“Assisted living rate increase grows 4.65 percent — more than skilled nursing but less than home care,” by Lois A. Bowers, McKnight’s Senior Living   Quote: “The annual median rate in assisted living increased nationally by 4.65% in 2021, according to the results of Genworth’s 18th annual Cost of Care Survey, released Wednesday. … The change seen for assisted living is less than the increase seen for home care and more than the increase seen for skilled nursing, according to Genworth. The rate for a home health aide for activities of daily living help increased 12.5% in 2021 to an annual
Read More

“Gap between patient costs, reimbursements hits $11 daily,” by Danielle Brown, McKnight’s LTC News   Quote: “Federal reimbursements for care during the public health emergency haven’t been enough to cover skilled nursing providers actual costs, according to a new analysis by Marcum LLP’s Healthcare Services Group. The New York-based advisory firm on Tuesday released its annual nursing home benchmarking study, which this year used more than 38,000 Medicare cost reports between 2018-2020. The analysis showed PHE [public health emergency] reimbursements averaged $24.98 per patient day in 2020, while the year-over-year change in total cost from 2019 to 2020 averaged $35.98 per
Read More

“Why millions on Medicaid are at risk of losing coverage in the months ahead,” by Rochana Pradhan, NPR   Quote: “The fear among doctors is that the pandemic’s disruption to cancer screenings and other preventive measures won’t just be a blip, although a blip would be bad enough on its own: When cancer gets diagnosed late, it’s less likely a patient’s doctors can successfully intervene, and the patient is more likely to die. Even a four-week delay in treatment is associated with a 6 to 13 percent higher risk of death.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term
Read More

“5 First Looks from 2022 Medicare Advantage Enrollment,” by Laura Beerman, HealthLeadersMedia   Quote: “The numbers from Medicare Advantage (MA) 2022 open enrollment are in. They offer expected results and a few surprises—some of which have already dominated the headlines. One thing is for sure: MA market dynamics are becoming increasingly frenetic as overall enrollment and plan growth sets records.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: MA evolves.                 Subscribe to GoldenCare News  
Read More

“Lifetime of knowledge can clutter memories of older adults,” by Cell Press, ScienceDaily   Quote: “When a person tries to access a memory, their brain quickly sifts through everything stored in it to find the relevant information. But as we age, many of us have difficulty retrieving memories. Researchers propose an explanation for why this might be happening: the brains of older adults allocate more space to accumulated knowledge and have more material to navigate when attempting to access memories. While this wealth of prior knowledge can make memory retrieval challenging, the researchers say it has its upsides — this
Read More

“SLEEPY HEAD Alzheimer’s: The sleeping position that slashes your risk of developing dementia,” by Ellie Cambridge, The U.S. Sun   Quote: “Sleep expert Narwan Amini said: ‘Sleeping on your side has been found to be the most beneficial position for your brain, with the position helping your brain to clear out interstitial waste faster than other positions.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: As a lifelong side-sleeper, I applaud this finding. But best of luck to all you back-sleepers.                 Subscribe to GoldenCare News  
Read More

“U.S. stroke rate declining in adults 75 and older, yet rising in adults 49 and younger,” by American Heart Association, MedicalXPress   Quote: “While fewer people older than age 75 are having strokes, the incidence of stroke among adults ages 49 and younger in the U.S. has continued to increase over the last 30 years, particularly among people living in the South and Midwest regions, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2022.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Gen X, born between 1965 and 1976, is right
Read More

“CMS eyes 8% revenue increase for Medicare Advantage,” by Danielle Brown, McKnight’s LTC News   Quote: “The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is forecasting a nearly 8% increase in revenue for Medicare Advantage plans next year. The agency released its 2023 advance notice earlier this week. The agency expects proposed policy changes, including many targeted at improving health equity, will result in a 7.98% revenue increase for Medicare Advantage organizations. … Medicare Advantage enrollment penetration now exceeds 40% of beneficiaries nationally, and in some states, penetration is over 50%, according to Brian Ellsworth, vice president for public policy and payment transformation
Read More