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Long Term Care Awareness Week
The U.S. House of Representatives put its stamp of approval on Long-Term Care Awareness Week, which will take place Nov. 4-10.The House - with 27 votes - passed Concurrent House Resolution 133. The resolution supports the goals of the designated week, which began in 2001. The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurancepro established the week to raise awareness about the importance of long-term care planning by both consumers and financial professionals. "As the number of aging Americans increase, long-term care planning will become increasingly important for Americans and their families," said Rep. Charles Boustany, Jr., (R-LA), who co-sponsored the House resolution. To learn more about the week go to www.YourLTCSuccess.com.
New Medicaid Study
Washington, DC – A new independent analysis of the nation’s Medicaid program by the accounting firms BDO Seidman/Eljay,LLC estimates states are underfunding the actual cost of providing seniors’ critical nursing home care by at least $4.4 billion annually, or, $13.15 per patient day – representing a dramatic 45% increase from 1999 ($9.05) through 2007. The new study also found that the states with the greatest disparity between the actual cost of providing quality care and Medicaid reimbursements are, in order of severity, Illinois, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Missouri, Delaware, Washington and Massachusetts. To read this article, go to:http://www.ahca.org/news/nr071003.htm.
Whether you work for a non profit organization or a for profit organization admission directors and coordinators share the common characteristic called stress. It is the primary responsibility of the admissions team to fill beds. This can be extremely difficult when payor types and politics enter the picture. Here are a few steps that any admissions team can implement to help make the job a little easier.
Know your customer. This is a key factor that will ensure repeat business and word of mouth advertising. When people are admitted into your facility, make it a point to ensure that they leave with a positive impression of the staff and facility. A happy customer can be a key part of your marketing strategy.
Market your facility. Go into the community and meet with seniors at senior centers. Offer free programs on advance directives, Medicare and/or Medicaid. This will be a fabulous contribution to the community that will have long term benefits for your organization.
Be responsive. It is imperative to go into the hospitals and meet with discharge planners to discuss how your organization can be a partner in the continuum of care for their patients. Let them know your operational hours and attempt to make their job easier by offering to handle transportation and early admission paperwork.
All of these steps can help promote your organization in a positive manner that will establish and maintain relationships. Don’t forget, you are your organizations main tool for reaching the community and potential patients. Use these tools to make your job easier.
Which states do not provide the hospice Medicare benefit? The first ten correct responses e-mailed tosupport@patientplacement.com will receive a free gift. Be sure to include your mailing address in the e-mail.
Did you know that:
The American Seniors Housing Association estimates that there are about 2,175 Continuing Care Retirement Communities in operation. They offer 621,000 units, which house an estimated 776,000 residents.
There are approximately 7,000 Medicare-certified home health agencies nationally. The agencies range from facility-based operators to small, publicly traded and privately held companies to visiting nurse associations and nurse registries. Of these, about two thirds are freestanding agencies and approximately half are for-profit.
According to CMS, $45 billion was spent on home care in 2001. Of this, the freestanding home health agency sector accounted for roughly $33 billion, while respiratory and infusion therapy services totaled about $9 billion.
According to CMS, spending on freestanding nursing home care was $98.9 billion in 2001, up 5.5% from 2000.
According to CMS, Medicaid paid 48% of nursing home expenditures in 2001. The private sector paid 38%, while Medicare paid12%.
