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		 		<title>Provided by Murchison &amp; Cumming LLP</title>
				<link>http://www.shiftPortal.com/murchisonlaw</link>
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				<copyright>Copyright 2010 shiftcentral.com</copyright>
				<lastBuildDate>Wed, 29 Sep 2010 23:33:49 GMT</lastBuildDate>
				
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						<title><![CDATA[HHS announces $68M in long-term-care grants]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=237</link>
						<description><![CDATA[The Department of Health and Human Services announced $68 million in grants to support community living for seniors and individuals with disabilities. The grants are funded through the healthcare reform law. &quot;The funds will be used to help seniors and individuals with disabilities and their caregivers make more informed decisions about their health and long-term care,&quot; according to HHS. &quot;Specifically, the funds will be used to help families: understand their Medicare and Medicaid benefits, including coverage for preventive services; navigate options for long-term care including community-based services that can help individuals remain in their homes; and assist those transitioning from nursing or rehabilitation facilities back home to put the supports in place to make that transition successful.&quot;]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[The Hill]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/27]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/121033-hhs-announces-68-million-in-long-term-care-grants]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>237</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/27]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[AHA issues report on patient-centered medical homes]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=235</link>
						<description><![CDATA[Hospitals can support patient-centered medical homes by linking them with affiliated physicians and offering health information technology, staff and management expertise, according to a report released by the American Hospital Association. The 21-page report synthesizes research on the patient-centered medical home, a care delivery model that aims to facilitate communication between patients and providers to improve the patient experience and reduce costs. ]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[Healthcare Finance News]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/23]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/aha-issues-report-patient-centered-medical-homes]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>235</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/23]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[The SCAN Foundation launches DataBriefs examining long term care issues and related policy implications]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=233</link>
						<description><![CDATA[The SCAN Foundation has launched its new DataBriefs series. This new series provides dynamic facts and analysis that examine health and supportive services and the people who use them, while exploring opportunities to improve care through implementation of health reform. Powered by a data analytics team at Avalere Health, the first five DataBriefs of this series are currently available for download on The SCAN Foundation website.]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[The SCAN Foundation]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/22]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://www.thescanfoundation.org/press-releases/scan-foundation-launches-databriefs-new-series-examining-long-term-care-issues-and-re]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>233</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/22]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[Long-term care operators cautiously optimistic about future, capital still scarce]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=234</link>
						<description><![CDATA[The economic downturn has tested long-term care operators and they feel stronger as a result of it, Robert Kramer, president of the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing &amp; Care Industry, suggested at NIC's annual conference. &quot;For operators, there's a sense they've survived incredibly challenging conditions,&quot; said Kramer. Owners and operators also think that the crisis has been a &quot;painful but good exercise in the importance of demonstrating value to customers,&quot; he noted. Long-term care operators are optimistic about the future, he said. The two main questions are: When will capital return? and What types of capital sources will there be?, he added.]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[McKnight's]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/24]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://www.mcknights.com/long-term-care-operators-cautiously-optimistic-about-future-capital-still-scarce-kramer-of-nic-says/article/179457/]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>234</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/24]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[Housing report offers bleak financing picture for seniors housing construction]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=236</link>
						<description><![CDATA[Construction activity has slowed significantly in the seniors housing sector, according to a new report. The findings mirror a general lack of capital for new construction, creators of the report said. The report is a &quot;reflection of a dearth of capital for new construction activity,&quot; said David Schless, president of the American Seniors Housing Association. Between the end of the first quarter of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010, construction starts were down 32% from the prior year and had fallen 57% from two years ago for all combined seniors housing and care properties. There was also a drop-off in entrance-fee continuing care retirement community construction. It accounted for 13% of all units under construction during the period studied, compared to 22% in 2009. ]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[McKnight's]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/24]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://www.mcknights.com/housing-report-offers-bleak-financing-picture-for-seniors-housing-construction-organizations-say/article/179456/]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>236</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/24]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[House passes Medicare fraud bill]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=239</link>
						<description><![CDATA[The House passed a bill that would ban executives from &quot;doing business with Medicare if their companies were convicted of fraud, even if the conviction takes place after their departure. The bill was introduced by the Ways and Means health panel's chairman and ranking member, Reps. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) and Wally Herger (R-Calif.).&quot; The CBO said a few individuals would be affected by the law and that it would not have a &quot;significant budgetary impact&quot;.]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[The Hill]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/22]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/medicare/120339-house-passes-medicare-fraud-bill]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>239</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/22]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[California medical center to pay $2.2M in whistle-blower suit]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=241</link>
