Senate Extends "Doc Fix" for One Month

On the eve of Thanksgiving, the U.S. House of Representatives followed the Senate's lead and voted to extend current Medicare physician reimbursement rates through the end of the year. The "doc fix" legislation was then sent to President Obama, who is expected to sign the bill.

By extending the current reimbursement rate, the House temporarily halted what would have been a 23 percent cut in Medicare physician payments.

To learn more, click here.

Ohio Allows Healthcare Reform Suit to Go to Trial

An Ohio federal judge has allowed a lawsuit challenging the insurance mandate of the new healthcare law to proceed to trial. His decision follows a similar ruling by a federal judge in Florida.

The suit alleges that the mandate violates the Commerce Clause in the Constitution.

To learn more, click here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

ProMed will be closed on Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 in honor of Thanksgiving. Orders placed by noon on Friday, November 19 will be delivered by Wednesday, November 24. Orders placed after noon on November 19 will be delivered the week of November 29.

From our team to yours, we wish you a joyous Thanksgiving!

Poor-Performing NHs in Four States to Benefit from Pilot Program Funding

A pilot program operated by Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes is set to benefit troubled nursing homes in four states.

The voluntary program is offered to nursing homes that have dealt with quality and citations from regulatory agencies. The facilities must also be in urban areas with a high minority population on Medicaid and with serious health problems. The four states involved in the program are Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and Georgia.

To learn more, click here.

Senate Postpones Slashing Medicare Doc Pay

Medicare physicians have just received an early Christmas gift - the Senate voted last Thursday to postpone a 23 percent in their pay until December 31. It is expected that the House will vote on the measure after Thanksgiving recess.

The cut was scheduled to go into effect on December 1. If the House votes to delay it, the one-month extension will be paid for by changes in Medicare reimbursement for outpatient therapy services.

To learn more, click here.

Chicago Tribune Article: Latinos Have Unique Alzheimer's Challenges

An article in the Chicago Tribune is shedding light on the unique challenges that Latinos face when given an Alzheimer's disease diagnose.

As a whole, Latinos have an above-average risk of developing Alzheimer's disease because of limited access to medical services and health insurance, low levels of education and income and higher rates of blood pressure and diabetes. There are also cultural stigmas attached to Alzheimer's in the Latino community. For example, some Mexicans from rural areas believe that the disease is punishment for sins committed during a person's youth.

The situation is "a looming but unrecognized public health crisis," according to the Alzheimer's Association. It is predicted that by 2050, Alzheimer's and related dementias could affect 1.3 million older Latinos. The current tally is about 200,000.

To learn more, click here.

CMS Targets Pharmaceutical Waste

A new proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) aims to limit pharmaceutical waste and support independent pharmacies.

The proposed rule, which has garnered support from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), would require pharmacies to supply brand-name drugs in seven-day cycles in long-term care facilities instead of the current 30-day cycle.

In a letter to CMS, the NCPA wrote "This new policy is an opportunity to utilize community pharmacists to produce real savings for Medicare, beneficiaries and Part D plan sponsors and allow pharmacists to be recognized for the value of those services to patients and the overall system."

To learn more, click here.

Sunny Hill Parodies Hollywood, Claims Victory

Sunny Hill Nursing Home of Will County - a ProMed customer! - recently triumphed in a contest sponsored by the Illinois Nursing Home Administrators Association. The contest challenged facilities to submit videos showing how they treat their residents like stars.

Sunny Hill decided to have some fun with the contest and submitted a montage of their residents parodying famous movies such as Easy Rider, The Great Escape and Two Tickets to Paradise.

The video can be seen on Sunny Hill's Facebook page. Congratulations to Sunny Hill and its residents!

CMS Launches innovations.cms.gov

CMS has announced the creation of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (commonly referred to as the Innovation Center) and launched a new site - innovations.cms.gov - to outline the center's goals. According to CMS, the Innovation Center will "rigorously and rapidly assess the progress of its programs and work with caregivers, insurers and employers to replicate successful innovations in communities across the country."

