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Weekly Member Spotlight: Goshen Home Care Inc.
Goshen Home Care is a 6-bed home plus located at 9939 Foster Street in Overland Park. Monica Kangethe is the owner and operator.
At Goshen Home Care, they have a passion for creating moments of joy for their residents by providing care that is resident-centered and personalized. Their experienced and highly trained caregivers provide the highest quality of care to the residents. Their goal is to help individuals live happy and fulfilling lives.
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Update on NF 15 Million-Dollar ARPA Dollars
In a call with KDADS on August 29, 2022, updates and details on this distribution process of the 15 million-dollars of ARPA funds were provided. These are the funds approved by the Kansas Legislature in late May.
You will receive your official agreement form from KDADS tomorrow (September 1, 2022) via their KOTA system. With it will be instructions of how to sign and return as well as a worksheet for your use to track the spending of the funds. If you return your form quickly (10-14 days) you should receive payment around October 1. If you submit the signed agreement after the original deadline, your payment will be issued in the “second” batch. That timeframe is yet to be determined but no sooner than late October. Also, you will need to register with SAMs.gov and provide your assigned number as part of the KDADS agreement. Feds require i.d. number for ARPA funds distribution. If you have applied for your id with SAMs.gov but have not yet been issued one, put “pending” and the date you applied in that field. The dollar amount awarded to each nursing facility will be approximately $768.00 per licensed bed (occupied or not) as of July 1, 2022.
What We Know:
- The Recovery Office has approved the distribution.
- The agreement will spell out what the funds may be used for and a tracking sheet will be provided to help providers track how the dollars were spent.
- The agreements will be sent out on September 1, 2022 via KOTA.
- Providers will have 14 days to sign and return the form.
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The funds will be distributed via KMMS on or around October 1, 2022 Kansas Modular Medicaid System (KMMS). https://portal.kmap-state-ks.us/Documents/Provider/Miscellaneous/KMMS.pdf
- For providers who miss the 14-day deadline, a second opportunity to return the agreement will be posted.
- The final round of payouts will be made within 45 days.
How Providers Can Prepare:
Please direct any questions to Linda MowBray, President/CEO by email at lmowbray@khca.org
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Focus F-Tag of the Week
Each week through October, AHCA will be focusing on a particular F-tag(s) to help providers break down the Phase 2 updates and Phase 3 new guidance.
§483.70-Administration
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made changes to the §483.70-Administration guidance. Changes include the following:
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F847-Entering Binding Arbitration Agreements. CMS added a new F-tag (F847) and guidance outlining requirements, which a facility must comply with if a facility chooses to ask a resident or his or her representative to enter into an agreement for binding arbitration.
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F848-Select Arbitrator/ Venue, Retention of Agreements. CMS added new the new F-tag (F848) and guidance outlining requirements a facility must comply with when selecting an arbitrator and venue, as well as retention requirements of agreements.
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F851-Mandatory Submission of Staffing Information Based on PBJ in Uniform Format. CMS updated the guidance to reflect surveyors can obtain PBJ data to/from CASPER to verify compliance with the requirement, as well as added submission requirements to the key elements of noncompliance.
AHCA members may also refer back to the following existing member resources:
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CMS Requiring iQIES Account Registration for MDS Submission Process for 2023 |
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In August 2022, CMS held an open door forum informing providers of the upcoming rollout of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) submission transition to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) in early 2023. This system was first piloted in May 2021 for Home Health Agencies. CMS is now working to transition all state agencies and CMS locations to the new internet-based system. The iQIES will consolidate and replace functionality from the Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES), Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER), and Automated Survey Process Environment (ASPEN) legacy systems.
To comply with federal security mandates, CMS is initiating new security requirements for access control to CMS Quality Systems through Remote Identity Proofing (RIDP) via the Healthcare Quality Information Systems (HCQIS) Access, Roles and Profile Management System. To gain access, all current and future provider users will need to create an account and establish credentials in the HCQIS Access Roles and Profile System (HARP), which is a secure identity management portal provided by CMS.
