Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Emergency Preparedness CMS Final Rule Summaries Available
FCC Rural Health Care Program Funding Application Process and the Ability to Partner with a Consortia
The Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2015 was passed by Congress and enacted into law on June 22, 2016. The Act authorized eligible rural not for profit skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to participate in the Rural Health Care Program (RHCP) to assist in payment for broadband expansion and expenses to facilitate and deliver health care services. It also mandated the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow applications by eligible SNFs within 180 days of enactment, which is effectively Jan. 1, 2017. The FCC’s Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) administers the universal service fund program associated with the RHCP.
According to a recent press release from USAC, RHCP funding requests reached a historic high of $377.64 million in Funding Year (FY) 2015, and demand may exceed the $400 million funding cap in FY2016 (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017). To fairly distribute future RHCP funding if the funding cap is reached, the FCC just announced additional filing window periods for FY2016. Because of the 180 day delay of enactment included in the legislation, SNFs will technically not be able to apply for funds from the RHCF program until Jan. 1, 2017. Therefore, the first filing window period for SNFs will be from February 1 - April 30, 2017. Given the potential of applications reaching the funding cap, eligible SNFs are strongly encouraged to submit their funding requests for the FY ended on June 30, 2017 as soon after Jan. 1, 2017 as possible.
Notwithstanding the delay of enactment for SNFs, there is much preparatory work that must and can be done in advance of formal application of funds. For questions about the filing window periods, you can contact the RHCP Help Desk via email or at (800) 453-1546. Suggested first steps for SNFs that are eligible and would like to apply for funds from the RHCP include:
In that regard, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (Good Sam) – an AHCA member – has completed a consortia request which was recently approved by USAC. It would be a rather simple and seamless process to join to be part of the Good Sam consortium. If any eligible provider is interested in exploring this option, you may contact Dan Holdhusen, Good Sam’s Director of Government Relations. Dan is familiar with the USAC application process and testified on behalf of SNF providers this past spring at a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing in support of the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act.
Finally, feel free to also contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit and Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson, who has been closely following this matter if you have any questions.
According to a recent press release from USAC, RHCP funding requests reached a historic high of $377.64 million in Funding Year (FY) 2015, and demand may exceed the $400 million funding cap in FY2016 (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017). To fairly distribute future RHCP funding if the funding cap is reached, the FCC just announced additional filing window periods for FY2016. Because of the 180 day delay of enactment included in the legislation, SNFs will technically not be able to apply for funds from the RHCF program until Jan. 1, 2017. Therefore, the first filing window period for SNFs will be from February 1 - April 30, 2017. Given the potential of applications reaching the funding cap, eligible SNFs are strongly encouraged to submit their funding requests for the FY ended on June 30, 2017 as soon after Jan. 1, 2017 as possible.
Notwithstanding the delay of enactment for SNFs, there is much preparatory work that must and can be done in advance of formal application of funds. For questions about the filing window periods, you can contact the RHCP Help Desk via email or at (800) 453-1546. Suggested first steps for SNFs that are eligible and would like to apply for funds from the RHCP include:
- Become familiar with the overview of the RHCP and determine eligibility by visiting the USAC web site.
- Become familiar with the specific steps required in the application process.
- Sign up on USAC’s listserv to receive ongoing updates of activity and timeline requirements.
In that regard, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (Good Sam) – an AHCA member – has completed a consortia request which was recently approved by USAC. It would be a rather simple and seamless process to join to be part of the Good Sam consortium. If any eligible provider is interested in exploring this option, you may contact Dan Holdhusen, Good Sam’s Director of Government Relations. Dan is familiar with the USAC application process and testified on behalf of SNF providers this past spring at a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing in support of the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act.
Finally, feel free to also contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit and Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson, who has been closely following this matter if you have any questions.
Mark Your Calendars – AHCA’s 2017 ID/DD Hill Fly-In Event Date Set!
If you would like to attend, please contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit & Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson. If you have any questions whatsoever, please don’t hesitate to let Dana know. AHCA hopes to see you at this important event!
