By John R Kormanik on Posted in Choosing a Nursing HomeAn excellent article by Katie Thomas in today’s New York Times caught my attention. In the past, I’ve written about Medicare’s 5-star rating system and how it can be a tool to help you select a nursing home. "Not so fast" says Ms. Thomas. Ms. Thomas writes: "top-ranked nursing homes have been given a seal of approval… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Resident and Family ResourcesIn an article on the Oregonian’s website, Julie Sullivan laments the state of Oregon’s Ombudsman’s program. According to Ms. Sullivan, Oregon’s ombudsman program has only one paid employee for every 6,692 long-term care facility beds. That is not good. Ms. Sullivan’s article got me wondering how Idaho fairs in this arena. One of the very… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Choosing a Nursing HomeIn a previous post entitled "Reliable Internet Resources For Choosing A Nursing Home," I linked to Medicare’s "Nursing Home Compare" website. Through the Nursing Home Compare website, you can access and view a facility’s "Five Star" rating. According the Medicare: "The Five-Star Quality Rating System was created to help consumers, their families, and caregivers compare nursing homes more easily and… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Health Care ReformIn today’s New York Times, an editorial by Harold Pollack, of the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration, recognizes one of the costs of expanded health care now being considered by Congress. According to Mr. Pollack, although approximately 30 million Americans stand to gain health care coverage under the bills now being considered… Continue Reading
