August 22, 2022
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The Latest News
CMS bulletin presses states on Medicaid nursing home spending

States should use their Medicaid authority to help drive better health outcomes among nursing home residents, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said in an informational bulletin issued Monday.

The agency’s Centers for Medicaid and CHIP Services said states should use already available tools to improve staff pay, training, and retention efforts. The bulletin, while encouraging state governments to do more to fund nursing homes and hold them accountable for quality care, does not impart any new requirements on states or providers. READ MORE
Parkinson Says Proposed Minimum Staffing Levels Could Work Under Certain Conditions

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (8/22, Berklan) reports American Health Care Association / National Center for Assisted Living President and CEO Mark Parkinson "says the White House’s goal of imposing first-ever minimum staffing levels could work – but only under certain conditions." These "include supplying more funding, considering local workforces in calculations and making waivers available." Parkinson said, "If (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is going to actually issue a requirement, they have to be thoughtful about when it kicks in based upon the availability of workforce. ... They need to make sure it’s funded, and they need to provide waivers for buildings and markets where workers just aren’t available." Parkinson added, "If all those things are done, it’s possible to do this in a responsible way that helps residents, as opposed to putting their care at risk," but if not, "hundreds of thousands of residents will be living in buildings that are at risk of closure." Parkinson, along with "other industry leaders are hopeful, based on their successful lobbying for the pay rule." 
Registration is open for the Annual Convention & Trade Show!

"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!
2022 KHCA/KCAL Staff Recognition Program Nomination

Time is running out to get your staff nominated!

The 2022 Staff Recognition Program is here again and this is a way for you to honor your staff and volunteers. Our yearly awards ceremony is just a small way of honoring some of the great men and women who care for the elders of our great state! The time taken from your busy schedules to fill out this nomination is very much appreciated. 
 
Category winners will be recognized during the Staff Recognition Award Ceremony during Convention on Friday, September 30, 2022 in Mulvane, KS 
 
Deadline for nominations is Friday, August 26, 2022!
 
Click here for more details.
Spread the Smiles

National Assisted Living Week® | September 11-17, 2022

​​Established by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995, National Assisted Living Week® provides a unique opportunity for residents, their loved ones, staff, volunteers, and the surrounding comm​​unities to recognize the role of assisted living in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. The annual observance encourages assisted living communities around the country to offer a variety of events and activities to celebrate the individuals they serve, as well as to help educate members of the public about this distinctive aspect of long term care.​​​​​​​​​​​

​This year's theme for National Assisted Living Week® is "Joyful Moments." Please use these resources, including a planning guide, promotional resources, products, and graphics​​ - to celebrate life's “Joyful Moments” during NALW this year. Participants are asked to share their celebrations throughout the week on social media with the hashtag #NALW. ​
In Case You Missed It
Parkinson Predicts Nursing Home Census Recovery May Exceed Pre-Pandemic Levels In 2024

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (8/19, Berklan) reports that "despite the ‘harsh reality’ of slower-than-expected census recovery," American Health Care Association President and CEO Mark Parkinson "said Thursday that occupancy could match pre-pandemic levels within a year and blow past them in 2024." Currently, occupancy "sits at around 74.5% nationwide," which is "up just 7% from the low of 67.5% in January 2021 and still about 5.5% lower than the pre-pandemic baseline of 80%, noted" Parkinson. The article adds, "Growth of the vital economic indicator has been painfully slow, he acknowledged in a wide-ranging interview with McKnight’s Long-Term Care News." Parkinson projected, "Census recovery has been essentially, 2 to 2-and-a-half percent every six months, and so if we continue to follow that pattern, it’s going to take us until at least the middle of 2023 and maybe until the end of 2023, to recover our census." 
Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar

Thursday, August 18th, the AHCA State Affiliate Network met virtually, and I want to share a couple of items of interest from that meeting. The Public Health Emergency was extended to October 13, 2022 and we need that to be extended if possible. The good news is that the Administration has indicated they would provide 60 days notice prior to stopping it, and that should already have happened, so it looks like it will be extended into early 2023 at the earliest. Also, the Administration doesn’t want to PHE to end prior to the midterm election, so there’s that.

Pam Truscott from AHCA reported that providers are pushing for updating of masking requirements for healthcare facilities. The problem is that COVID is still very active across the country. AHCA is actively tracking and advocating for clarification. READ MORE
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.
Education Spotlight
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
Upcoming Education
Webinar: Dynamic DON Series: HR Management

8/24/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.
Webinar: Dynamic DON Series: Survey Readiness

8/31/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.
Person-Centered Dementia Care...From the Perspective of the Resident - Lunch & Learn

8/31/2022 10AM-3PM
Olathe, KS

Click here for more details.
Webinar: Survey Top 10 Citation Series - Survey Success! #8 Top Citation: F695 Respiratory/Tracheostomy Care & Suctioning

9/6/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.
Webinar: Dynamic DON Series: MDS and Medicare Essentials

9/7/2022 1:30PM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.
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-2:30PM

Click here for more details.
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.

Access the new learning platform by clicking here

Questions about education can be directed to Polly Berkley VP of Operations and Education.
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