This transition process includes a new requirement for providers to identify an individual to act as the Provider’s Security Official (PSO). The PSO will need to be approved by CMS and will have the responsibility of approving all iQIES users for the individual provider organization, including any vendors that may be accessing iQIES on behalf of the provider. CMS recommends that providers designate at least two PSOs to ensure someone will be available to approve/reject any iQIES access requests for the provider. Users wanting to submit MDS data and for other purposes after the transition to iQIES in 2023 will not be granted access unless the PSO approves the request.
CMS has begun reaching out to provider organizations with more details to initiate this process through a waved approach. Providers will be contacted according to CMS Region as follows:
- August 15 – Regions 1 & 2
- August 29 – Regions 3, 9, & 10
- September 12 – Region 4
- September 26 – Region 6
- October 17 – Region 5
- October 31 – Regions 7 & 8 (Kansas is Region 7)
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KHCA/KCAL Convention Kick Off and Opening Keynote
Presented by Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL
You won’t want to miss this update from Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living. As he touches on the progress LTC providers have made during an absolutely unprecedented time, and the positive future ahead for us. Mark is the President and CEO of the American Health Care Association (AHCA), which represents over 14,000 skilled nursing facilities and assisted living centers.
Parkinson served as the 45th Governor of the State of Kansas. Prior to that, he was the owner and operator of long-term care facilities in Kansas and Missouri. Under Parkinson’s leadership, AHCA focuses on delivering policy solutions to the Hill and CMS, with a special emphasis on quality care. AHCA is now the largest association in long term care and is at record membership.
Parkison's vision has brought him recognition. He has been named a Top Association CEO by CEO Update and a top lobbyist for seven consecutive years (2013-2019) by The Hill, a leading Capitol Hill newspaper. Parkinson also has the distinction of being selected as one of the “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare in 2015. Most recently, Parkinson was named Top CEO in the small-employer category by The Washington Post 2019 Top Workplace survey.
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"Tropical Escape - Rejuvenating Your Why"
Kansas Star Event Center Mulvane, KS
September 28 - 30, 2022
Join us for our 72nd Annual Convention & Trade Show in Mulvane, KS! Registration is now open. To learn more about all the offerings this event brings, click the brochure cover or click here to register!
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QSO Memo 22-15-NH & NLTC & LSC
Yesterday CMS sent out revised QSO memo 22-15-NH & NLTC & LSC regarding waivers of the Nurse Aide Training Competency and Evaluation requirements. KHCA has conferred with KDADS and they have requested that communities that are experience difficulty accessing CNA courses, access to exams or clinical sites for your trainees please contact KDADS or us here at the association. The opportunity to have a waiver from the state level instead of elevating to CMS may have a faster result.
Lacey Hunter – Commissioner KDADS Survey Certification and Credentialing
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Register for KDHE Webinar: New Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) Guidance for Long-Term Care Facilities
KDHE is hosting a webinar to review the new CDC guidance on implementing Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP). Employing the targeted use of PPE for high contact cares, EBP is aimed at reducing risks of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) transmission in your facilities. Participants will understand the impact and burden of MDROs in nursing homes, need for use of EBP, indications for and use of EBP, and how to be successful in implementing EBP to reduce healthcare exposures to MDROs. Registration is required to attend, and space may be limited.
Webinar Details:
September 7, 2022, 2:00 PM Central Time
Registration Link:
If you have any questions, please contact the HAI/AR Program:
HAI/AR Program Contact Information
HAI/AR Program Main Line: 785-296-4167
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COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine Booster Approval
Over the past three years, we have watched COVID-19 evolve and create new, more contagious variants of the virus. In December, we saw the emergence of the Omicron variant which quickly became the dominant variant – and the most contagious to date. As a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to update their COVID-19 vaccines with an Omicron-specific component. These new “bivalent” vaccines will more effectively fight the Omicron strains of COVID-19.
Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are currently seeking authorization from the FDA for an Emergency Use Authorization for their new bivalent COVID-19 booster. Pending authorization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will meet to make a recommendation on booster dose and timing. We anticipate this to take place during the September 1-2, 2022, ACIP meeting.
As outlined in the CDC planning guide, the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine will be administered as a single booster dose to those who previously completed a primary series of COVID-19 vaccine. It is anticipated that bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster doses may initially be authorized for people ages 12 years and older (Pfizer-BioNTech) and for people ages 18 years and older (Moderna), followed by younger pediatric age groups. The bivalent booster is expected to replace existing booster formulas, meaning individuals will not have a choice in which booster to select.
AHCA/NCAL has been meeting with the CDC and LTC pharmacy partners to ensure LTC remains a top priority for access to this booster. Facilities should contact their LTC pharmacies and schedule bivalent booster clinics.
AHCA/NCAL will provide another update once the bivalent booster is approved. Please contact COVID19@ahca.org with questions.
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CMS Email Outage Over Labor Day Weekend
CMS will be performing a major email system transition over the Labor Day holiday weekend. There will be an outage of CMS system emails starting late Friday, September 2 until early morning Tuesday, September 6. It is expected that all email will be queued and sent after the transition, but it is possible that some email may get lost.
CMS will not have access to its email during this time for either sending or receiving. CMS systems, including the MCD and the MCD Archive, will not be able to send or receive emails during this time either. Anticipated impacts include:
- CMS and the Help Desk may not receive emails that a public user might submit for feedback.
- "Basket" emails will be delayed or possibly undelivered.
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The Long Term Care Survey manual, Phase 3 is now available for pre-order!
Order your copy today for October delivery.*
Phase 3 of The Long Term Care Survey manual includes all the updates from CMS' three-phase implementation.
Survey guidance for Phase 3 was released in June 2022. Surveyors will begin using this guidance on October 24, 2022.
Save money by ordering through KHCA!
Learn more about updates to this important resource and place your order today! E-mail Jennafer Sumner with desired quantity.
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Unpacking the RoP Interpretive Guidance: LTC Implementation Essentials
Starts September 8th!
5-Part Webinar Series
On June 29, 2022, CMS released revised Long-Term Care surveyor guidance, including clarifications and technical corrections of Phase 2 guidance issued in 2017, new guidance for Phase 3 requirements which went into effect in November 28, 2019, and guidance on the new arbitration requirements which became effective September 2019. Surveyors will begin using this guidance to identify noncompliance on October 24, 2022. This education series will explain the updates and changes of the regulations and guidance, with an emphasis on developing action plans for achieving compliance related to the updates and changes.
What to Expect:
At the conclusion of each session, the learner will be able to:
- Identify the updates and changes of regulations and guidance that will go into effect October 24, 2022.
- Develop an action plan to achieve compliance related to the updates and changes
All registered participants will receive a link to the recorded sessions.
Click here to register for the 5 part webinar series and save $$.
Register for individual sessions by viewing our education calendar at www.khca.org
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Webinar: Survey Top 10 Citation Series - Survey Success! #8 Top Citation: F695 Respiratory/Tracheostomy Care & Suctioning
9/6/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Dynamic DON Series: MDS and Medicare Essentials
9/7/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Unpacking the RoP Interpretive Guidance: LTC Implementation Essentials Session 1: Resident Rights; Abuse, Neglect, & Exploitation; Admission, Transfer, and Discharge Requirements
9/8/2022 1:30PM-3:00PM
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Webinar: Dynamic DON Series: Essential Resources for the DON
9/14/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Unpacking the RoP Interpretive Guidance: LTC Implementation Essentials Session 2: Quality of Life & Quality of Care; Trauma Informed Care; Physician Services; Behavioral Health; Pharmacy Services; Food and Nutrition Requirements
9/15/2022 1:30PM-3:00PM
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Looking for options for required Staff In-Service?
KHCA’s online learning platform is BACK! We’ve loaded the in-services for SNF and for AL first. Many more education sessions to come.
Questions about education can be directed to Polly Berkley VP of Operations and Education.
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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
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