Marketing Adult Day Services to Physicians
Posted: May. 13, 2008
It can be difficult to increase referrals from physicians. Many times they are not aware of what services are available in Adult Day Services, and how these services benefit their patients, as well as the family caregivers. Make the referral process user friendly by providing them with a referral pad that has contact information on your program. For a sample referral slip

AAHSA Opposes Attempt to Cut Medicare Payments to Hospices
Posted: May. 09, 2008
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have issued a proposed rule to update the hospice wage index for fiscal 2009 that could result in reduced Medicare payments to hospices next year. The proposed rule would phase out the budget neutrality adjustment factor (BNAF) to the hospice wage index that was put into place over ten years ago to help hospices through a transitional period to a new wage index. CMS estimates that a 25% reduction to the BNAF in 2009 combined with a potential 3.0% market basket update will increase Medicare payments to hospices by 1.9% next year. However, there are other estimates that over 80% of hospices will receive lower Medicare payments under the proposed rule. Comments on it are due by June 27.
For more information - Click Here,
To read the proposed rule - Click Here

DME Competetive Bidding Criticized at House Hearing
Posted: May. 08, 2008
CMS’s impending durable medical equipment competitive bidding program came under fire at a House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing May 6. CMS plans to launch the program in ten metropolitan areas in July and continue expanding it in future years. While CMS Administrator Kerry Weems testified that the program will help beneficiaries save an average of 26 percent on medical products such as diabetes supplies, walkers and hospital equipment, other statements complained about a complicated and confusing application process that has led to the unfair rejection of hundreds of bids from long-time equipment providers. Both Subcommittee Chair Pete Stark (D-CA) and the subcommittee’s ranking member, Dave Camp (R-Mich) said that the bidding process sounds like price setting, but there may not be enough time this year to enact any legislation to make changes to the program. Chairman Stark said a one-year delay in the competitive bidding program would cost $3.5 billion over the next five years and $6 billion over the next decade.
Read more about the hearing

Weinberg Foundation to Award Caregiver Grants
Posted: Apr. 09, 2008
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the nation's largest private philanthropies has announced an innovative program to provide $9 million in grants to assist caregivers nationwide. Grant applications will be accepted by The Weinberg Foundation until June 12, 2008.

New Rule Will Increase Availability of Home and Community-Based Services
Posted: Apr. 04, 2008
Under a new rule change, states will now be able to set their own eligibility or needs-based criteria for providing HCBS. This change eliminates the skilled need requirement and allows states to cover Medicaid recipients who have incomes no greater than 150 percent of the federal poverty level and satisfy the needs-based criteria. This proposed rule change would provide easier access to person-centered care.

CDC Releases New Community-Based Fall Prevention Materials
Posted: Mar. 20, 2008
Among the elderly, falls caused 16,000 deaths in 2005 and were the leading cause of traumatic brain injury. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released three resources to prevent falls among the elderly in community settings.

Preventing Falls: What works. A compendium of effective community-based interventions from around the world

Preventing Falls: How to develop community-based fall prevention programs for older adults

Help Seniors Live Better Longer: Prevent brain injury


Create Alternatives to Institutional Care
Posted: Mar. 04, 2008
The New Freedom Initiative signed by President Bush in February 2001 set the stage for the development of the "Money Follows the Person Rebalancing" initiative that was included in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. $1.4 billion in Money Follows the Person grants will be given to 31 states over the next five years to move older adults and people with disabilities from Nursing facilities to a community setting.

These states will design programs that increase the use of home and community-based rather that institutional, long-term care services; eliminate barriers or mechanisms that prevent Medicaid-eligible individuals from receiving support for appropriate and necessary long-term services in the setting of their choice; increase the ability of the state Medicaid program to assure continued provision of home and community based long-term care services to eligible individuals who choose to move from an institutional to a community setting; and ensures that procedures are in place to provide quality assurance for individuals receiving Medicaid home and community-based long-term care services and to provide for continuous quality improvement in such services. HUD is also working on coordinating housing services with the state's Money Follows the Person initiative. For more information, Contact: Peter Notarstefano, (202) 508- 9406.