Deborah Steinberg and Ellen WeberJuly 15, 2021The Legal Action Center (LAC) recently issued a report, Medicare Coverage of Substance Use Disorder Care: A Landscape Review of Benefit Coverage, Service Gaps and a Path to Reform (Feb. 2021), which … [Read more...] about Guest Alert | Legal Action Center Issues Report Highlighting Medicare’s Discriminatory Coverage Gaps for Substance Use Disorder Treatment
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Special Report | Nursing Home Industry is Heavily Taxpayer-Subsidized
It is well-known that Government health care programs, Medicare and Medicaid, are the primary payers for nursing home care. The two federal programs paid facilities tens of billions of dollars for providing care to residents and were the primary … [Read more...] about Special Report | Nursing Home Industry is Heavily Taxpayer-Subsidized
Kaiser Family Foundation Issues Report Comparing Cost-Related Problems for Medicare Advantage Enrollees and Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently compared costs faced by Medicare Advantage (MA) plan enrollees to those in traditional Medicare in a report entitled “Cost-Related Problems Are Less Common Among Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare Than … [Read more...] about Kaiser Family Foundation Issues Report Comparing Cost-Related Problems for Medicare Advantage Enrollees and Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare
Medicare Team Now Complete – Time to Improve the Program for Beneficiaries
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Dr. Meena Seshamani’s appointment as Deputy Administrator and Director of Center for Medicare. Dr. Seshamani joins CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, and Health & … [Read more...] about Medicare Team Now Complete – Time to Improve the Program for Beneficiaries
Recent Initiatives Focus on Understanding and Addressing the Needs of LGBTQ Older Adults in Long-Term Care
There are currently 1.1 million adults 65 and older who identify as LGBTQ. Furthermore, 1 in 5 LGTBQ older adults are Black, indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC), which creates additional layers of potential discrimination based on racial bias, in … [Read more...] about Recent Initiatives Focus on Understanding and Addressing the Needs of LGBTQ Older Adults in Long-Term Care
Elder Justice Newletter, Vol. 3 Issue 8 Now Available
In the Elder Justice Newsletter, we highlight citations, including deficiencies related to abuse, neglect, and substandard care, that have been identified as not causing any resident harm. The goal of this brief newsletter is to shed light on … [Read more...] about Elder Justice Newletter, Vol. 3 Issue 8 Now Available
Bill To Recognize Essential Caregivers Introduced in Congress
Federal law gives nursing home residents the right to “immediate access” to their immediate family and other relatives, 24 hours per day seven days per week[1] and immediate access to others they want to see.[2] Families are critical to the … [Read more...] about Bill To Recognize Essential Caregivers Introduced in Congress
Connecticut Enacts Legislation with Wide-Ranging Impact for Long-Term Care
Over half of the COVID-19-related deaths in Connecticut (54%) occurred in the state’s long-term care facilities.[1] In the 2021 legislative session, which just ended, state lawmakers considered a multitude of bills designed to address significant … [Read more...] about Connecticut Enacts Legislation with Wide-Ranging Impact for Long-Term Care
Connecticut Expands Medigap Options for Medicare Beneficiaries Under Age 65
Effective July 1, 2021, Connecticut Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for Medicare by reason of disability will be able to select standardized Medicare Supplement (“Medigap”) plan D, in addition to plans A and B. (Medigap plan C remains available … [Read more...] about Connecticut Expands Medigap Options for Medicare Beneficiaries Under Age 65
Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program Misses Nearly 20% of Hospital Stays in “Observation Status”
Since 2012, the federal Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) has reduced payments to acute care hospitals that readmit patients with certain medical conditions to inpatient status within 30 days of their discharge from the hospital. A … [Read more...] about Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program Misses Nearly 20% of Hospital Stays in “Observation Status”