Jodie Tillman of the St. Petersburg Times reported yesterday that nursing home owners would get new lawsuit protections under next-to-last committee stop and will now proceed to the full Florida House of Representatives for a vote.  The complete article is reprinted below: House...

The "Savvy Senior" Web site offers valuable tips for seniors, courtesy of http://www.savvysenior.org/, a national information service devoted to older Americans and the families who support them. Through a variety of media, Savvy Senior provides information and resources through its nationally syndicated newspaper column, senior newswire service, resource...

After repeated clashes with the nursing home industry and Florida Governor Rick Scott, Florida's nursing home ombudsman, Brian Lee, was replaced by health and human services veteran Jim Crochet, the Miami Herald and Associated Press reported yesterday, April 25, 2011: Ousted Fla. nursing home ombudsman successor named The Associated Press April...

A Family Member HomeCare officially launched its blog today, April 25, 2011: Brian Gauthier and A Family Member HomeCare Launch South Florida Home Health Care Blog to Update on Home Health Care Community, Governmental and Regulatory Developments With the avalanche of changes...

The Miami Herald reported on April 20, 2011 that, according to a new Dartmouth Atlas Project report, that chronically ill Medicare patients spent fewer days in the hospital and received more hospice care in 2007 than they did in 2003, but there was an increase in the intensity of...

A State of California report on lax oversight of in-home health care agencies underscores the need to ensure the home health care agency provider you work with knows how to carefully screen their caregivers. A Sacramento Bee article about the report is reprinted below. A Family Member...

Florida's seniors are nervously watching developments in the State's House of Representatives, which voted on April 20, 2011 to deregulate land-based telephone lines. Florida's AARP opposes the measure and says it will result in higher-priced phone service for seniors. A statement is reprinted below from AARP Florida Interim State Director Jeff Johnson...

In a campaign to encourage Americans to use the U.S. Social Security Administration's online services, Baby Boomer stars George Takei and Patty Duke were enlisted as spokespersons in this April 6, 2011 news release from the agency: George Takei and Patty Duke Join Forces to Tell...

The Florida House of Representatives' Office of Public Information issued a recent report on Medicaid Reform for 2011. To view the complete report, click here. The Florida House of Representatives’ Health & Human Services Committee has filed two state Medicaid reform bills for the 2011 Legislative Session, HB 7107 and a linked bill, HB 7109....

The following article was published by USA Today on April 19, 2011: House Democrats target 25 GOP lawmakers for Medicare votefrom: USA Today | April 19, 2011 House Democrats are launching an ad campaign targeting Republicans in key districts who voted last week for Budget Chairman Paul Ryan's plan to dramatically revamp Medicare. It's the latest...

The Florida Department of Health released its State Cancer Plan today, April 22, 2011.  To view the report, click here. Florida ranks second in the nation in newly diagnosed cancer cases and mirrors national trends for the top cancer sites.  Moreover, cancer constitutes an economic burden on Floridians with approximately $4 billion in hospital...

This August 30, 2010 U.S. Department of Justice news release about a South Florida home health care sting underscores the need to ensure the hire of a reliable home health care agency . . . South Florida Doctor, Clinic Owner, and Five Nurses Plead Guilty in Home Health Care Fraud Scheme Doctor Admits to Referring 858 Medicare Beneficiaries...

Embattled Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker wrote the following opinion column for the New York Times on April 21, 2011: Our Obsolete Approach to Medicaid By SCOTT WALKER Published: April 21, 2011  New York Times         WHAT does Medicaid have in common with “I Dream of Jeannie,” “Lost in Space” and “Get Smart”?...

The Florida Tribune published the following article on the progress of Medicaid reform in the 2011 Florida Legislature: House rejects Medicaid conference April 13, 2011 By: Christine Jordan Sexton Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature remains divided over the fate of Medicaid with a little more than three weeks left in the 2011 session. Medicaid...

The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on March 17, 2011 entitled:  "Health Insurance Exchanges and Ongoing State Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." To view video of the hearing, click here. The witness panel is listed below, together with links to their complete written testimonies. Panel...

The U.S. Government Accountability Office ("GAO") issued the following report (GAO-11-556T ) entitled "Medical Devices:  FDA's Premarket Review and Postmarket Safety Efforts" A summary is reprinted below.  To view the full report, click on the hyperlink, also below:Highlights Page (PDF) Full Report (PDF, 22 pages) Accessible...

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration issued the following news release on December 6, 2010: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Announces Physician Volume Data on Hip and Knee Replacements is Now Available on FloridaHealthFinder.gov TALLAHASSEE – The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) today announced that physician...

Brian Gauthier and the staff of A Family Member HomeCare at the Meyerhoff Salute to Manny Fernandez event were featured by USA Today.  To access the complete story, click here...

The following article was published on April 15, 2011in the Tallahassee Democrat/Florida Capitol News: Scott lifts disabilities-services cuts Lawmakers assure governor that budget will include $174M needed By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital Bureau Gov. Rick Scott agreed Thursday to lift his emergency order that made massive cuts in...