McKnight's Long-Term Care News articles from February 2002

McKnight's Long-Term Care News archives from February 2002

The Florida Department. (Late Breaking News).
February 8, 2002... The Florida Department of Insurance has granted a permit to a handful of nursing home operators who have created their own liability insurance company. The group expects to charge premiums of $2,000 per bed annually.

Senate Majority Leader. (Late Breaking News).
February 8, 2002... Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle switched focus and unveiled a new economic stimulus proposal that would pump an additional $5 billion in aid to state Medicaid programs. The federal government would increase its contribution by 3% for high...

Spending for nursing. (Late Breaking News).
February 8, 2002... Spending for nursing homes in 2000 lumped 3.3%, the first rise in four years, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

President Bush's fiscal 2003. (Late Breaking News).
February 8, 2002... President Bush's fiscal 2003 budget was to include a 50% rise for the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program, enough to cover 800 more loans, officials said.

A high level of spirituality. (Late Breaking News).
February 8, 2002... A high level of spirituality may be the key to coping better with rheumatoid arthritis, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.

MedPAC: Go ahead with cuts.
February 8, 2002... Congress' advisory panel on Medicare payments said it will recommend that reimbursement cuts of 10% go ahead as planned for most nursing homes later his year. One analyst predicted such a move could cost providers $34 per patient day,...

Trouble spots. (Databank).
February 8, 2002... Trouble spots Most common citations against facilites Rank F Tag Category % of facilities cited 1. 371 Dietary services, 28.9% sanitary conditions 2. 309 Quality of...

Unique insurance law crackdown expected: Florida statute requiring liability coverage, staffing forces creative responses. (Liability Insurance).
February 8, 2002... With nearly one-fifth of Florida nursing homes not having legally mandated insurance, and a costly new state staffing mandate in place, long-term care in Florida would appear to be headed for a difficult year. But insurance companies are...

Experts foresee financing troubles: Low working--capital reserves strain many operators in assisted living industry. (News).
February 8, 2002... A choke-hold on the supply of working capital is going to be the major influence on what happens -- or rather doesn't happen -- in the assisted living sector this year, experts say. While some pockets of providers may be largely unaffected,...

Providers still worried about quality initiative pilot program: Administrators say they remain in the dark as to how data will be rated, publicized. (Cover Story).
February 8, 2002... Providers from the six test states participating in the White House's new nursing home quality initiative said they were taking a "wait-and-see" attitude because, even after the project started in January, little was known as to how the data...

Rule seeks comments on pay limits. (News).
February 8, 2002... A new federal rule that would slash the Medicaid upper payment limit for public healthcare providers such as nursing facilities and hospitals was posted in the Federal Register on Jan. 18, 2002. The publishing of the rule set off a 60-day...

CMS wants seniors survey. (Regulatory Update).
February 8, 2002... Federal Register 1-8-02. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed a survey of 16,000 households to determine how much seniors direct their own healthcare. To improve educational efforts, CMS said it needs to know if...

Civil monetary penalty collections. (Regulatory Update).
February 8, 2002... The General Accounting Office is pressing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to change its accounting and reporting activities for tracking civil monetary penalties owed the agency. A new report from the GAO said CMS procedures now...

Opps rates delayed for 2002. (Regulatory Update).
February 8, 2002... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has delayed for three months the effective date of Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment rates for 2002. Hospitals will be paid at the 2001 OPPS rates until CMS finishes its review which...

Legislative update. (Regulatory Update).
February 8, 2002... H.R. 3323 was signed by President Bush, thus delaying implementation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act's transactions standards and codes set one year, until Oct. 16, 2003. Providers, however, must still present a...

Experts: Time right to seek Medicare Part B funds? (News).
February 8, 2002... Long-term care facilities that shied away from pursuing Medicare Part B services in the past may now find they're worth a second look, particularly as they struggle to generate a greater revenue stream. The decision to adopt such services...

Source of common nursing home illness identified. (News).
February 8, 2002... Results of a recent government study point to Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs) as a major cause of waves of gastroenteritis that plague nursing homes each year, offering new hope for a future vaccine. The disease can be serious, leading in some...

