Education

A Message From NARA's President: Reflections on Inter-Professional Practice, ASHA, and PDPM

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has been making a concerted effort to build partnerships between their Speech Language Pathologist members and SNF therapy providers.  I had the privilege of sitting on a panel last week representing NARA and skilled nursing rehabilitation providers at the ASHA Healthcare Connect conference in Chicago, Il.  Monday,... Read More

Blog Post Provided by Optima Healthcare Solutions

Older adults have a few insurance options for healthcare, one of which is Medicare Advantage (MA). MA plans provide coverage for traditional Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (medical insurance), and often provide additional benefits, such as prescription drugs, vision and dental care. The main difference is that MA plans are offered through private insurance companies and are paid a fixed amount each month to cover... Read More

Neurological disorders are diseases that affect millions of Americans, slowly taking away muscle function and independence. We’re talking about disorders like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and strokes. While being diagnosed with one of these conditions can be scary, often times a comprehensive rehabilitation programs can improve function, range of motion, and independence. But before starting your therapy, it’s important that you know how each of these conditions can... Read More

May is National Better Hearing and Speech Month. This month recognizes and brings awareness to communication disorders. These disorders come from a huge array of backgrounds such as autism, hearing and hearing loss, and neurogenic speech and language issues. Getting to know the disorders is one step you can take to raising your voice for those who can’t.

There are over 46 million Americans that experience issues with communication. With a number like that, you... Read More

For all children, the first three years of life are critical for brain development. This becomes even more crucial if the child is restricted in development in any way. One great way to make sure that every child has the best chances of optimum development is by utilizing occupational therapy. Targeting that young and evolving brain allows new skills to be formed that can exponentially help throughout life.

Children with specific conditions such as Down syndrome or autism can hugely... Read More

When CMS issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking comments on replacing the existing SNF PPS case-mix RUG-IV payment methodology with a new model, the Resident Classification System, Version 1 (RCS-1), therapy providers everywhere began to wonder how it might affect their businesses. The ANPRM, entitled Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities, is subject to a 60-day comment period; the comment period was extended until August 25,... Read More