The Bug Stops Here
Hospital Acquired Infections, such as MRSA, C. diff and pneumonia present major problems to hospitals, skilled nursing, rehab and long term care facilities. Hospital infections alone cost $9.8 billion a year according to JAMA Internal Medicine September 2013. We have no data on the scope of the problem in ALFs, but infections are very common.
In the U.S., hospital acquired infections (HAIs) afflict nearly 2 million patients and kill approximately 99,000 people annually (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)). Every year an estimated 1.7 million Americans develop a new infection while hospitalized.
A study on Clostridium difficile Infections (CDIs)… Continue reading
Medicare Seniors Do Not Need to Shop for Health Insurance
Starting October 1, 2013, the enrollment period opens for Medicare beneficiaries to buy prescription drug coverage or the Medicare Advantage medical policies that are an alternative to traditional Medicare.
Starting January 1, 2014, most Americans will be required to have health insurance or pay a penalty and those without insurance will be able to buy it from the new Internet-based marketplaces, aka health insurance exchanges.
In support of the U.S. Government effort to get the word out, LabFlorida wants to reassure Medicare seniors and all our clients (ALFs, SNFs and home health companies) that Medicare is NOT PART OF HEALTH… Continue reading
Long-term Care for Seniors
Here is an informational snapshot of long-term services and support (LTSS) for seniors in the United States. This includes information about the number and proportion of seniors who will need LTSS because of physical and cognitive impairment, the role of unpaid family caregivers in providing the majority of LTSS, the role of Medicaid (not Medicare) as the primary payer for LTSS, the shifting of Medicaid spending from institutional-based care toward community-based care, and the fact that 35% of US adults 40 years or older say they have set aside money for their long-term needs.
Slideshow about long-term care for seniors… Continue reading
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