We at Basic American Medical would like to bring to you the most interesting news in long-term care this week from AHCA/NCAL.  We hope you had a wonderful week.

CBO: CLASS Act could eventually contribute to deficit

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living

Article Date: 12/1/2009

The Congressional Budget Office released an analysis on November 25th indicating that although the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act could serve to reduce the federal deficit through the year 2029, after 2030 the program would probably start losing money and adding to the deficit. Both the House and Senate versions of health care legislation include the CLASS Act. 

Strike forces target Medicare fraud

Washington Times

Author: By Chuck Neubauer and Jerry Seper

Article Date: 12/1/2009

Since its inception, the now nation-wide Medicare Fraud Strike Force has busted operations that accounted for over $700 million in fraudulent Medicare claims. Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer said, “according to various estimates, somewhere between 3 and 10 percent of this spending is lost to waste, fraud and abuse.” Breuer went on to say that criminals are “devising more sophisticated ways of stealing billions of dollars from federally administered health care programs, and they are stealing it faster now than ever before.”

Adult day-care centers worry about funding

Washington Post

Author: By Paula Span, Kaiser Health News

Article Date: 12/1/2009

Lawmakers around the country are looking for every possible way to trim budgets. Unfortunately adult day care services may find their funding at risk, and these programs may become harder to find and afford for people requiring adult day services. The managing director of the National Adult Day Services Association, Sara Myers said, “Governors are scrambling to reduce deficits, and they’re going after the programs that aren’t mandated by law. Adult day is optional.” 

Millions may be paying too much for drugs

Washington Post

Author: By Phil Galewitz

Article Date: 12/1/2009

The details of different Medicare drug plans may overwhelm some seniors, ultimately discouraging them from changing to  a plan that may save them money and better serve their purposes. Seniors should be reminded that they have until December 31 to change plans. 

$250M medical mart to be built in Nashville

Associated Press

Author: By  Erik Schelzig

Article Date: 11/30/2009

Tennessee: Market Center Management Co. announced its plan to build and run the Nashville Medical Trade Center on the site of Nashville’s convention center. The Medical Trade Center would be a place where the manufacturers of medical technology and health care products could showcase products, and where buyers in the industry could find a medical one-stop-shop.

Iowa nursing home facilities finances on shaky ground

The Messenger

Author: By Lindsey Mutchler

Article Date: 12/1/2009

Iowa: Thirty-eight skilled nursing facilities in Iowa are reportedly closing as a direct result of the state’s budget cuts. On Tuesday Gov. Chet Culver’s 10 percent across-the-board budget cuts are scheduled to go into effect. Cindy Baddeloo, deputy director of both Iowa Health Care Association and Iowa Center for Assisted Living pointed out that Iowa’s facilities will receive no monetary increases from the federal government for services over the next decade. Iowa’s facilities provide some of the nation’s best care at the lowest rates, but the facilities currently receive an average of about $50 less in reimbursement rates per patient per day than most other states. 

Prognosis: Numbers Rise in a Diabetes Forecast

New York Times

Author: By Roni Caryn Rabin

Article Date: 11/30/2009

An analysis that appeared in the December issue of the Diabetes Care journal indicates that over the next 25 years, the number of Americans with diabetes will almost double. The associated costs to cover these individuals through longer life spans and more long-term complications will rise to $336 billion, almost triple today’s cost of $113 billion.

Loneliness, like flu, is “infectious”, study finds

Reuters

Author: By Miral Fahmy

Article Date: 12/1/2009

University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo, a leading U.S. expert on loneliness explains, “We detected an extraordinary pattern of contagion that leads people to be moved to the edge of the social network when they become lonely.” The study also found that women are more susceptible to becoming lonely than men, and loneliness seems to be able to spread among groups. People who are lonely tend to transmit feelings of unhappiness to people around them.

Exercise May Keep Your Cells Biologically Young

ABC News

Author: By  Lauren Cox

Article Date: 12/1/2009

Dr. Ulrich Laufs, lead author of the new study appearing in the journal Circulation explains that “People who exercise have better health and live longer, however the mechanisms are not completely understood.”