Long Medicaid call center wait times are preventing people from renewing coverage, feds warn
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Aug 21, 2023
Lengthy call center wait times are hurting people’s attempts to renew Medicaid coverage before being disenrolled. The federal government has issued warnings to states that this situation is unacceptable.
CMS: Health spending grew by a slower 2.7% in 2021 as pandemic influenced trends
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Dec 15, 2022
National healthcare spending rose 2.7% in 2021 to $4.3 trillion, according to new analysis from the Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released Tuesday.
Business briefs, Sept. 7
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Sep 07, 2022
CVS’ $8B acquisition of Signify could redefine home healthcare, observers say … Senators urge consumer protections for seniors who use peer-to-per payment applications … Social Security recipients...
Navigating insurance for those with dementia a major challenge for family caregivers
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jan 30, 2024
Family caregivers face many challenges in helping their loved ones who are living with dementia, not the least of which is navigating the insurance landscape for long-term care. That’s according to the...
SNFs see increase in Medicaid, Medicare payer mix; other payer mixes decrease
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Dec 21, 2022
Skilled nursing facilities across the United States have experienced increases in both Medicaid and Medicare payer mix while other payer mixes have decreased in recent years, according to a three-year...
National health spending reached $45 trillion in 2022, or $13,493 per person, according to an analysis from the Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published Wednesday...
Supreme Court spars over case that could limit power of federal agencies
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jan 18, 2024
Some Supreme Court justices on Wednesday signaled their willingness to give courts more discretion in interpreting “ambiguous” federal statutes rather than leaving that work to the agencies tasked...
Medicaid, VA offer opportunities, challenges for home care
By
Diane Eastabrook
Sep 21, 2022
Home care firms looking to change their payer mix increasingly are considering public programs such as Medicaid and Veterans Affairs programs. But experts warned of the promise and pitfalls of both programs...
State staffing policies could hamper MedPAC’s recommendations on federal mandate
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Oct 11, 2022
A federal minimum staffing mandate is on the horizon for nursing homes at the beginning of 2023. Providers and experts wonder just how the proposed mandate might address historic staffing shortages without...
HCBS market recovers from drop that followed CMS proposal
By
Kathleen Steele Gaivin
Jun 12, 2023
Home- and community-based services markets are starting to recover after they “panicked” when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in late-April proposed that 80% of Medicaid payments for HCBS...