Odds and Ends as the Summer Wanes

Medicare Payment Squabble
 
Increasingly, hospitals have chosen to keep some patients under observation instead of formally admitting them to avoid the heightened attention that inpatient admissions can bring from private auditors hired by Medicare to root out what they consider excessive spending. 
 
At issue...hours spent under observation do not count toward the three days of care needed to trigger Medicare coverage for post-hospitalization nursing home care. A federal law scheduled to be implemented later this year is intended to minimize the financial shock some Medicare patients suffer. The law, known as the Notice Act, mandates that Medicare patients treated under observation status for more than 24 hours be formally told that they may be responsible for their hospital care, prescription drug costs and any follow-up treatment. Boston Globe
 
Retirement Dilemma, Japanese Style
 
At 82, Japan’s Emperor Akihito would like to retire. However, Japanese law states that the emperor must serve until death and makes no provision for abdication. In order for Akihito to step down, Japan’s parliament would have to change the law, a move that could redefine the country's royal family and open the debate over allowing a woman to occupy the throne which has been held by the Akihito family for nearly 2,700 years. NY Times
 
Retirement Dilemma, American Style
 
A survey by the T. Rowe Price Group, a Baltimore-based financial firm, concluded that three-quarters of parents of children aged 8 to 14 were willing to postpone retirement to pay for their children's college costs. About 68 percent said they were willing to get a second job, while 69 percent said they favor putting aside money for their kids' college before their own retirement, which is not recommended. Nearly 42 percent said they were losing sleep worrying about future college costs, and 63 percent felt guilty that they would not be able to pay more. Bloomberg News
 
Caregiver Healthcare Checklist
 
A recent study by the Harvard Medical School found that caregivers who utilize a short checklist about their patients’ conditions were able to report a number of changes that could result in more serious care interventions if left untreated. Caregivers were required to clock-in and clock-out of a web-based software platform that operates for visit scheduling, integrated telephony for point-of-care reporting, two-way caregiver messaging and other managerial functions. The check-in moments, which were designated at the beginning and end of a shift for payroll purposes, also included a checklist about their patients. Senior Housing News
​