McKnight's Long-Term Care News articles from January 2005

McKnight's Long-Term Care News archives from January 2005

Bush clears air on HHS choice.
January 1, 2005... In a surprise move, President Bush nominated Environmental Protection Agency chief Michael Leavitt to succeed Tommy Thompson as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Some insiders expected the nod would go to Centers for Medicare &...

Care operators face union power play.
January 1, 2005... On Dec. 20, two California units of long-term cafe's most prominent labor union announced they would merge Jan. 1. The result is the largest union local in the state and the largest healthcare union outside of New York, according to labor...

SNF operators rise in poll.
January 1, 2005... The public's perception of nursing home operators has risen slightly over the past five years, according to the latest Gallup Poll. Operators ranked 13th in the company's survey of Americans' opinions of 21 professions regarding honesty and...

Craig leaving Aging post.(News)
January 1, 2005... Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) announced Dec. 14 he is stepping down as chairman of the Special Committee on Aging to seek the chairmanship of the Veterans' Affairs Committee. Craig noted, however, that he would still serve as chairman of the...

New rules for treating TB.(News)
January 1, 2005... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released revised guidelines for preventing the transmission of tuberculosis in healthcare settings. The revised guidelines note that the federal Occupational Safety and Health...

Feds praise quality initiative results.(News)
January 1, 2005... The federal government's Nursing Home Quality Initiative has been a success in several areas, although clear or positive results are not apparent for many criteria, health officials declared at a Dec. 22 media conference. Providers have...

'75% rule' put on a faster track.(News)
January 1, 2005... Providers are more optimistic about quicker enforcement of the "75% rule" after Congress passed a major spending bill that contained it on Dec. 6. In November, Senate and House negotiators agreed to a compromise that would pave the way for...

State budgets are slowly recovering from fiscal crises of recent years, but Medicaid costs, which are forecast to rise 12.1% next year, continue to be a major stumbling block.(At deadline)
January 1, 2005... State budgets are slowly recovering from fiscal crises of recent years, but Medicaid costs, which are forecast to rise 12.1% next year, continue to be a major stumbling block. So says a report from associations representing the nation's...

A 10-year, four-state federal pilot project promoting long-term care insurance did not demonstrably save the Medicaid program funding.(At deadline)
January 1, 2005... A 10-year, four-state federal pilot project promoting long-term care insurance did not demonstrably save the Medicaid program funding, create demand for policies or attract the desired type of buyer found, said researchers for the Retirement...

About 360 workers at the Jewish Home for the Aged in San Francisco were set to strike Dec. 23-28 to protest wage and benefits levels.(At deadline)
January 1, 2005... About 360 workers at the Jewish Home for the Aged in San Francisco were set to strike Dec. 23-28 to protest wage and benefits levels, union officials said. This follows a one-day walkout in November.

Only 34.8% of adults considered in the high-risk category to receive a flu shot had gotten one.(At deadline)
January 1, 2005... Only 34.8% of adults considered in the high-risk category to receive a flu shot had gotten one, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey released Dec. 16.

Even without a vaccine shortage, the average coverage of flu vaccination for long-term care residents has been just 58.5% in recent years.(At deadline)
January 1, 2005... Even without a vaccine shortage, the average coverage of flu vaccination for long-term care residents has been just 58.5% in recent years--well below the 90% rate established by Healthy People 2010.

60 seconds with ... Tony Mullen: NIC research director www.nic.org.(News)
January 1, 2005... Q: What does the second round of NIC MAP Monitor information tell us about private-pay residents in the top 30 metropolitan areas? A: Basically, the erosion in the private pay side of the SNF business is probably only going to continue,...

A first: bill that would tie Medicare pay to quality.(News)
January 1, 2005... Nursing homes would receive Medicare reimbursements based on their quality of care for the first time under a bill introduced by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) in the U.S. House. Although there was virtually no chance the bill would be passed...

