• Changes In Medicare

    Posted on April 8, 2014

    There has been a change in Medicare policy that affects those individuals who have chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Until now, patients who had a chronic condition or disability had to show a likelihood of improvement in their condition in order to receive Medicare coverage for skilled care and therapy services. The change in policy enables patients who have “plateaued”, or stopped making progress, to continue receiving the services of a nurse or a therapist, and Medicare cannot deny coverage to patients for skilled nursing care, home health services or outpatient therapy because their conditions are not improving. This ruling will have a big impact on patients who depend on or need some kind of skilled care to maintain their level of functioning or to prevent further deterioration. The old policy left many patients to pay for their own care, or even to discontinue care if they couldn’t show proof […]

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  • Assisted Living Choices Appealing

    Posted on August 19, 2012

    As far as assisted living in Vancouver WA and Clark County, we are lucky to have such a variety of resources. Those resources also include senior housing options like adult family homes, retirement communities, and skilled nursing facilities. Retirement and assisted living communities can usually be found in quiet residential areas and have many amenities for those who enjoy assorted activities. It’s common to see state of the art safety and emergency communication systems, too. In fact, of the various communities and facilities, there are appealing aspects to each. Recently it was reported that one of our post acute rehabilitation facilities was awarded a five-star rating by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Fort Vancouver Convalescent Center earned the excellent rating based meeting specific criteria in the areas of staffing, health inspections and quality care. We offer a “congratulations” to them! It’s nice to know that Clark County has a lot to offer when it comes […]

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