Yesterday, Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV) announced the completion of its acquisition of Rush Home Care Inc., which operates as Magna Home Health. While the financial terms of the transaction were undisclosed, the company announced that it funded the deal with its existing cash reserves. The agreement to purchase Magna Home Health, a part of the Rush Health System, was signed by Gentiva in July this year. The addition of Magna's locations in Meridian, Mississippi and Gilbertown, Alabama should enable Gentiva to expand its coverage in seven new certificate of need (CON) counties to participate in the delivery of home health services. We believe this deal will consolidate Gentiva’s position as the largest provider of comprehensive home healthcare services in the U.S. and enable them to serve a wider patient population. The transaction is not expected to affect Gentiva’s 2009 operations materially. Gentiva, which derives ...

Highlighted in this blog is Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (GTIV).In 2008, Medicare spent about $16.5B on home care services out of a total budget of $455B. In a report released Friday March 13, 2009, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) raised concerns that improper payments from practices indicating fraud and abuse may have contributed to Medicare home health spending and utilization over recent years.The GAO focused on states with the highest growth in Medicare home health spending or utilization, fraudulent and abusive practices contributing to recent spending and utilization, and administrative issues that make it vulnerable to improper payments.In comments on a draft of the report, CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] stated it would consider 2 of our 4 recommendations—to amend regulations to expand the types of improper billing practices that are grounds for revocation of billing privileges and to ...

Highlighted stocks include Gentiva Health Services Inc. (GTIV) and HealthSouth (HLS).MedPac Releases Report on Medicare Payment PolicyEach March, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPac) reviews and makes recommendations for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) payment systems and the Medicare Advantage (MA) program to Congress.On Friday February 27, 2009, MedPac released its findings and recommended significant cuts to home healthcare companies, reducing payments by 5.5% in 2010. It also suggested trimming reimbursement rates for high priced medical imaging services and reforming payments for end-of-life hospice care, among other measures.The commission also echoed the Obama budget's call for reduced payments for Medicare Advantage insurance plans, which private insurers offer as an alternative to the government's traditional fee-for-service program.On a positive note, the commission deemed payments to skilled nursing facilities, long-term care hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation facility services * as adequate, and ...

As we move into 2009, the stock market continues to be very volatile. The most optimistic projections say the beginning of an economic recovery is 6 months away, while the bearish faction believes it could still be years into the future. But trying to pick the bottom of the market can be a fool's errand for even the smartest and most experienced investors.

The only thing anyone agrees on is that it will happen, with Warren Buffet saying recently, "It's never paid to bet against America, we come through things."

And since most investors are in the market for the long-haul anyway, it is best to focus on a long-term growth strategy that is designed to produce steady gains when market conditions improve. This approach is particularly relevant in our modern economy where companies and industries can quickly fall in and out of favor.

Screening For Great Stocks

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