PA Supreme Court: No 'higher standard' for nurses. (News).
February 8, 2002... The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has reversed a lower court's decision that nurses can be held to a "higher standard of care" compared to other employees when determining whether terminated nurses are eligible for unemployment compensation. ...

Nursing facility measure: Indirect care expense per resident day: (Median values). (Market Monitor).
February 8, 2002... Market Monitor Nursing facility measure: Indirect care expense per resident day (median values) State 1998 1997 1996 Alabama 11.79 11.30 10.11 Alaska N/A 35.51...

Beverly settles OSHA back-injury complaints: SNF giant spends $17 million, released from $35,000 in fines. (News).
February 8, 2002... The nation's largest nursing home chain has agreed to institute special measures and equipment to reduce back injuries among its employees nationwide. The settlement ends a dispute between Beverly and the Occupational Safety and Health...

Law barring convicts from LTC work sent to high court. (Northeast).
February 8, 2002... Harrisburg, PA--Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court in an effort to keep convicted criminals from working in nursing homes. He is seeking to overturn an interpretation of a Commonwealth...

'First and strongest' overtime ban signed into law. (Northeast).
February 8, 2002... Trenton, NJ -- New Jersey health facilities -- including nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home health agencies -- will not be allowed to require nurses and other hourly wage workers to work overtime except in emergencies under a...

Nursing home suit may open new liability doors. (Northeast).
February 8, 2002... Philadelphia -- A federal judge has ruled that family members can sue a Pennsylvania nursing home for corporate negligence, possibly opening a new era of litigation since only hospitals and health management organizations previously could be...

Seniors councils merge to capitalize on other's strengths. (Northeast).
February 8, 2002... Washington -- A top consumer organizations that offers elderly consumers advice on long-term care insurance, financial planning, home care, managed care, Medicare and Medigap insurance has merged with the National Council on the Aging. The...

Court: Beverly cannot withhold wage taxes from ordered payment. (Southeast).
February 8, 2002... Ft. Smith, AR -- The nation's largest nursing home chain has lost an appeal to withhold wage taxes from a state-ordered payment to a woman the company had refused to rehire. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals recently held that Beverly Enterprises...

Liability insurance more scarce for two states. (Southeast).
February 8, 2002... Jackson, MS -- The number of states reporting shriveling options for liability insurance for long-term care providers is growing. According to a published report, Mississippi and Alabama are two of the latest to fall into dire circumstances....

New staffing rules ready but called tough to track. (Midwest).
February 8, 2002... Columbus, OH -- Ohio state health officials say they are ready to start enforcing new nursing-home minimum staffing rules now that a new computer program is ready. But they admit it may remain difficult to ascertain whether mandated levels are...

Agency wants to seal off some ALF records. (Midwest).
February 8, 2002... Des Moines, IA -- The Iowa Department of Elder Affairs has asked the state's lawmakers to block from the public any public records for ongoing investigations, surveying, monitoring or certification proceedings. The agency wants only final...

Alterra healthcare announces personnel changes at top. (Midwest).
February 8, 2002... Milwaukee -- Alterra Healthcare Corporation announced Jan. 18 that Steven L. Vick, the Company's President and Chief Operating Officer, was resigning his positions at the company in order to pursue other opportunities. The company's chief...

Nursing home owner targeted by FBI in bribery scandal. (Plains).
February 8, 2002... Oklahoma City -- An Oklahoma nursing home owner, E.W. Jiles, has been targeted by the FBI under suspicion for participating in a bribery scandal, according to the Sunday Oklahoman. Former Oklahoma Deputy Health Commissioner Brent VanMeter...

Bedrail death renews focus on dangerous restraints. (West).
February 8, 2002... Seattle -- The death of a 99-year-old woman who died with her head lodged between a bed siderail and her mattress has put the spotlight back on the sometimes-dangerous restraints. Although the woman was ruled to have died of natural causes,...

Winners & Losers.
February 8, 2002... WINNERS & LOSERS Winners Company name Percent change (*) Capitol Senior Living (CSU) 46% Omega Healthcare Investors 43% Inc. (OHI) Advocat (AVCA) ...

