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/dailyupdates
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SNF and LTC Open Door Forum on August 4
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will host an open door forum on August 4, 2022, at 1:00 PM Central (dial-in at least 15 minutes before call start time). SNFs and LTC facilities are encouraged to dial in to the forum where updates will be given on various rules and guidelines, followed by an open Q&A session.
Registration is not required. To participate by phone, dial: 1-888-455-1397 & Conference Passcode: 5109694.
CMS will provide updates on the following:
- FY 2023 SNF PPS Final Rule
- FY 2023 Updates to the SNF Payment Rates
- Recalibration of the PDPM Parity Adjustment
- Changes in PDPM ICD-10 Code Mappings
- Permanent Cap on Wage Index Decreases
- SNF Quality Reporting Program
- SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program
- Request for Information: Revising the Requirements for LTC Facilities to Establish Mandatory Minimum Staffing Levels
- Updates to the LTC Facilities Requirements
- MDS transition to iQIES
- SNF Quality Reporting Program Reconsideration and Public Reporting updates
- MDS Errata
- PBJ Update
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Policy Questions should be sent to NHStaffing@cms.hhs.gov
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Technical Issues/Questions should be sent to iqies@cms.hhs.gov
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KDHE Preparing to ship 2nd rounds of Antigen Tests to Long Term Care Communities
Kansas Department of Health and Environment is preparing to ship out the second round of GenBody point-of-care (POC) antigen tests allocated specifically for congregate care facilities with licensed beds. These are available free of charge to you. The expiration date listed on the package has been extended, with the new expiration dates extended to 21 months from manufacturer’s date from the original 12 months expiration date. The earliest expiration date for the tests shipped to facilities is now July 9, 2023. Guidance and useful information can be found here about the Genbody tests.
KDHE has allocated the number of tests/facility based on the number of licensed beds in that facility. Your facility will receive the same number of tests allocated to you during the first shipment.
Please refer to the this list to find your allocation of tests, and then complete the brief form below to:
1. opt out of this offer of free tests.
2. You can also let KDHE know that you accept your full allocation of tests, although this is not necessary.
The deadline submission for the Allocation Survey is August 8. If KDHE has not received your request to opt out of receipt of the free tests, the full allocation will be shipped to you.
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CMS Acts to Improve the Safety and Quality of Care of the Nation’s Nursing Homes
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that updates Medicare payment policies and rates for skilled nursing facilities under the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) for fiscal year (FY) 2023. These actions further the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety of both nursing home residents and staff, and improving the quality of services, as President Biden called for in his State of the Union address. In addition, the final rule includes updates for the SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and the SNF Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program for FY 2023 and future years. READ MORE
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Why CMS’s Final Payment Rule Meets Nursing Home Providers ‘More Than Halfway’
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services went beyond what was expected in a positive way, nursing home operators say, with the final rule allowing for the Patient-Driven Payment Model cut to be spread over two years and a 2.7% pay bump for 2023. READ MORE
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Lawmakers Introduce Bill That Would Require Study On Potential Price Gouging By Temporary Staffing Agencies During Pandemic
McKnight’s Senior Living (8/2, Bonvissuto) reports, "A proposed bill calling for a study of how health care providers have been affected by price gouging by temporary staffing agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives." The Travel Nursing Agency Transparency Study Act "would require the U.S Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on potential price gouging and boost transparency regarding nursing agency payouts from health care institutions." An American Health Care Association / National Center for Assisted Living spokesperson "told McKnight’s Senior Living that the groups support the legislation and that it is ‘time to shine a light on these travel nurse agencies.’" AHCA / NCAL said, "Nursing homes and assisted living communities are facing a historic workforce shortage, forcing many to turn to temporary staffing agencies in order to ensure residents have enough caregivers. ... However, any of these agencies are charging two to three times more than pre-pandemic rates, depleting precious resources from long-term care facilities when we would prefer to invest in full-time, dedicated caregivers."
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TOMORROW starts our Dynamic DON Series!
This 8-week webinar series runs August-September 2022 and focuses on skill building for serving effectively as the Director of Nursing with emphasis on effective leadership and staff engagement, nursing operations and systems of care for common conditions treated in the LTC setting.
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The latest Your Top-Line publication for skilled nursing centers are now available!
Your Top-Line is a LTC Trend Tracker℠ publication that includes metrics and graphics outlining skilled nursing center's progress on Five Star performance, the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative, their journey through the Quality Awards program, and other necessary data to help skilled nursing centers achieve their desired goals
If you need help downloading your report, please e-mail Jennafer Sumner at jsumner@khca.org
Login to LTC Trend Tracker here.
