparency...

• Senate health bill includes RUG-IV delay

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Issue 1, January 7, 2010

• IFAS report finds most nursing homes do not offer end-of-life programs

  The Institute for the Future of Aging Services (IFAS), the research division of the American...

• Alzheimer’s disease unaffected by popular supplement, study says

  Ginkgo biloba does not halt or slow memory loss, nor does it prevent cognitive decline, according...

• Tip of the week: Know the consolidated billing major categories of exclusion

  It’s important for administrators to have some working knowledge of services that are...