MedPAC: don't raise Medicare rates.(News)
January 1, 2005... Citing a Medicare profit margin of 11% for 2003 and a projected margin of 13% for 2005, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has recommended that skilled nursing facilities not receive a payment increase in fiscal year 2006. Provider...

The federal government will need to modify the Medicaid program so states can continue delivering healthcare services to the elderly, according to a report jointly released in mid-December by the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers.(Regulatory Update)
January 1, 2005... The federal government will need to modify the Medicaid program so states can continue delivering healthcare services to the elderly, according to a report jointly released in mid-December by the National Governors Association and the National...

CMS failed to respond to repeated warnings from Medicare contractors that power wheelchair claims were skyrocketing.(Regulatory Update)
January 1, 2005... CMS failed to respond to repeated warnings from Medicare contractors that power wheelchair claims were skyrocketing, according to a Dec. 15 GAO report.

The Senate passed S. 1217, which directs the secretary of Health and Human Services.(Bill Watch)
January 1, 2005... The Senate passed S. 1217, which directs the secretary of Health and Human Services to intensify activities and research concerning falls among older adults.

Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) said he will introduce legislation creating a 50% tax credit rate.(Bill Watch)
January 1, 2005... Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) said he will introduce legislation creating a 50% tax credit rate, for qualified expenses, to families who care for a senior citizen with long-term care needs.

President Bush signed into law the $388.4 billion omnibus spending bill.(Bill Watch)
January 1, 2005... President Bush signed into law the $388.4 billion omnibus spending bill, which includes funding for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Ask the care expert.(Resident Care)
January 1, 2005... How should nurses anticipate problems in treatments, as opposed to, say, waiting for doctors' orders? One way that nursing staff can become proactive in caregiving is to use a basic mental checklist as they interact with residents that...

An apple a day may help keep Alzheimer's away.(Resident Care)
January 1, 2005... An apple a day may actually help keep Alzheimer's disease away, thanks to strong antioxidants that fight cell damage. Rat brain cells exposed to an antioxidant in apples--known as quercetin--resisted damage much better than those not...

GAO: survey system fuels care flaws.(Resident Care)
January 1, 2005... The inspection system used to survey and certify nursing homes is fraught with problems that encourage substandard care and other abuses, according to the Government Accountability Office. Federal reviewers found that survey agencies often...

New residents should receive weekly skin assessments during the first four weeks following admission.(Caregiving Update)
January 1, 2005... New residents should receive weekly skin assessments during the first four weeks following admission, according to new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rules for pressure sores.

The National Center for Patient Safety at the Department of Veterans Affairs has jointly developed a comprehensive guide that helps prevent falls and fall-related injuries.(Caregiving Update)
January 1, 2005... The National Center for Patient Safety at the Department of Veterans Affairs has jointly developed a comprehensive guide that helps prevent falls and fall-related injuries. The kit is available at www.patientsafety.gov/fall stoolkit.

CMS will expand coverage for cancer screening and medications.(Caregiving Update)
January 1, 2005... CMS will expand coverage for cancer screening and medications. The shift will give nursing home residents faster access to innovative cancer treatments, according to CMS Administrator Mark McClellan. Covered screening procedures include the use...

Higher intensity physical, speech and occupational therapy created better, cheaper outcomes for stroke, orthopedic and heart patients, according to a recent study.(Caregiving Update)
January 1, 2005... Higher intensity physical, speech and occupational therapy created better, cheaper outcomes for stroke, orthopedic and heart patients, according to a recent study. Records of nearly 7,000 residents from 68 skilled nursing facilities were...

Ask the nursing expert.(Nursing)
January 1, 2005... What is a good way to encourage more staff to get flu shots? What I find is that employees just need a compelling or resident-related reason for getting their flu shots. What I am doing differently this year has made a significant impact on...

