Long Term Care

Here We Go Again on Albany County Nursing Home. Let’s Get Up to Date

March 13, 2012 County Government

Where, oh where to start on the latest round regarding a new Albany County Nursing Home? There are so many possibilities. Before getting into the very latest, let’s start by bringing those just joining us up to date. For the new folks, here’s the story so far. Albany County submitted a certificate of need application […]

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So What’s a New County Executive to Do?

February 26, 2012 Budget

Dan McCoy, Albany’s new County Executive will present his first State-of-the-County address this evening, March 5, 2012. What’s he going to say? Here’s my first prediction. Dan McCoy is going to call for selling the Albany County Nursing Home. Why, after building his political coalition among legislators and others, who overwhelmingly wanted to stay in […]

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County Operated Health Services & How We Got Here

February 16, 2012 County

County operated nursing homes have a long history. They haven’t kept up with the changing environment. So even if a bit oversimplified, it’s worth taking a long view. First Generation. Non-Medical, Primarily County Funded Long before Medicare and Medicaid were established in the mid-1960s, county government provided classic public health and backstop services. Indeed, long […]

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Sell it Now!

February 14, 2012 County Government

So if New York does the right thing and tells Albany County that no, they cannot build a new money-losing nursing home, what happens next? And before the State acts, if the odds are say 50/50 or higher that the State will reject the application, what should be done in the meantime? Sell it. Sell […]

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Reader’s Digest Version on Albany County Nursing Home and Interactions of State Policies

February 13, 2012 County Government

Short version of previous posts, particularly here, on State Health Department practices and Albany County’s application to build a new nursing home that the County itself acknowledges is a money loser. The County’s own consultants projected a 52 percent operating loss in the third year of operation of a new facility. That’s $26 million per […]

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What Will the Client Transition from Fee-for-Service to Managed Long Term Care Look Like?

December 20, 2011 Forecasting

We’ve already talked a little bit about how New York is undertaking a fundamental change in its Medicaid program. Similar changes are underway in many states. As part of this change, Medicaid clients in long term care are being transitioned from fee-for-service programs to various forms of managed care, including managed long term care. How […]

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Home Care Workers to be Assured of Minimum Wage, Overtime and Pay for Travel Time

December 15, 2011 Federal Government

SInce 1974, based on their characterization as “companions,” much like babysitters, home care workers have been exempt from provisions of Federal Labor Law regarding minimum wages, overtime and travel time. Evelyn Coke, a home care worker Long Island sued her employer regarding these, ultimately her case reached the US Supreme Court. (Here’s a video from […]

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