						<description><![CDATA[El Centro Regional Medical Center agreed to pay the United States $2.2 million to settle a whistle-blower lawsuit brought by its former director of health-information management. The suit alleges that the hospital billed Medicare for short-term admissions when the stays should have been coded as outpatient observations.&nbsp; El Centro Regional, which also agreed to enter a corporate-integrity agreement with HHS' inspector general's office, said in its news release that the hospital has modified its utilization review, coding documentation and billing processes. ]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[Modern Healthcare]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/22]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[https://home.modernhealthcare.com/clickshare/authenticateUserSubscription.do?CSProduct=modernhealthcare&CSAuthReq=1:173330431167400:AID|IDAID=20100921/NEWS/309219965|ID=:146398351C77B7D77FFE1B23A8289A]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>241</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/22]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[Union-backed legislation in San Francisco targets new private medical centers]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=240</link>
						<description><![CDATA[The San Francisco Board of Supervisors would gain new powers to regulate or reject private San Francisco hospital expansion projects under legislation being considered by the city.  Introduced by David Campos, with backing from several other supervisors and at least one major health-care union, the legislation would make it more difficult for hospitals to expand or contract their operations in San Francisco if the changes are deemed not to be &ldquo;consistent&rdquo; with a new health master plan the city would prepare.]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[San Francisco Business Journal]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/24]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/morning_call/2010/09/master_plan_shakes_san_francisco_hospitals.html?surround=lfn]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>240</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/24]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[Medical plastics industry set for expansion over the next decade]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=238</link>
						<description><![CDATA[The medical plastics industry is set to expand rapidly over the next decade taking up increasing proportions of GDP, as countries provide healthcare to an ageing population, access to medicine expands in developing regions and new technology is developed. Some of the issues in using polymers in medicine were debated at the latest AMI conference on Medical Grade Polymers, which took place September 14-15, 2010 in Philadelphia. ]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[AZoM News]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/28]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://www.azom.com/news.asp?NewsID=24527]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>238</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/28]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[SEIU says job cuts at California's El Camino Hospital are unnecessary]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=242</link>
						<description><![CDATA[El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, Calif., and the Service Employees International Union are butting heads over whether layoffs are necessary, according to a Wall Street Journal report. When the hospital announced plans to lay off 140 workers due to an increase of nonpaying clients, the SEIU protested the cuts, citing the hospital's recent $36 million profit for the fiscal year that ended in June. El Camino CEO Ken Graham said layoffs, benefit reductions and other staffing reductions are part of a three-year plan to save the hospital $60 million. Hospital leaders said the layoffs are necessary to align expenses and revenue. Some union officials say the threats of layoffs are aimed at squeezing concessions out of SEIU, rather than an economic necessity. Because El Camino's revenue is expected to rise over the next year, the union is working with the hospital to instead restructure work groups to prevent some layoffs.]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[The Wall Street Journal]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/23]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703440604575495731125644388.html?mod=googlenews_wsj]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>242</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/23]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[Schwarzenegger calls for tougher laws for in-home caregivers; unions give mixed response]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=243</link>
						<description><![CDATA[California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is calling on the state Legislature to address the &quot;public safety crisis&quot; after revelations surfaced that convicted felons can work in the state's home care program. Investigators flagged at least 210 in-home healthcare workers and applicants to the In Home Supportive Services program as having felony convictions. Many more felons go unreported to officials, the LA Times reported. A federal judge last year ruled that the rules of the IHSS program allow felons to work in the program. Following the publication of the LA Times article, Schwarzenegger issued a letter to the state Legislature calling for changes in the law to prevent felons from having access to elderly and disabled individuals. 
Related News:
Concerns continue over employees of in-home health care program - California Healthline]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[McKnight's]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/28]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://www.mcknights.com/schwarzenegger-calls-for-tougher-laws-for-in-home-caregivers-unions-give-mixed-response/article/179752/]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>243</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/28]]></pubtime>	
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						<title><![CDATA[Nurse ranks grow; faculty shortage seen]]></title>
						<link>http://www.shiftportal.com/murchisonlaw/redirection/index.cfm?id=244</link>
						<description><![CDATA[The registered nurse workforce swelled to nearly 3.1 million, as of March 2008, up more than 5% since 2004, according to a newly released report from the Health Resources and Services Administration. Published every four years, the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses examines nurses' demographic patterns and employment trends for use in policymaking and analysis. Among the findings from this year's report was a critical shortage of nursing faculty, which researchers predict will continue to hinder schools' ability to &quot;restock the pool&quot; of registered nurses. Of current nursing faculty, 60% are age 50 or older, according to the report. In addition, the survey found more diversity in the nursing workforce. The percentage of minority registered nurses grew to 16.8% in 2008 from 12.2% in 2004.]]></description>
						<category><![CDATA[Health Law]]></category>
						<source><![CDATA[Modern Healthcare]]></source>
						<pubDate><![CDATA[2010/09/23]]></pubDate>
						<original_link><![CDATA[http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20100923/NEWS/309239980/-1]]></original_link>	
                        <newsid>244</newsid>
                        <pubtime><![CDATA[2010/09/23]]></pubtime>	
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