Tool helps nurses to work safely with residents.(Nursing)
January 1, 2005... To help caregivers work more safely, The Occupational Safety, & Health Administration has collaborated with several Chicago area organizations to produce a video called "Work Smart, Be Safe: An Orientation to Long-Term Care Safety." The...

Nurse totals increase for second year.(Nursing)
January 1, 2005... The ranks of registered nurses increased for the second straight year, according to the journal Health Affairs. However, its author warns that long-term shortages will worsen in the years ahead. Relatively high national unemployment, and...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should adopt national guidelines to which state health departments must adhere when distributing the influenza vaccine to long-term care patients in times of vaccine shortage.(Medication Update)
January 1, 2005... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should adopt national guidelines to which state health departments must adhere when distributing the influenza vaccine to long-term care patients in times of vaccine shortage, Alan Rosenbloom,...

People aged 65 and older make up just 36% of participants in cancer clinical trials, claims a study in the Nov. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.(Medication Update)
January 1, 2005... People aged 65 and older make up just 36% of participants in cancer clinical trials, claims a study in the Nov. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The study also found that people aged 70 and older comprised 46% of cancer patients...

New study findings in the Nov. 9 Neurology journal suggest that the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as "statins" do not lower the risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, except possibly in cases of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.(Medication Update)
January 1, 2005... New study findings in the Nov. 9 Neurology journal suggest that the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as "statins" do not lower the risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, except possibly in cases of early-onset Alzheimer's disease. This runs...

Ask the payment expert.(Payment & Policy)
January 1, 2005... We never seem to code respiratory therapy in P1b on the MDS. What is supposed to be there? Respiratory therapy is defined by CMS as services provided by a qualified professional (respiratory therapist, trained nurse). In addition, the...

Feds say HHS is too slow with accounting switch.(Payments & Policy)
January 1, 2005... If you think you're struggling to manage your data better, consider the task before the Department of Health and Human Services. There, the challenge is to morph five accounting systems into one overarching financial management system. ...

OIG: use Medicare codes.(Payments & Policy)
January 1, 2005... The Medicaid program could save tens of millions of dollars each year by applying Medicare's National Correct Coding initiative and thus eliminating improper payments to nursing homes and other providers, according to the HHS Office of...

Go figure.(Payment & Policy)
January 1, 2005... 14 Beverly Enterprises' third quarter income was $14 million higher than for the same period a year ago. Beverly attributed the $24 million total largely to cost-containment efforts. 54 Medicare pays for 54% of the overall healthcare costs...

Manor Care said its offer to exchange up to $100 million in principal of 2.125% convertible senior notes due in 2023 fetched about $93 million from investors.(Business Briefs)
January 1, 2005... Manor Care said its offer to exchange up to $100 million in principal of 2.125% convertible senior notes due in 2023 fetched about $93 million from investors. The exchange offer expired Dec. 3. In a separate announcement, analyst Legg Mason...

National HealthCare Corporation.(Business Briefs)
January 1, 2005... National HealthCare Corporation announced Dec. 10 it would pay a fourth-quarter dividend of 12.5 cents per common share. The Murfreesboro, TN based provider operates 74 long term care centers, equaling 9.214 beds. It also runs a rehabilitation...

Extendicare declared Dec. 15 it would pay quarterly dividends of 24.75 cents per share on Class I preferred stock and 7 cents for Class II preferred shares.(Business Briefs)
January 1, 2005... Extendicare declared Dec. 15 it would pay quarterly dividends of 24.75 cents per share on Class I preferred stock and 7 cents for Class II preferred shares. Earlier, the Markham, Toronto-based company said it was using nearly $67 million in...

Genesis HealthCare Corporation.(Business Briefs)
January 1, 2005... Genesis HealthCare Corporation began the repurchase of up to $25 million of the company's common stock in December after touting its 2004 financial performance. "Buying back stock is a very attractive use of our cash and is accretive to...