Post-bankruptcy period provides job opportunities: As investors take grip, management labor market turns red-hot. (Business).
February 8, 2002... With four giant nursing home chains -- representing tens of thousands of beds, hundreds of facilities and thousands of employees -- either recently emerged from or nearing emergence from bankruptcy proceedings, interest in restructurings is...

Beverly Enterprises. (New Business).
February 8, 2002... Fort Smith, AR-based Beverly Enterprises announced that it completed the sale of 49 skilled nursing facilities and four assisted living centers in Florida to FC Properties for $165 million. Effective Dec. 1, 2001, Beverly leased these...

Royal Care Inc. (New Business).
February 8, 2002... Cleveland, TN-based Royal Care Inc. sold six facilities in Tennessee to Home Quality Management, a privately owned provider based in Florida. Home Quality Management paid $29 million for the facilities -- approximately $37,700 per bed.

Assisted Living Concepts Inc. (New Business).
February 8, 2002... Assisted Living Concepts Inc., Portland, OR, announced that it and its subsidiary, Carriage House Assisted Living Inc., emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company's plan of reorganization includes issuing more than $55 million in secured...

CNL Retirement Corp. (New Business).
February 8, 2002... CNL Retirement Corp., Orlando, FL, and American Retirement Corporation, Nashville, TN, announced CNL's acquisition of two assisted living residences: The Broadway Plaza at Pecan Park in Arlington, TX, and the Homewood Residence in Boca Raton,...

The Covington. (Construction).
February 8, 2002... Ground was broken for The Covington, a new continuing care retirement community to be built in the San Gabriel Valley (CA) master-planned community of Aliso Viejo. The Covington will be part of the Episcopal Home, which also includes two other...

Extendicare Inc. (Construction).
February 8, 2002... Extendicare Inc., Markham, ON, announced the opening of Extendicare Brampton, a new 150-bed nursing home in Brampton, ON. The new facility includes 90 private rooms clustered in six home areas. The opening follows the recent opening of three...

Cambridge Realty Capital Companies. (Financing).
February 8, 2002... Cambridge Realty Capital Companies, Chicago, provided a total of $10.3 million in HUD-insured permanent first mortgage loans for two nursing home facilities in Van Buren and Camden, ME. A sum of $4.7 million was provided by Cambridge for the...

Leading LTC firms.
February 8, 2002... Leading LTC Firms Top long-term care facilities 1/3 12/6 Company Market capitalization (*) 1 1 Manor Care (HCR) $2,352 2 2 Healthcare Property ...

Winter blahs? It's time to go shopping. (Marketing Issues).
February 8, 2002... Q: Any suggestions to overcome the winter doldrums? A: January and February are great times to take stock of where you've been and where you are headed in the new year. Check your pulse! Take a hard look at what you've done well and what...

Bush start OK, but SNFs seek more follow-up. (Regulatory Issues).
February 8, 2002... Q: How would you rate the new administration's performance with regard to die long-term care arena during its first year? A: While long-term care would certainly not figure prominently in a retrospective of 2001, some positive strides were...

Facts vital when confronting suspected fraud. (Legal Issues).
February 8, 2002... Q: I suspect a co-worker is falsifying patient records every now and then, but it's tough to be certain. What should I do? A: Falsification of records or suspected falsification of records should be reported to your superiors. Keep your...

Boss' criticism needs to be confornted. (Workplace Issues).
February 8, 2002... Q: It seems that whenever our owner/CEO visits, she always manages to criticize me or deliver a few verbal labs in front of staff, or even residents. I may deserve criticism every now and then, but not the way she does it. Suggestions? A:...

Laundry fixture system solves drain problems. (New Products).
February 8, 2002... Symmons Industries Inc. offers the Laundry-Mate, a supply and drain fixture system for use with virtually all makes and models of washing machines. According to the company, the system saves work space and conceals unattractive piping, while...

New walker offers increased control. (New Products).
February 8, 2002... The new 616070A Lumex[R] Dual Release Adult Walker offers users a safer, more stable walker at a competitive price, according to the company. The walker features a soft, textured and contoured PVC hand grip for increased control and reduced...

Mattress reduces the risk of pressure ulcers. (New Products).
February 8, 2002... Kinetic Concepts Inc. introduces the BariMaxx[TM] II bed system. According to the company, the bed, with the new Comfort & Support Mattress,[TM] provides a comfortable environment that helps reduce the risk of pressure ulcer development in...

