LTCH 2019 Final Rule

Aug 14, 2018 | LTCHs, Medicare

Updates to the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) have been finalized for fiscal year 2019. These changes will affect the approximate 420 LTCHs that Medicare pays for extended inpatient stays under the PPS. This brief summarizes key provisions included in the final rule. Click to read more.

Managed Care Friday

Aug 10, 2018 | Managed Care Friday

1. 60: That’s the percentage of people suffering from Alzheimer’s who are women. Recent studies show women endure Alzheimer’s disease more than men. For years it was written off as an age issue because women live longer than men. Now, neurologists are studying that it could be for more reasons than just life expectancy. Read the full story on the Kaiser Permanente studyhere. 2. Asthma City: Asthma Capitals and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) released research on the “Most Challenging places to live with Asthma” including Springfield, MA, Richmond, VA and Dayton, OH. New...

Hospice FY2019 Finalized Rates & Integrity Issues; OIG Record Year Of Fraud Takedown

Aug 7, 2018 | Medicare

CMS finalized payment and other policies for Medicare hospice providers for FY2019.  Hospice rates will be updated by +1.8%, finalizing the payment policy proposed earlier this year. Just prior to the final rate announcement, the OIG reported on Medicare utilization and expenditures under the hospice benefit and found that hospices do not always provide an appropriate level of care for beneficiaries, sometimes provide poor quality care, and inappropriately bill for more expensive but unnecessary services. Click to read more.

Managed Care Friday

Aug 3, 2018 | Managed Care Friday

1. By the Numbers: Of 54 million adults suffering from arthritis, 44 percent have limitations that affect mental health. According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety affects blood pressure and high blood  pressure often goes untreated in those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Chronic daily pain can change the levels of the brain and nervous system chemicals. This changes thinking, behavior and depression. 2. ADHD: Insurance coverage for ADHD drugs and therapy programs is inconsistent between healthcare providers. Cigna released their prescription drug list changes for...

Managed Care Friday

Jul 27, 2018 | Managed Care Friday

1. One Million: Number of people over 5 years of age that are considered functionally deaf. More than half of those people are over the age of 65. With the great popularity of the ear buds and beat headphones at the gym, hearing loss is becoming more of an issue. Letting your kids playing video games at full volume can be more damaging to their hearing than you think. A recent study  involving participants aged 18-41 shows those who showed small amounts of hearing loss had unusual activity in their right frontal cortex of their brain. The study concluded these changes show signs of dementia...