Initially, the Innovation Center will focus on three key areas:

1. Better Care for People
2. Coordinating Care to Improve Health Outcomes for Patients
3. Community Care Models

CMS plans to use innovations.cms.gov as a platform for collaboration and information sharing. The agency plans to greatly expand upon the resources that are already available on the site and is encouraging interested citizens to follow the Innovation Center's blog or subscribe to receive email updates.

To learn more, click here.

Congratulations, Mike Caputo!

Congratulations to Mike Caputo, who just got engaged to his girlfriend, Lauren! Mike does IT Desktop Support for ProMed.

Invasion of the (Granny) Pod People

Do you want to keep an elderly loved one close, but not too close? Then a "granny pod" might be just what you're looking for. The MedCottage, or "granny pod," is a small modular home that easily fits in a backyard and can be hooked up to the homeowner's utilities.

The 12' x 24' cottage was designed to be an alternative to nursing homes or assisted living centers. It's equipped with technology that can monitor vital signs, filter contaminants out of the air, alert caregivers to an occupant's fall, remind the occupant to take his medications and more. It also has a kitchen, bedroom with hospital-style bed and a bathroom with a host of "smart" devices, including a toilet that measures weight, temperature and urine content.

The MedCottage is designed to comply with zoning ordinances across the nation.

To learn more, click here.

Happy Veterans Day!

We've assembled a collection of fun facts about Veterans Day for you to share with your residents while honoring those who have served our country!

• In other parts of the world, Veterans Day is celebrated as Remembrance Day or Armistice Day in honor of November 11 being the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ceased fighting during World War I.
• In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 to be Armistice Day. In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower changed the name to Veterans Day to honor all veterans, not just those who served in World War I.
• The Secretary of Veterans Affairs serves as the chairperson of the Veterans Day National Committee.
• One third of all  living veterans served during the Vietnam War.

Congratulations, Chris Baron!

Team ProMed congratulates Chris Baron on being named the November 2010 Employee Spotlight Award winner! Chris is a picker in the warehouse and has been with ProMed for four years.

“Chris is a longtime employee for Professional Medical and I feel he deserves the award because of his years of dedication to picking orders accurately and quickly,” said Director of Operations/Distribution Christian Barnes. “Chris rarely makes a mistake and we recently put him on checking orders and shipping all LTL orders through our new connect ship program. He has been doing well there to date.”

Warehouse Manager Terry Magoon told us that "Chris has proven to be a key player on the Warehouse Picking Team and has committed himself early on to wanting to succeed and be the best. Chris has stepped up when needed and seems to enjoy the challenge and the challenges that are ahead. He has a positive and helping attitude that has earned him this award."

“Chris is a hard worker who always gives 110 percent,” added Joe Lamorte. “He is always willing to do what is asked of him and more.”

When we asked Chris why he enjoys being a member of Team ProMed, he said, “The people I work with and the fact that I’m learning new things all the time.”

When he’s not at ProMed, Chris enjoys spending time with his two dogs, going to Cubs and Bears games, playing disc golf and camping.

As the Employee Spotlight Award winner, Chris will be able to proudly display the Torch of Excellence trophy in his work area for the month of November. He was also given a $100 cash award.

Amy Gollan Named ProMed Director of Employee and HR Relations

ProMed President Terry Barnes has announced that Amy Gollan will be ProMed’s new Director of Employee and HR Relations. Since Amy joined the company more than five years ago, she has maintained the administration responsibilities of Payroll and was instrumental in setting up the new ADP HR employee maintenance software program. Further, Amy has always done a remarkable job in the planning of employee events throughout the year.

In addition to her Human Resources and Payroll responsibilities, Amy will now handle employee relations including incentives for all ProMed departmental personnel, reviewing some budget concerns and personally arranging selected customer tours and after-hours dinners. Of course, Amy will continue her hard work as President of the Barnes Foundation.

“Amy does a wonderful job with instilling the family values into the company culture,” commented CEO Matt Barnes. “I see this as a great opportunity for her to improve the morale of the team.”