Merger shifts Mariner to privately held company.(Companies)
January 1, 2005... Nursing home giant Mariner Health Care Inc. has become a privately held company, it announced upon the completion of its so-called merger with NCARE Acquisition Corp. The deal was reported to be worth $1.05 billion and closed Dec. 10, according...

Court to NFP: pay tax bill.(Companies)
January 1, 2005... The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Dec. 2 that the Eden Retirement Center of Glen Carbon, IL, must pay county property taxes despite its nonprofit status. In a reversal of two lower court rulings, the Supreme Court sided with the Illinois...

Life Care Center of Sarasota, FL.(Good month)
January 1, 2005... Life Care Center of Sarasota, FL: The center's innovative end-of-life program earned it an Ernest A. Codman Award from JCAHO. The program provides comfort, such as pain control, and dignity for residents during their final days of their lives.

Pain and restraint reduction.(Good month)
January 1, 2005... Pain and restraint reduction: A Boston Globe analysis of federal statistics released in December shows that providers have made gains in these areas during the past two years.

Insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers.(Good month)
January 1, 2005... Insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers: Both will gain unprecedented control of drug distribution to nursing home residents, according to a report in the Dec. 4 New York Times.

Maxwell Manor Nursing Home in Chicago.(Bad month)
January 1, 2005... Maxwell Manor Nursing Home in Chicago: Owners of the now-closed facility agreed to pay $1.6 million to settle a federal False Claims Act lawsuit alleging overbilling.

Malpractice lawsuits.(Bad month)
January 1, 2005... Malpractice lawsuits: At a White House economic conference Dec. 16, President Bush said he said he would push to change the civil tort system.

Medicaid-covered drugs.(Bad month)
January 1, 2005... Medicaid-covered drugs: Nursing home residents may not be able to get these drugs when more restrictive Medicare formularies are used in 2006.

CMS boss Dr. Mark McClellan.(Bad month)
January 1, 2005... CMS boss Dr. Mark McClellan: Despite being a considered for nomination as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, he was overlooked for the promotion.

Fully 97% of those surveyed said healthcare information technology is important when it comes to improving resident care, according to a recent study released by Siemens Medical Solutions and the Center for Health Transformation.(IT Update)
January 1, 2005... Fully 97% of those surveyed said healthcare information technology is important when it comes to improving resident care, according to a recent study released by Siemens Medical Solutions and the Center for Health Transformation. Sixty-three...

States and local governments will increase spending on healthcare IT by 50% over the next five years, according to INPUT, a research firm.(IT Update)
January 1, 2005... States and local governments will increase spending on healthcare IT by 50% over the next five years, according to INPUT, a research firm. Such spending will hit $6 billion in fiscal 2005, and $9 billion in fiscal 2009. Much of the spending...

New software is available to help provider organizations keep up with employees' licensing and certification needs.(IT Update)
January 1, 2005... New software is available to help provider organizations keep up with employees' licensing and certification needs. Pinnacle Consulting Group's eStaffTrak system is designed to reduce in-service administration time by automating in-service...

The FDA and several major drug makers recently unveiled initiatives that will put tiny radio antennas on the labels of millions of medicine bottles to combat counterfeiting and fraud.(IT Update)
January 1, 2005... The FDA and several major drug makers recently unveiled initiatives that will put tiny radio antennas on the labels of millions of medicine bottles to combat counterfeiting and fraud. Among the medicines that will soon be tagged are OxyContin,...

Healthcare systems are making substantial progress with technology and resident care challenges, according to a new survey released by Mellon's Human Resources & Investor Solutions (HR&IS).(IT Update)
January 1, 2005... Healthcare systems are making substantial progress with technology and resident care challenges, according to a new survey released by Mellon's Human Resources & Investor Solutions (HR&IS). At the same time, controlling costs remains the number...

Robots for your facility? it's not so far-fetched.(Technology)
January 1, 2005... Nursing homes have traditionally described themselves as high-touch rather that high-tech settings. But that quaint description appears to be quickly fading as technological innovation begins to take a stronger hold. Some hospitals and...