Computer filter maintains HIPAA compliance. (New Products).
February 8, 2002... A 3M privacy filter is a cost-efficient and simple way to comply with HIPAA privacy requirements at the computer workstation, according to the company. The privacy filters are ideal for computer monitors in areas where almost anyone could see...

Medical washcloths mild and hypoallergenic. (New Products).
February 8, 2002... Professional Disposables International announces the introduction of Medi-Soothe[TM] Washcloths. According to the company, the washcloths are alcohol-free, fragrance-free and pH balanced. These wipes can be safely used to cleanse and soothe...

Patient room phones disposable, fit on bedrail. (New Products).
February 8, 2002... Scitec is a leading provider of telecom solutions for healthcare applications. Products include the H2001 one-piece, single-use disposable patient room phone with optional bedrail holder clip, EH2000 bedrail holder, and a full line of desk or...

Versatile sling chair offers back support. (New Products).
February 8, 2002... Quality -- double layer, double sewn slings. Choice -- available in 120 highly weather-able designer fabrics and an array of designer finishes. Standards -- all fabrics are tested for seam strength, fade resistance, wearability, and pattern...

Wheelchair bracket helps monitor patients. (New Products).
February 8, 2002... The new TABS[R] Easy-Clip wheelchair bracket gives caregivers another convenient option for monitoring fall-risk patients and residents in a wheelchair. The bracket simply clips onto the back of a wheelchair or Merry Walker enabling the TABS...

Hand cleaner sanitizes quickly and effectively. (New Products).
February 8, 2002... Antiseptic Bio-Hand Cleaner (a.b.h.c.[TM]) waterless hand sanitizer from Safetec of America Inc. is one of the most effective antimicrobial hand sanitizers on the professional market today. Our unique formulation consists of alcohol and aloe...

Hertz Supply Co. INC. (Product Focus Furniture).
February 8, 2002... Volker offers a new standard for healthcare beds. Designed to look like fine furniture, Volker beds are an affordable way to upgrade your facility. More features are available for 2001, such as tilt-in-space positioning, lower bed heights and...

Direct supply healthcare equipment. (Product Focus Furniture).
February 8, 2002... Direct Supply and its newest manufacturer, Thonet, introduce a line of high-quality furniture designed to bring your facility style, comfort and convenience. According to the company, Direct Supply offers Thonet lift chairs, wall-saving...

Worth repeating.
February 8, 2002... "Not dying." The answer from Ada Wilson, a 100-year-old contestant in the Ms. Missouri Nursing Home 2001 competition, to the question "What is the secret to living a long life?" "Right now, just about anything. This is a scary time."...

Dysfunctional regulation. (People & Opinions).
February 8, 2002... Dr. Kieran Walshe Americans should be doing much more to learn from long-term core regulatory actions of the past. Regulators also should start treating good and bad performers very differently when it comes to facility regulation and...

Feds have some explaining to do. (Commentary).
February 8, 2002... Nursing home officials are becoming increasingly concerned about federal plans to publicize quality indicator results in nursing homes. To date, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly HCFA) remain remarkably quiet about what...

Stop calling us an 'industry'. (Having My Say).
February 8, 2002... At my first committee meeting as President of the New York Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (NYAHSA), one of our members made reference to "our industry." My first thought was, "Do we own a steel mill, a wood pulp factory or...

People.
February 8, 2002... Dave Brennan has been named the new CEO/Administrator at the City of Lakes Transitional Care Center in Minneapolis, a 185-bed skilled nursing facility owned by the Benedictine Health System. Previously the president and senior consultant of...

What advice do you have for young people considering your profession? (Reader poll).
February 8, 2002... LORNA GARTZKE, administrator, Shore-haven Health Center, Oconomowoc, WI- They can't go into this unless their heart is in the right place. It's not an easy profession, but it's fulfilling. HEATHER D. MARCH, administrator, Croasdaile...

Corrections.
February 8, 2002... An item in the December installment of the "People" column said that Wartburg Adult Care Community, Mt. Vernon, NY, is a 40-bed skilled nursing facility. In fact, it includes a wide array of services that include, but are not confined to,...