The state of Ohio will be ramping up on background checks for home health care workers as a result of a new $2.1 million federal grant. The Ohio Governor’s Office of Health Transformation (OHT) has announced the state will use the grant to improve criminal background checks for direct-care workers in home- and community-based settings, and […]
Category: Medicaid
The United States Senate confirmed Marilyn Tavenner as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, announced Wednesday. “Marilyn brings with her a breadth of experience and expertise from virtually all angles of health care policy and delivery, having served as a […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began sending emails last week to notify patients of the impending Round 2 of its Competitive Bidding program. CMS also sent emails to providers of home medical equipment (HME), notifying them that the agency would also be reaching out to patients, HME Business reports. The messages describe […]
Medicare has yet to launch a concurrent care program that would pay for Medicare beneficiaries to receive joint hospice and curative treatments despite a Congressional directive issued three years ago, Kaiser Health News reports. Many beneficiaries drag their feet to enroll in a hospice program, preferring to use all available treatment options—something they must agree […]
The ability of hundreds of seniors across the country to maintain their independence is in jeopardy as sequester-related budget cuts begin taking effect, impacting local senior services such as a San Francisco-area Meals on Wheals program that’s struggling to maintain service levels, reports the local CBS News. Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa, in Contra Costa […]
In New York City, adult day care centers provide seniors with community-based services, while simultaneously blurring the line for Medicaid eligibility, according to a New York Times article. To receive the benefits of Medicaid, individuals must be impaired enough to require at least 120 days of help with activities such as walking, bathing and even getting […]
The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) announced today the arrival of two new staff members from its affiliate, The National Council on Medicaid Home Care. Michelle Martin, JD, joins the council as Policy Director, while Steve Postal, JD, takes on the responsibilities of developing and managing the Medicaid Home Care Resource Center, […]
A man from Orange, Ohio admitted to overfilling Medicaid and Medicare by more than $2.5 million, according to U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach from the Northern District of Ohio. Divyesh “David” C. Patel, age 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and four counts of health care fraud. Patel […]
The number of the nation’s “oldest old” receiving home health care has not changed substantially in recent years, according to federal data analysis, and of those who did, about 22% were age 85 or older. Between 2000 and 2007, the number of 85-plus home health care patients rose 7% to 317,800, finds a new study by the […]
The home health care industry could experience some changes in 2014 such as Medicare copayments for new beneficiaries or increased fraud prevention measures for agencies receiving federal reimbursements. Some aspects of President Obama’s 2013 budget pertaining to home health care will likely remain for next year’s budget, expected to be released on April 10, according […]