"I couldn't live without ...".(Technology)
January 1, 2005... "I couldn't live without..." "My favorite bookmarked Web site is wispolitics.com," says Rick Scollon, the administrator at Oregon Manor Ltd. in Oregon WI. "This site offers a bit of a heads-up and allows me to have a more accurate feel...

Facility owner charged with murder.(Midwest)
January 1, 2005... ILLINOIS -- The operator of an unlicensed central Illinois nursing home was indicted on first-degree murder charges. Bonnie Howard, the 55 year-old owner of Golden Senior Care in Chatham is accused of causing Ann Jacobs, then 88, to be...

Relatives' restraining order stays.(Midwest)
January 1, 2005... WISCONSIN -- Through two years of challenges, officials with Christian Community Home of Hudson (WI) have been able to keep a temporary restraining order in place against a couple who, the officials say, intimidated and harassed facility...

Medicaid waiver sought.(New York)
January 1, 2005... Gov. George E. Pataki (R) approved a law requiring the New York Department of Health to seek a Medicaid waiver to provide home- and community-based services to people who might otherwise receive care in a nursing home setting. Under the...

Medicaid squeeze hits facilities.(Midwest)
January 1, 2005... WISCONSIN -- Providers across the state worry that in trying to fix the $800 million funding shortfall in the state's Medicaid program, state officials will place an even larger burden on nursing homes. Nursing homes say they lose an average of...

New unit to monitor abuse.(Midwest)
January 1, 2005... IOWA -- The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals has formed a new unit to investigate nursing home abuse. The new unit is designed to ensure that abuse complaints are addressed quickly and that case information is shared with state...

Panel: sex offenders should report.(Midwest)
January 1, 2005... MINNESOTA -- Convicted sex offenders staying in nursing homes should be required to tell their facility about their criminal past or face consequences, a panel of the Minnesota Governor's Commission on Sex Offender Policy recommended in...

Analysis shows staffing still lacking.(West)
January 1, 2005... CALIFORNIA--Nearly one-third of California nursing homes didn't meet the state's minimum staffing standard of 3.2 nursing hours per resident day in 2003, according to a study conducted by University of California-San Francisco researchers. But...

Van-heat death facility closed.(Southwest)
January 1, 2005... TEXAS -- The Temple nursing home where an 87-year-old woman died last August after she was left in a hot van for several hours was set to close Dec. 15. Sunrise Oaks was to be shuttered because of its age and its lack of financial viability,...

Big Medicaid changes proposed.(Southeast)
January 1, 2005... FLORIDA -- Gov. Jeb Bush (R) plans to proposed huge changes to the state's $14 billion Medicaid program, which he says looks for "reforms rather than cuts." While not providing specifics, Bush indicated that his proposal, which he planned...

Operators drop tort reform plans.(Southeast)
January 1, 2005... ARKANSAS -- Arkansas' long-term care providers said they will abandon their plan to revive a controversial legislative measure designed to limit their liability in lawsuits. Jim Cooper, past president of the Little Rock based Arkansas...

Supreme Court upholds cap.(Plains/Mountain)
January 1, 2005... UTAH -- In a 3-2 decision, the Utah Supreme Court ruled that a state law that caps the non-economic damages that can be awarded in medical liability lawsuits is constitutional and will remain in place. The decision by the court upholds a nearly...

Disabled to control own care.(Northeast)
January 1, 2005... MARYLAND -- The Department of Health and Human Services approved a Maryland plan that will make it easier for individuals with disabilities to retain more control of home and community-based services. HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson approved the...

Medicaid could be slashed.(Northeast)
January 1, 2005... NEW HAMPSHIRE -- New Hampshire could see its number of nursing home residents drop by 30% if a Medicaid overhaul proposed by Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner John A. Stephen is approved. Under the plan, people would be moved...

