June 14, 2022

KHCA/KCAL is committed to providing our members with important updates. Below is a list of the most recent information. Please visit our website for a list of complete updates. www.khca.org/covid-19-resources

The Latest News

Three Bills Look To Address Health Care Worker Shortage McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (6/14, Brown) reports three recently introduced House bills "are designed to bring more workers into the health care industry amid a severe workforce shortage." The Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act "would create a grant program to help cover the costs of licensing, certification, training and education provided to immigrants looking to work in health care;" the Medical Graduate Assistance Act "would incentivize states to create temporary licensing programs for internationally educated immigrants with medical degrees;" and the Professional’s Access to Health (PATH) Workforce Integration Act "would provide training and counseling opportunities to internationally trained health professionals that are US citizens and immigrants legally residing in the country." The article adds that providers attending the American Health Care Association event in Washington, DC "last week said they needed some way to address disparities in education and allow foreign providers to get licensed in the US more quickly if they earned degrees in another country."

THIS FRIDAY! QAPI for Assisted Living - Lunch and Learn - In Person Topeka, KS 6/17/2022 12:00PM-4:00PM Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) is not just for skilled nursing facilities; in fact it is used in many industries and can be used in assisted living (AL). Assisted Living providers must think of quality improvement holistically and how improving quality can drastically improve your business. By operationalizing business systems, you can drive quality. These systems should support quality AND acceptable business practices. In this lunch and learn, attendees will learn how they can use QAPI and performance improvement projects (PIP) to improve quality in your Assisted Living or Home Plus.  This work shop will be a hands-on session, sharing QAPI templates and walking through them to understand implementation. Attendees will also learn how to implement a PIP by going through examples of PIPs. Learn about best practices for these quality improvement practices, including barriers to implementation and how to address them so you can start or continue your quality journey.

In Case You Missed It

CMS Official Confirms Agency Considering Direct Care Spending Minimums for Nursing Homes Federal health officials hinted that nursing home providers may soon be forced to spend a minimum of their Medicaid funding on direct care.  A top official with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has for the second time hinted publicly that the agency is considering enacting a minimum direct care spending requirement for nursing homes. Such a policy could limit the funding available for operations and capital improvements. READ MORE

Skilled Nursing Operators Submit Thousands Of Comments Opposing CMS Reimbursement Cuts Skilled Nursing News (6/12, Zorn) reports CMS has received "approximately 4,717 comments" on its planned reduction in skilled nursing reimbursement, with many providers warning the cut could be "devastating" for their facilities. Others, including the American Health Care Association, stressed "that if CMS intends to move forward with its proposed cut related to the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), it should be at least spread out over a number of years." Virginia Health Care Association President and CEO Keith Hare warned that with compensation rates increasing double-digits in some states, a "rate change would be a ‘major blow’ to the financial viability of the sector."

Members Only Nurse Advisory Call & Facility Standards Call We will not have our Nurse Advisory and Facility Standards call as normally scheduled this month. We hope you are joining us in Manhattan at the Nurse Leadership Conference instead! Below you can still find the latest survey findings from Linda Farrar. Survey Findings Reflections

Maintain Back-up Generators - Electric Service During High Demand Periods This Week This reminder includes all types of adult care homes. Click here for more details.

HCS Home Care/Hospice Studies The 2022 Home Care and Hospice Salary & Benefits studies have officially begun! Deadline is August 8th.   In these ever-challenging times, participation is more important than ever to help provide a clear picture of marketplace rates and share how other agencies are tackling staffing shortages. Whether an agency is large or small, their data makes a difference to the studies.   New this year--Questions on staffing issues, nursing vacancy + turnover rates, and sign-on bonuses. Participants save over 50% off the Report price. Questionnaires are available online at: https://www.hhcsinc.com/survey-questionnaires.html.   This press release has the pricing details and other information. Thank you in advance for your continued support of the studies!

Education Spotlight

Virtual Adult Care Home Operators Course July 6 - July 19, 2022  This hybrid course is designed to provide you with everything necessary to earn a certificate as an Adult Care Home Operator in the State of Kansas. The class is based on the principles of assisted living as outlined in the KDADS regulation manual and is taught by a variety of presenters that are currently working in the field. The course will be facilitated by Joan Hudson, KCAL Clinical Consultant and Polly Berkley, VP of Operations and Education for KHCA/KCAL. This course provides knowledge and insight on the rules, regulations and responsibilities governing the operation of a state licensed only adult care home. The course fee includes a minimum of 45 hours of instruction, electronic program handout materials (to print if you wish) and a printed Operators manual which will be mailed to the address that you provide when you register. The KDADS registration fee is not included in the fee for this course.

Upcoming Education

Webinar: The Proficient Infection Preventionist Series: Competency in Multidrug Resistant Organisms (MDRO) for the Infection Preventionist 6/21/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM

Webinar: MDS Mastermind Series: Surmounting Survey and Audit Preparedness 6/22/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM

FREE Webinar (1.0 CE): Candida auris outbreaks in LTC Communities 6/23/2022 2:00PM-3:00PM

Virtual Adult Care Home Operators Course 7/6/2022 - 7/19/2022

Assisted Living FCS, NSA and HSP Lunch and Learn Topeka, KS 7/15/2022 12:00PM-4:00PM

Kansas Health Care Association and the Kansas Center for Assisted Living 1100 SW Gage Blvd. | PO Box 4770 | Topeka, KS 66604 PH: 785-267-6003 FAX: 785-267-0833 khca@khca.org |  www.khca.org