Linda,
Can you please address the current regs in California regarding visitors? Do they pertain to SNFs only? LTACs? Assisted living communities?
Thanks.
Rae

Hi Jenni and Happy New Year!
I do believe this is what we will see happen……most likely the new verbiage will be added to the existing consent form so we probably won’t see another piece of paper, just a longer existing piece of paper……soooooo sad!

Hi Kimberly!
Please feel free to connect with me directly via DM here or by email at NBroadhurst@TennesseeHealthAdvocates.com

I’ve some experience with Air Ambulance and balance billing and would love to chat!

Hope to hear from you!

For those interested, I tracked down the exact CMS reg re: who can visit patients in a hospital. I wish I’d had this at my fingertips on Friday.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2010-11-19/html/2010-29194.htm

Hi Cheryl – quick thoughts in response to your questions:

I don’t know whether LTCO in Washington covers long term acute care hospitals. Best bet is to call the office nearest you and ask. If they’re not the right place, they should be able to direct you there. Because tomorrow is a holiday, you may not be able to reach anyone until…[Read more]

Jeff – it would be a good idea to check in with Shanna Huber, owner of MyJunna, to get clarification on such insurance. She might be able to give you more insight into what is expected there.

Once you do that, will you report back to us? This is useful information for everyone.

Anne – did you know Mary Daniel is an APHA member? She has been for years…

The story about her taking a job in the nursing home so she could see her husband was on the national news at the time: https://www.today.com/health/mary-daniel-works-dishwasher-see-husband-nursing-home-t186518

I had not heard she had been tapped to work on Florida…[Read more]

Hi Cheryl – I saw a message from you but can’t remember where it came in – I’m happy to email directly if you prefer – SquareOneAdvocacy@gmail.com
Linda

I met a women a few months ago, Mary Daniel, who got a job as a dishwasher at a local nursing home to be able to see her husband in a Memory Care Center in Florida. As a result of her efforts she was tapped to work with Governor DeSantis to change rules for LTC Facilities visiting hours. Here is a link…[Read more]

Thank you so much, Trisha & Linda! Linda, your CMS link didn’t come through. Would you mind posting it again? Does it apply to hospitals??

Is there a regulation re letting families know about transfer out of ICU? It feels nefarious the way they did it.

Yes they do – and if the facility takes Medicare or Medic-Aid, they are required to comply with the recent CMS directive that skilled nursing facilities will allow unlimited visitation despite the surge. However, the bottom line is visitation must “be permitted at all times with very limited and rare exceptions, in accordance with residents’ r…[Read more]

oh Cheryl! What a confrontation! It sounds like you handled it perfectly, but I would have been just as angry and frustrated!

Yes – by law, the patient can designate anyone they want to to visit them – advocate or not. Here’s the law: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2010/11/17/new-rules-require-equal-visitation-rights-all-patients…[Read more]

Rebecca – amen and thanks. This is exactly what we have always done.

Each time someone applies for the directory, we look to see what carrier has provided their liability insurance and we then reach out if its a new carrier. (Not necessarily a new broker – because the brokers all access the same carriers.)

If we find a new carrier, we ask the…[Read more]

Jennifer (and others),
I’m super-confused by the AMA article you linked because it says, “Unless notice and consent requirements are met in NON- emergency situations, if a provider submits a bill to a patient in excess of in-network cost sharing and the patient pays, the provider must refund with interest”—as though ANY provider who isn’t c…[Read more]

Great advice… Times have indeed changed, and I know I need to do some updating on my profile… This was a perfect reminder… Thanks Trisha !!!