“Benefits and Challenges of Payment Adjustments Based on Beneficiaries’ Ability to Perform Daily Tasks,” Government Accountability Office (GAO-18-588) “GAO found that for the sample of beneficiaries analyzed, the MA [Medicare Advantage] risk adjustment model underestimated spending for those with functional limitations and overestimated spending for those without such limitations. These findings suggest that risk adjustment accuracy could be improved by accounting for functional status, which could in turn reduce any financial disadvantages plans may experience by enrolling beneficiaries with functional limitations. … If this incentive causes MA plans to identify functional limitations more completely than providers in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare,
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“Traditional gender roles don’t keep men from becoming caregivers,” by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters “When a spouse became ill, men increased the amount of time they spent on caregiving each week by roughly the same amount as women did, resulting in similar care hours regardless of which spouse was sick, researchers report in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. For men, the increase was much greater when their wives were seriously ill than when they needed less care. However, 30 percent of male caregivers had outside help, compared with 18 percent of female caregivers. And housework was a different story. Men
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“CCRC occupancy strong as construction pipeline continues to expand, analysis finds,” by Marty Stempniak, McKnight’s LTC News “A new report paints a rosy picture for continuing care retirement communities this year, with occupancy staying strong and construction numbers increasing steadily. According to a new analysis from real estate investment firm Marcus & Millichap, released on Friday, CCRCs (also known as life plan communities) had the highest stabilized occupancy among all types of senior housing, at 91%, in June. And inventory of such facilities has ticked upward steadily over the past six years, at a clip of about 3,000 units, the
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“Smoking May Increase Dementia Risk,” by Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times “Yet another reason to stop smoking: It may reduce your risk for dementia. Korean researchers studied 46,140 men, 60 and older, following them for an average of eight years with periodic health examinations. Over the course of the study, 1,644 people were given a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. After controlling for age, body mass index, blood pressure, physical activity and other health and behavioral characteristics, they found that the less time men smoked, the less likely they were to have dementia. Compared with continual
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“Infectious Theory Of Alzheimer’s Disease Draws Fresh Interest,” by Bret Stetka, NPR “If a microbe is responsible for all or some cases of Alzheimer’s, perhaps future treatments or preventive approaches will prevent toxin protein buildup in the first place. Both Tanzi and Norins believe Alzheimer’s vaccines against viruses like herpes might one day become common practice.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Count me dubious but willing to consider the evidence. Infectious Theory Of Alzheimer’s Disease Draws Fresh Interest #goldencareagent #infections
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“Medicaid-exempt assets from nursing home costs,” by Bonnie Kraham, Times Herald-Record “An exempt asset is protected from nursing-home costs. The following are exempt assets if there is a community spouse:” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Here’s a long list, by a Medicaid planning attorney, of assets exempt for purposes of determining Medicaid long-term care eligibility. She says the list applies if one spouse is still living in the home, but that doesn’t matter. As long as the institutionalized spouse, or someone on his or her behalf, expresses a subjective “intent to return” to
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“‘It’s become a gold rush’: Inside the race to create smart shoes, custom razors and high-tech devices for the over-65 crowd,” by Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post “After three years of observation, design and testing, Gillette is preparing to release the first razor built for caregivers to shave others. The Gillette Treo has an extra-wide handle and comes with a tube of clear gel that eliminates the need for running water or shaving cream. … ‘It’s become a gold rush,’ said Danny Silverman, chief marketing officer of e-commerce analytics firm Clavis Insight. ‘Whether you’re a hairbrush-maker or a technology company, you’re
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“Sizing up the state of labor in senior living,” by John O’Connor, McKnight’s Senior Living “As [Labor Day is] just a few days away, this may be as good a time as any to size up the state of labor in senior living. For what it’s worth, here are five observations:” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Succinct summary of the state of workers in senior living by a veteran LTC journalist. Sizing up the state of labor in senior living #goldencareagent #labor
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“Short-Term Care Has Role in Skilled Nursing, But Future Remains Cloudy,” by Maggie Flynn, Skilled Nursing News “The shifting tectonic plates in the skilled nursing landscape include a focus on value and a new payment system that puts the focus on medically complex patients and specialties. As providers try to adapt, some have chosen to go all in on a model of care that targets short-stay patients, flying in the face of skilled nursing’s image as a place for long-term care. How well they’ll succeed remains to be seen.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care
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“Genworth and Oceanwide Extend Merger Agreement,” Advisor Magazine “Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW) and China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co., Ltd. (Oceanwide) today announced they have agreed to a sixth waiver and agreement of each party’s right to terminate the previously announced merger agreement. The sixth waiver and agreement extends the previous deadline of August 15, 2018 to December 1, 2018 to allow additional time to complete the regulatory review process. … Added LU Zhiqiang, chairman of Oceanwide: ‘I am pleased with our progress to date and look forward to closing the transaction, which will bring financial stability to Genworth’s businesses in
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