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CMS issues details on vaccine mandate's end
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Wednesday afternoon issued a final rule lifting the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for healthcare workers by early August.
The details came in a document set to be published in the Federal Register on June 6. The rule would go into effect 60 days later.
It withdraws controversial regulations in a November 2021 interim final rule that required an initial COVId-19 vaccines for all staff working long-term care facilities. READ MORE
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Claims audit will affect every nursing home starting June 5
Every skilled nursing facility in the US will be subject to a five-claim audit starting the week of June 5 as regulators try to better assess and root out improper payments.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the audits by Medicare Administrative Contractors in early May, later removing a related memo from public view. But several experts have said the reviews still will take place on a rolling basis, with MAC in every region required to pull five Medicare Part A claims from every facility they cover and review them for potential errors. READ MORE
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Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar
What another great experience at last week’s AHCA 2023 Quality Summit! The educational presentations were top notch, as always, and the networking was valuable. I will start with one agenda item from the State Affiliate meeting. Representatives from the CMS QIO presented on the current status of the QIO programs. They are currently working on the 13th Scope of Work (SOW) and they want feedback from nursing home leaders on recent experiences with the QIO program…both positive and negative. READ MORE
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AHCA/NCAL Prepares Resources To Help Nursing, Assisted Living Facilities Manage Medicaid Redeterminations
Provider Magazine (5/30, 151K) reports that "since March 2020, states have been prohibited from disenrolling any Medicaid beneficiaries from the Medicaid program," but "with the public health emergency ended, states are returning to ‘regular’ Medicaid redetermination schedules." Waves of nursing facility and assisted living "Medicaid redeterminations may seem of little concern" at first glance, but "they are cause for concern if staff turnover in NF and AL business offices has resulted in workplaces staffed with personnel who have little to no Medicaid redetermination experience." AHCA/NCAL "has prepared an array of resources aimed at supporting NFs and AL facilities to manage significant numbers of Medicaid redeterminations." While "working with partner organizations, AHCA/NCAL has developed three modules and related tools."
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AHCA/NCAL To Hold Congressional Briefing On June 5 And 6
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (5/26, Marselas) reported AHCA/NCAL "will hold its annual Congressional Briefing in Washington, DC, June 5 and 6." Hundreds of members are set to "attend sessions headed by association leaders and hear from DC leaders directly before heading up to the Capitol to meet with representatives from their respective states." According to McKnight’s, "AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark Parkinson, AHCA Board Chair Phil Fogg, and Clifton J. Porter, II, Senior Vice President of Government Relations, will also offer comments on legislative priorities for long-term care."
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CDC Webinar: New Updates to the NHSN LTCF COVID-19 Module Surveillance Pathways
There will be a number of revisions to the LTCF COVID-19 Module Surveillance Pathways (Resident Impact and Facility Capacity, Staff and Personnel Impact, and Therapeutics) with the upcoming NHSN release planned for June 2023.
Please plan to attend a training session to learn about how data entry forms will change and receive instructions for accurate reporting. Additional time will be reserved for questions and answers at the end of each training session.
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Only Days Left to Nominate a Champion of Quality in Long Term Care
The deadline to submit a nomination for the 2023 Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award program is Friday, June 9, 2023 via Award Force. AHCA/NCAL members are strongly encouraged to nominate an individual that has made significant national contributions to advancing quality performance in long term and/or post-acute care, including either skilled nursing or assisted living settings. READ MORE
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KMAP Web Update
The KMAP Public Portal has been updated with General Bulletin 23132 regarding the ambulance service and ground mileage rate increase.
KMAP Billing Packet Update
A standard broadcast message has been added to alert providers. A standard RA banner message will appear on those available the weeks of May 29 and April 5. Let me know if you have any questions regarding these updates.
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KCAL District 1 Round Table
Thursday, June 15, 2023
1:30PM - 3:00PM
Mission Chateau Assisted Living
4100 W 85th Street
Prairie Village, KS 66206
(Enter on the North Side)
Located on the west side of Mission Road, a block south of Corinth Square.
