Two Agencies Inc’s Post

🔹 Medicare Part A: The Basics 🌟 Medicare Part A is the foundation of many beneficiaries' healthcare coverage, providing vital services that can make a significant difference in their well-being. Let's delve deeper into understanding what Medicare Part A entails: 🔹 **Hospital Care:** Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, including necessary services like semi-private rooms, meals, nursing care, medications, and more. It’s peace of mind knowing that crucial hospital care is within reach. 🔹 **Skilled Nursing Facility Care:** For those needing short-term skilled care, Part A can cover services in a skilled nursing facility. This additional level of support can be invaluable during recovery periods. 🔹 **Home Health Care:** Part A covers home health services for those who meet certain criteria. From skilled nursing care to physical therapy, these services allow individuals to receive necessary care in the comfort of their homes. 🔹 **Hospice Care:** When facing a terminal illness, Part A includes hospice care to provide compassionate end-of-life support. This comprehensive care not only focuses on physical needs but also emotional and spiritual well-being. 🔹 **Blood Transfusions:** Part A covers the cost of blood transfusions needed during inpatient hospital or skilled nursing facility stays. It’s a crucial component of ensuring that beneficiaries receive the care they require. Navigating the intricacies of Medicare Part A can sometimes feel overwhelming, but understanding the key components can empower individuals to make informed healthcare decisions. As we continue to explore the nuances of Medicare coverage, let’s remember the fundamental role that Part A plays in safeguarding the health and well-being of millions of Americans. 💪✨ #Medicare #HealthcareCoverage #PartA #Empowerment #HealthcareDecisions

Uncertainty surrounding the information required for the new nursing home Medicare revalidation process has led to high levels of concern, particularly among for-profit operators, who view it as yet another punitive measure. With insight from Cascadia Healthcare, LeadingAge, and AHCA/NCAL. https://bit.ly/40JcTVb

Texas Nursing Homes and Trade Groups File Suit Against CMS Over Staffing Mandate Two nursing home trade groups and three Texas-based nursing home providers recently filed suit against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), asking a federal court to overturn CMS’s nursing home staffing mandate. The suit was brought in the U.S. District Court of Texas for the Northern District of Texas, and was brought by the American Health Care Association and the Texas Health Care Association, as well as three nursing home operators. The suit alleges that CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) do not have the authority to require nursing homes to meet the staffing ratios and other requirements, and that the agencies, therefore, violated the Administrative Procedure Act. Under the new requirements released in April, all nursing homes that receive federal funding through the Medicare and Medicaid programs will be required to have a registered nurse on staff 24 hours per day, seven days per week and provide at least 3.48 hours of nursing care per resident per day. According to estimates from HHS, the new rules will cost nursing homes $43 billion over the next decade. #Medicare #Medicaid #Health Care #Hospitals #Health Systems

CMS issued a final rule, Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting that went into effect on June 21, 2024. This rule is intended to establish minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's nursing home reform initiative to ensure safe and quality care in LTC facilities. The rule also requires states to report the percent of Medicaid payments for certain Medicaid-covered institutional services that are spent on compensation for workers and support staff. The rule represents a pivotal change in LTC staffing standards and underscores a profound shift towards a holistic and person-centered care for residents. This insight by Marisol C. will help organizations comply with these new standards.

CMS issued a final rule, Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting that went into effect on June 21, 2024. This rule is intended to establish minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's nursing home reform initiative to ensure safe and quality care in LTC facilities. The rule also requires states to report the percent of Medicaid payments for certain Medicaid-covered institutional services that are spent on compensation for workers and support staff. The rule represents a pivotal change in LTC staffing standards and underscores a profound shift towards a holistic and person-centered care for residents. This insight by Marisol C. will help organizations comply with these new standards.

Quality care matters at every stage of life, and it can look different for each person. Did you know there’s a Five-Star Quality Rating System that can help? Check out Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services tool to help patients and families understand their options & assess healthcare quality in nursing homes, hospice & other care settings: https://lnkd.in/epK-4ZEW #HealthyAgingMonth

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) must undergo off-cycle revalidation until the end of 2024, requiring them to submit new information on ownership, management, and related parties. This applies to all SNFs, irrespective of size, ownership, or nonprofit status. Notifications will be sent by Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) between October and December 2024, with one-third receiving theirs in October. Facilities have 90 days from notification to submit the required documentation. https://buff.ly/3OrCLxm #longtermcare #seniorcare #healthcare

I'm from the Government and I'm here to Help I am starting to post these issues on LinkedIn rather than in trade publications because I can be more candid and I think the general public needs to know how our government pays for healthcare. Specifically long-term care in this case. This article in Skilled Nursing News article states the Federal Government is going to spend $492 million for Nursing Home oversight, because when a consumer puts their loved one in a nursing home there should be someone there to care for them. Here's the simple math: Medicaid, which pays for most nursing home stays, pays me about $290.00/day ($12.08/hr) for each Medicaid resident I care for. I am paying my nursing assistants an all in rate of about $21.00/hr. Medicaid fails to pay providers enough to actually cover the cost of care. Our government is shocked there are failures in the system and their response is more oversight and enforcement. They are ignoring the critical piece of the problem, nursing homes can no longer afford to provide the care because the reimbursement doesn't cover the basic costs. They need investment. No amount of mandatory staffing levels or additional oversight will change that. We need the help for sure, but don't be fooled into thinking that $494 million is going to do it. https://lnkd.in/etx59CFe #skilledNursingNews #longtermcare #nursinghomecare

CMS issued a final rule, Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting that went into effect on June 21, 2024. This rule is intended to establish minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's nursing home reform initiative to ensure safe and quality care in LTC facilities. The rule also requires states to report the percent of Medicaid payments for certain Medicaid-covered institutional services that are spent on compensation for workers and support staff. The rule represents a pivotal change in LTC staffing standards and underscores a profound shift towards a holistic and person-centered care for residents. This insight by Marisol Cooke, JD, CHC will help organizations comply with these new standards.

CMS issued a final rule, Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting that went into effect on June 21, 2024. This rule is intended to establish minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's nursing home reform initiative to ensure safe and quality care in LTC facilities. The rule also requires states to report the percent of Medicaid payments for certain Medicaid-covered institutional services that are spent on compensation for workers and support staff. The rule represents a pivotal change in LTC staffing standards and underscores a profound shift towards a holistic and person-centered care for residents. This insight by Marisol Cooke, JD, CHC will help organizations comply with these new standards.