“I think that Amy represents the Barnes family impeccably and is a very caring person,” added Director of Human Resources Barb Walters. “She truly does all that she can to make employees happy.”

“In the year and a half that I’ve been here, I’ve learned a lot from Amy,” said Human Resource Manager Kim Smith. “She is truly a pleasure to work side by side with on a daily basis. She has a heart of gold! She shares her knowledge of ADP and made the implementation of the new payroll/HR software seamless and effortless.”

Congratulations, Amy!

Medical Marijuana Sees Mixed Bag on Election Day

Last week's midterm election saw medical marijuana win some and lose some at the polls. These outcomes have implications for long-term care because a number of facilities use medical cannabis to treat chronic pain and other conditions.

Here's a rundown of how medical marijuana fared during the election:

• South Dakota and Oregon refused to relax medical marijuana regulation, while a vote in Arizona is still too close to call.
• Vermont and Connecticut elected governors who support medical marijuana use.

To learn more, click here.

Just "Beet It" for Brain Health

When a beet lands on your plate, do you beat a hasty retreat? Well, you might want to rethink wrinkling up your nose at these colorful veggies. A new study has found that beet juice improves blood flow to the brains of older adults, partly due to its high concentration of nitrates.

When we eat foods that are high in nitrates, the bacteria in our mouths convert those nitrates in nitrites, which promote blood flow. For older adults, blood flow to the brain is crucial. Research has found that when we age, a lack of blood flow to certain areas of the brain is linked to dementia and problems with cognition.

To learn more, click here.

When is Flu a Medical Emergency?

Flu season is in full swing! Flu can make even the toughest of us feel just plain wretched, but it usually goes away when you stay home and let it take its course. However, according to the CDC, some flu-related symptoms signal that the individual should seek immediate help.

People with the following symptoms should seek emergency medical help immediately:

• Signs of breathing or heart problems (such as chest pain, shortness or breath or bluish or purplish lips)
• Signs of dehydration (such as leathery skin, decreased urination or confusion)
• For children, failure to produce tears when they cry

To learn more, click here. To learn more about flu symptoms and severity, click here.

Courts: Some Medicare Standards Too Strict

Two federal courts, in Pennsylvania and Vermont, recently ruled that the current Medicare standards  used for deciding whether a patient is eligible for skilled nursing facility or home health care are too strict.

The courts found in favor of an 81-year-old Pennsylvania woman whose skilled nursing care, physical therapy and occupational therapy were discontinued following a hip replacement because Medicare alleged she hadn't improved and wasn't likely to. In Vermont, the court sided with a 66-year-old woman who was improperly denied coverage for home therapy that she needed to keep her condition from worsening after she suffered two strokes.

After the rulings, 17 House Democrats drafted a letter to President Obama asking for more relaxed standards, pointing out that many chronic conditions require regular therapy to prevent further deterioration.

To learn more, click here.

Congratulations, Scott Stachowiak!

Team ProMed congratulates Territory Manager Scott Stachowiak and his wife, Heather, on their new addition! Owen Matthew Stachowiak arrived on October 29. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches in length. Congratulations to the happy family!

Study: Insurers Insufficiently Reimbursed for Low-Income Medicare Part D Segment

A new study in the journal Health Affairs found that numerous insurers have stopped serving the low-income segment of the Medicare Part D program because they are not being sufficiently reimbursed for the relatively high medication use among this population.

Because of this, many insurers have increased their premiums for all beneficiaries, leading millions of people to switch prescription drug plans.

The study's authors note that when Medicare Part D was created, the hope was that competition between private plans would lead to lower premiums for beneficiaries - but this hasn't happened.

To learn more, click here.

November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month!

Today, November 1, marks the beginning of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. According to the Alzheimer's Association, there are currently more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease.

The event was established in 1983 by then-President Ronald Reagan, who called members of the Alzheimer's Association to the White House to sign a proclamation declaring November to be National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month.

To learn more, click here.