Assisted Living Round Table with Kansas Center for Assisted Living Board Members and KHCA/KCAL President/CEO Linda MowBray
Includes all Assisted Living, Home Plus, and Residential Health Care Communities in Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth and Wyandotte Counties.
If you plan to attend this meeting, please RSVP to Teresa Keating by emailing tkeating@khca.org. Please indicate your name, what community you are with, and a phone number where you can be reached. You will then be sent a calendar invite.
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FDA grants Paxlovid full approval, says drug remains effective COVID-19 treatment
McKnight's Long-Term Care News (5/26, Lasek) reports, Paxlovid, which received emergency use authorization in December of 2021, continues to be an effective treatment for COVID-19, the agency said Thursday.
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CDC Launches New Respiratory Illness Data Dashboard: RESP-LENS
The CDC posted a new dashboard that shows emergency department visits for laboratory confirmed influenza (flu), SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19),and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. RESP-LENS can be used to follow trends and compare activity of these three different pathogens in different age groups and geographic locations. The dashboard will be updated weekly on Fridays. LEARN MORE
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AHCA/NCAL’s Clif Porter Discusses Response To Visa Freeze For International Nurses
Skilled Nursing News (5/24, Stulick) reports, "In another blow to a floundering nursing home workforce shortage, the State Department last month froze green card processes for international nurses." And "according to a bulletin from the federal office, only green card petitions filed earlier than June 2022 will proceed to the interview stage – all others will be paused indefinitely." AHCA/NCAL Government Relations Senior Vice President Clif Porter "said the backlog of international nurses was synonymous with a backlog of seniors seeking to receive care in nursing homes across the country." Porter added, "At a time when the Administration plans to propose a federal staffing mandate for nursing homes, Washington should not simultaneously create barriers to recruit the nurses we so urgently need." Skilled Nursing News interviews Porter "to discuss what the association has been doing since the news broke to work around yet another roadblock for SNF operators."
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New Education on Demand for Social Services
Quality of Life Tags for Social Services: This 90 minute webinar reviews Quality of Life Regulations. Time will be spent specifically focused on the CMS regulations focused on Quality of Life. F675, F676, F677, F678, F679, and F680. The webinar is presented by Linda Farrar, RN, LNHA. KHCA/KCAL members email khca@khca.org to get $20 discount off this course. LEARN MORE
Care Planning for Social Services: This 75 minute webinar reviews Care Planning for Social Service identified needs. Time will be spent on the responsibility of the SSD in developing and implementing the focus list and goals that are resident stated and interventions to help the resident live to their highest well being. We'll show you how important the input from the SSD is to each individualized care plan. The webinar is presented by Linda Farrar, RN, LNHA. KHCA/KCAL members email khca@khca.org to get $20 discount off this course. LEARN MORE
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Free Webinar: Ethical Considerations of Self-Determination in Medical Settings
Join Interim Healthcare for an informative discussion on the role of ethics, law, policy, and personal values in navigating complex patient scenarios, and learn how these factors shape responsible healthcare choices.
6/8/2023 12:00PM - 1:30PM
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Assisted Living Lunch and Learn: A Deeper Look at FCS/NSA and HSP
6/9/2023 10:00AM - 2:00PM
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MDS - RAI Changes Workshop
6/12/2023 9:00AM - 4:00PM
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Nurse Leadership Conference
6/13/2023 11:00AM - 6/14/2023 4:00PM
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Webinar: Deep Dive Into Federal Regulations in a Year: §483.25 Quality of Care Requirements
6/13/2023 1:30PM - 3:00PM
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Webinar: Mission Possible: SNF Department Head Briefing - Helps and Hints for Housekeeping
6/27/2023 1:30PM - 2:30PM
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6 Week Series: Restorative Nursing Excellence: Revitalizing Programs and Restoring Function After COVID-19
Every Thursday from June 22-July 27 from 1:30PM - 2:30PM
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Adult Care Home Operators Course
7/12/2023 9:00AM - 7/24/2023 10:00AM
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Administrator in Training (AIT) Program
We are excited to announce our new AIT Program! Click here for more details.
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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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