Huge worker bloc averts strike.(Northeast)
January 1, 2005... PENNSYLVANIA -- After a lengthy negotiation process and threats of a strike, nearly 400 union workers and the York County Nursing Home reached a new contract agreement Dec. 9. The previous contract between employees and the 375-bed,...

Legislators propose provider fee.(Northeast)
January 1, 2005... CONNECTICUT -- The state's Democratic legislators have proposed a provider fee on nursing homes in the state in an effort to infuse the state budget with an estimated $140 million in federal funds. Republican state senators have labeled the...

Ask the legal expert.
January 1, 2005... Who's going to be most affected by the Department of Labor's new federal overtime pay regulations? Those earning between $23,660 and $100,000 annually and who are "newly classified exempt." Employers may bump up employees who perform one...

Let feeding assistants do their jobs, legal brief says.(Legal Matters)
January 1, 2005... The American Health Care Association has filed a motion to block a class-action lawsuit that would stop the use of feeding assistants in nursing homes. Hal Daub, president and CEO of AHCA, said eliminating the new program would undermine care....

Commonweal blasts tort-reform data.(Legal Matters)
January 1, 2005... The Commonweal Institute is challenging the use of database information from Jury Verdict Research to buttress arguments for tort reform. "The premise that medical malpractice awards have been rising dramatically in the United States in...

Stern warning: labor too disorganized: as Andy Stern demands change at the AFL-CIO, the scene may he set for a major union shake-up.(Analysis)
January 1, 2005... Andy Stern can be as tough on colleagues as the nursing homes he'd like to unionize. In the clubby world of organized labor, he has issued a mandate for change at the AFL-CIO. His message is blunt: the dying labor movement needs an...

More operators are likely to go 'Green': is this concept the future for nursing homes? Care advocates think so, and want change now.(Analysis)
January 1, 2005... Many nursing home operators pondering their future now find themselves at a crossroads. With buildings near or at the end of their useful life spans, these operators realize change is needed. But how? Remodel, renovate, or rebuild? And...

How to do it ... managing falls.(Business & Marketing)
January 1, 2005... When Charles Hise purchased Park Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Selma, AL, in 1992, it was known as Dunn Nursing Home--and a place with a recurring problem of falls. Despite a 65% use of restraints, residents still were falling....

Building the business.(Business & Marketing)
January 1, 2005... Challenge: Million-dollar deficits Response: Collective effort Result: $345,000 surplus CASE STUDY: The city-owned Taunton (MA) Nursing Home finished 2004 in the black for the first time in years. The nursing home posted a...

Design decisions: a brighter approach to Alzheimer's care.(Business & Marketing)
January 1, 2005... DOES LIGHTING affect people with dementia? Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hope to find out. More specifically, they want to see how high-intensity, low-glare lighting...

This is a man on a mission: William L. Minnix, Jr., D.Min. president and CEO, AAHSA.(Profile)
January 1, 2005... WHEN YOU TALK to some of the people who know Larry Minnix, it's not long before you hear the following refrain: he was born to lead AAHSA. They'll tell you about his great communication skills, his extraordinary ability to motivate and...

McClellan better pick for HHS.(The Big Picture)
January 1, 2005... It's bad enough President Bush overlooked the right man to replace Tommy Thompson at the Department of Health and Human Services. What's worse is what providers can expect from the nominee who was selected. In a word: less. Under different...

Continous improvement makes for good news.(Editor's Desk)
January 1, 2005... There is good news out there. That is something you always need to remember in this day and age. Many times it's just a matter of your perspective. Take, for example, the recent Gallup Poll on honesty and ethics in various workplaces...

"What would help you do your job better?".(Reader Poll)
January 1, 2005... "Educated employees, and better attitudes. Something to help teach them. Maybe I've been in this job too long--30 years--but the last five to seven years I've noticed it the most about (employee) attitudes. They think the job owes them, rather...