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A Message from AHCA/NCAL - Inspirational Video Submissions Needed
Dear AHCA/NCAL Members,
This year at our annual Convention, we want to feature YOU and share why you love what you do. We will be creating a compilation video that features our heroic caregivers. If you are interested in being highlighted during our Convention, please submit a video of yourself answering the question:
- What inspires you about your work in long term care?
Please submit your video using this form, and make sure your video is no more than 1 minute. Indicate in the submission your name, job title, and organization. Don’t be afraid to be creative! 😊
Not sure what we’re looking for? You can see a sample video here (but make it your own!).
We appreciate all that you do and look forward to celebrating with you in October.
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AHCA Summary of FY 2023 SNF Final Payment Rule
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the final rule for the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS) fiscal year (FY) 2023 update.
Highlights include:
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In April 2022, CMS proposed a negative 0.7 net Market Basket. The final rule provides a net market basket increase for SNFs of 2.7 percent beginning October 1, 2022. This was the result of the hard work of AHCA staff and thousands of members who submitted comments to CMS.
- The 2.7 percent market basket update, after rounding, reflects:
- An unadjusted market basket increase of 3.9 percent increased by 1.5 percent associated with a forecast error adjustment;
- A reduction of 0.3 percentage points in accordance with the multifactor productivity adjustment required by Section 3401(b) of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); and
- A 2.3 percent negative adjustment accounting for year one of a two-year PDPM parity adjustment phase-in.
- CMS net market basket update would increase Medicare SNF payments by approximately $904 million in FY 2023.
- CMS will apply the 4.6 percent parity adjustment amount as proposed but will phase-in the adjustment over two years (2.3 percent applied in FY 2023, and 2.3 percent in FY 2024). CMS applied the parity adjustment equally across all components.
AHCA has provided a summary of the final rule. If you have any questions, please contact the relevant subject matter expert listed in the summary.
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Also Reported By:
ModernHealthcare (7/29, Goldman, Subscription Publication, 215K) reported, "Nursing homes will receive a net $904 million increase in Medicare payments during fiscal 2023 under a final rule the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued Friday." CMS in April "proposed cutting Medicare Part A payments to nursing homes by $320 million," but "changed course, and will phase in that payment correction over two years to ease the burden on providers still struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the final rule says." Although "this is relatively more advantageous for skilled nursing facilities than the initial proposal, it falls short of the three-year phase-in the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living requested." AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark Parkinson said, "We greatly appreciate an overall increase to the Medicare program this coming fiscal year to help stabilize the profession and ensure our vulnerable residents have access to necessary, quality care."
Skilled Nursing News (7/29, Reiland) reported Parkinson added, "Meanwhile, we hope to address the historic labor crisis in nursing homes by working collaboratively with the Administration and other stakeholders. It is imperative that policymakers develop a comprehensive and supportive solution to help us recruit and retain more long term caregivers." The article added, "CMS said it took ‘a more cautious approach’ when calculating the payments, acknowledging the ongoing COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and the need to mitigate potential negative impacts on the industry, including facility closures or disproportionate impacts on rural and smaller facilities."
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (8/1, Brown) reports that while "many skilled nursing providers let out a sigh of relief after the" CMS announcement, "others were still expressing plenty of concern." On Friday, the AHCA "said the market basket increase and two-year phase-in of the PDPM parity adjustment were ‘essential’ for providers when accounting for the ongoing workforce and economic challenges they’re facing." Parkinson said, "Thousands of providers, lawmakers, and stakeholders shared how a swift cut to Medicare would be detrimental to our nursing home residents and staff, and we are grateful that CMS listened and made the necessary changes."
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August Medicaid Training with KDHE/DHCF
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On the landing page, under the login button, choose “Click Here.” by new user to create an account. (If an individual already has an account and has forgotten their password, please use the “forgot password” link. If an individual has forgotten their username, please email MedicaidTraining@ks.gov. All individuals should check their junk mail folder after using the “forgot password” link.)
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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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Person-Centered Dementia Care...From the Perspective of the Resident Lunch & Learn
This Lunch and Learn course includes the common framework and the stages of Dementia with a focus on improving the quality of care for individuals with dementia living in Long Term Care communities including Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, and Home Plus settings. Presented by Linda Farrar, RN, LNHA this course will look at how care partners can approach prevention and de-escalation of challenging behaviors and will help you to intervene when behavior escalates. You will know how to recognize, respond and calm the individual using non-pharmacological approaches.
This course is limited to 45 attendees.
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Webinar: Dynamic DON Series: Risk Management
8/10/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: The Proficient Infection Preventionist Series: Insightful Root Cause Analysis for the Infection Preventionist
8/16/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Dynamic DON Series: QAPI
8/17/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Dynamic DON Series: HR Management
8/24/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Dynamic DON Series: Survey Readiness
8/31/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Person-Centered Dementia Care...From the Perspective of the Resident Lunch & Learn
8/31/2022 10AM-3PM
Olathe, KS
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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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