February 17, 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
Biden Administration Requests Additional $30M In COVID-19 Relief Funding

McKnight’s Senior Living (2/17, Steele Gaivin) reports that the Biden Administration "is requesting $30 million from Congress for additional COVID-19 relief funding, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed Tuesday." Psaki said, "While we continue to have sufficient funds to respond to the current omicron surge in the coming weeks, our goal has always been to ensure that we are well prepared to stay ahead of the virus." A spokesperson for AHCA / NCAL told the McKnight’s Business Daily, "Any additional COVID-19 funding that increases the availability of vaccines, treatments and testing can help our nation’s most vulnerable from this ongoing pandemic. However, as we have urged from the beginning, policymakers must prioritize long term care residents and staff for these resources. We also strongly support additional COVID relief funding for health care providers through the Provider Relief Fund, to help long-term care facilities address the economic and workforce crises caused by the pandemic." 
TOMORROW! Members Only Nurse Advisory Call – Friday, February 18, 2022 at 10:00 AM

Please join KHCA’s Nurse Advisory Committee President, Teresa Coover on this month’s Members Only NAC Call to discuss NAC Committee, Nurse Leadership Conference, Nurse Scholarship Funds

Microsoft Teams Meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
TOMORROW! Members Only Facility Standards Call – Friday, February 18, 2022 at 11:00 AM

Join Linda Farrar - KHCA Consultant and Polly Berkley - VP of Operations and Education as they discuss the latest SNF survey findings. 


Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

You can also dial in using your phone.
(For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.)

United States: +1 (571) 317-3112

Access Code: 171-097-565

Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install
Call for Presentations

An essential service to our association is offering high quality training and education to our members. We invite you to join us in our commitment to delivering timely, relevant, and engaging information as we prepare for our 2022 Nurse Leadership Conference (June) and Annual Convention (September).

We are looking for topics that fit skilled nursing, assisted living, home plus and residential health care communities.

Click here to learn more on our needs and how you can submit a proposal.
In Case You Missed It
A Reminder from KDADS about Battelle testing option

This note is a follow up to the guidance you received on February 7th (Critical Info for LTCFS Regarding Future Lab Testing) reminding you of the upcoming transition from KDHE-supported contract laboratories to routine testing with Battelle Midwest Coordination Center on March 31st. Please review the link at the end of this message for more information about the Battelle Testing Program.

There are now less than 7 weeks remaining prior to the deadline. Given Battelle’s onboarding process can take about 4 weeks, if you’re interested in continued routine testing support, please sign up as soon as possible to ensure coverage.

As of this week, 143 facilities are registered with the program. READ MORE
CMS Provides Precaution Guidelines For Unvaccinated Staff

Provider Magazine (2/15, 151K) reports the CMS "staff vaccination rule requires facilities to take additional precautions for those staff who remain unvaccinated due to a medical/religious exemption or newly hired staff who only have the first dose of the two-dose series." Though facilities "are not required to follow all the precautions listed...they should be intentional about establishing appropriate policies around additional precautions and take a layered approach based on risk of COVID-19 transmission to residents they serve." What’s more, "facilities may want to reassign unvaccinated frontline caregivers to residents who are not at particularly high risk for negative outcomes due to COVID-19." 
Education Spotlight
KCAL Assisted Living Conference (in person)

Lawrence, KS
4/5/2022
8AM - 5PM

A full day of education specifically designed for those that work in the Assisted Living, Home Plus and Residential Health Care settings.  Lunch will be included in the cost of your registration. 

Education Topics Include:
  • KCAL Update
  • Regaining your ZING
  • Nutrition and Mental Health in Older Adult
  • Motivating your Staff During a Pandemic
  • House Bill 2004
Upcoming Education
Webinar: Winning the Fall Prevention Battle Series: Conquering Falls Through Effective Care Planning

2/23/2022 1:30PM - 2:30PM
Webinar: Survey Trends in Assisted Living


2/25/2022 1:00PM - 2:15PM
Assisted Living FCS, NSA and HSP Lunch and Learn (in person)

3/4/2022 12:00PM - 4:00PM

THIS CLASS IS FULL! Please e-mail khca@khca.org to be added to the wait list.
ICD-10 Coding Workshop (in person)

3/29 - 3/30/2022
The AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit is Back! Registration Now Open!
Quality Summit will be held in Kissimmee, FL, May 16-18.
This year’s AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit delivers three days of education programs and awesome networking opportunities with like-minded, quality professionals in long term and post-acute care. The Quality Summit offers 30 sessions topics focused on leadership, recruitment and retention, infection prevention and PDPM. 

Click here for more details.
Learn How to Create an Effective SNF Revenue Cycle Management System

AHCA offers a five-module online training program titled Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Academy which offers training about a holistic interdisciplinary approach toward revenue management. RCM can be implemented in a building, more broadly or as an organization-wide approach to enhance revenue by minimizing losses from payments that too often are unnecessarily lost or overlooked. Click here for more details.
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