Texas Attorney General: Authorization to Disclose Protected Health Information
ARTICLE ADDRESSES CALIFORNIA HOSPICE CONCERNS AND INVESTIGATIONS On 8/28, the Sacramento Bee published “California hospices face lax oversight and few rules. The sick and dying pay the price.” The story begins by sharing the experience of one hospice patient as seen through the eyes of her daughter, Tracy Sellers. Within a day of her […]
Texas Register Highlights TITLE 22. EXAMINING BOARDS PART 11. TEXAS BOARD OF NURSING CHAPTER 222. ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES WITH PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY 22 TAC §222.5–The Texas Board of Nursing (Board) proposes amendments to §222.5, concerning Prescriptive Authority Agreement. The amendments are proposed under the authority of the Texas Occupations Code §157.0512(e) and (f) and House […]
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND MORE EDUCATION NEEDED TO BEST SUPPORT LGBTQ PATIENTS AT END OF LIFE Though an LGBTQ individual has more or less the same needs as a heterosexual or cisgender person at the end of their lives, they often receive subpar care. This can be true across all settings: a hospital, a nursing […]
Texas Register Highlights You may be interested in this if you do business with an assisted living. You are part of the communication and coordination pieces. TITLE 26. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PART 1. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION CHAPTER 553. LICENSING STANDARDS FOR ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES SUBCHAPTER C. STANDARDS FOR LICENSURE 26 TAC §553.44–The […]
NEW RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW POLICY LEADERS CAN IMPROVE PALLIATIVE CARE IN THEIR STATES
Though palliative care treatment effectively improves both quality of life and quality of care for patients, and at a lower cost than traditional care, the numbers for patients receiving palliative care is still low. In fact, according to an article in Health Affairs, “Fewer than 5 percent of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it.” “States, which spend more than 50 percent of their Medicaid budgets on 5 percent of beneficiaries with complex conditions, are increasingly interested in palliative care and the value it brings to systems that support individuals with serious illnesses.”
MANY FACTORS CAN COMPLICATE A PATIENT’S DECISION TO PURSUE LATE-STAGE CANCER INTERVENTIONS
EXPERTS SHARE POINTS OF “NETIQUETTE” FOR FACING DEATH AND GRIEVING ONLINE
Two new hospice training videos are available on the CMS website. The courses, which are designed to be taken at any participant’s pace, offer detailed training on the Hospice Quality Reporting System (HQRP).
FY 2020 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements.
On July 31, CMS issued the final rule (CMS-1714-F) on the hospice wage index. The rule, says a CMS announcement, “demonstrates continued commitment to strengthening Medicare by better aligning the hospice payment rates with the costs of providing care and increasing transparency so patients can make more informed choices.”