NFP Grassroots Advocacy – Facility Visits over Recess
NFPs Engaging in the Political Process
For more
information on how NFPs can engage in the political process, please review this
webinar and handout from Wiley Rein, LLP. Both documents will give members of 501(c) 3
tax exempt organizations an overview of what they can and cannot do in regards
to lobbying and political activity. For
issue briefs, talking points and more, visit AHCA’s advocacy page.
U.S. Congressional Calendars
AHCA/NCAL Advocacy App
If you
haven’t already heard about it, then we wanted to alert you to a great app that
allows you to keep abreast of AHCA advocacy efforts. Among other things, it provides important
talking points, issue briefs and features that allow you to take action. It will be useful not only to you, but serves
as a great way for providers to weigh in.
You can get the app by clicking on the appropriate black box below.
Download our
advocacy app!
AHCA’s State of the States Clearinghouse
This resource provides valuable data, including:
- Overview of the demographic landscape;
- State-specific nursing center occupancy and ownership breakouts;
- Certificate of Need requirements for nursing centers and state licensure requirements;
- State data on the cost of care for long term services and supports;
- State data on the total number of Medicare enrollees;
- Data on state Medicare Advantage plan enrollees and comparisons to the national average;
- State and national Medicaid expenditure data;
- State Medicaid rates, costs and shortfalls;
- And other significant state-specific data related to payment structure, managed long term services and home and community based services coverage.
We’ve Got You Covered! AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions Website
The program offers health insurance options, group and voluntary benefit packages, an aggressive Stop-Loss insurance program as well as cloud based HR platforms that will help members achieve savings and greater efficiencies on HR services within your company, while also tracking and reporting on key Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements. For more information, please contact AHCA’s Dave Kyllo at dkyllo@AHCA.org and visit the AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions website.
Articles and Resources of Interest
-
Most Common Health Problems for People Aging with Physical Disabilities – naric.com
- State Medicaid Integration Tracker© - nasuad.org
- Health Care for Veterans: Where Things Stand & Next Steps – allhealth.org
- Adults 65 and Older Need a Flu Shot – cdc.gov
- End-of-Life Care: Alzheimer's Caregiving Tips – nia.nih.gov
- Brain Scans May Improve Dementia Diagnosis, Treatment – healthfinder.gov
- Poor Sense of Smell May Signal Alzheimer's Risk – healthfinder.gov
Legislative and Agency Corner
-
Federal regulations keep nursing homes from contracting with VA to provide long-term care – stripes.com
- Long Term/Post-Acute Care and Assisted Living Sectors Applaud Walden’s Election as Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman – ahcancal.org
- Long Term/Post-Acute Care and Assisted Living Sectors Applaud Nomination of Chairman Price as HHS Secretary – ahcancal.org
- Long Term/Post-Acute Care and Assisted Living Sectors Applaud Nomination of Seema Verma to Lead CMS – ahcancal.org
- Parkinson Extends Post-Election Congratulations – ahcancal.org
- 2016 Report to Congress on Health Information Technology Progress – dashboard.healthit.gov
- FHA Financial Picture Improves, Despite Reverse Mortgage Losses – reversemortgagedaily.com
- New CDC Pandemic Influenza Web Site – cdc.gov
AHCA/NCAL Learning Management Website
"We created ahcancalED for our members who do not have the time or budget to develop the newest in-service training," said Dr. David Gifford, AHCA/NCAL Senior Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs. "Our objective also was to provide the best and latest educational tools, especially as CMS increases its regulatory requirements about staff training and competency in a number of areas. ahcancalED is designed to help individuals in our profession do a better job of caring for patients and residents and advance in their careers."
The information on ahcancalED is structured to make the online learning experience engaging, meaningful, and interactive for users. The fresh graphics and clearly defined sections within the site make it easy for users to navigate and find the information they need. The site also allows users to track their own learning progress.
Teams of experts from around the country working with AHCA/NCAL staff helped to create the content. "We will constantly be adding new programs and materials so that we can keep the site fresh and dynamic," said Gifford. "We'll continue to look for new ways the site can grow and serve our members. It's a great value-added benefit and a tangible example of our commitment to enhancing quality."
ahcancalED can be accessed at https://educate.ahcancal.org/. Suggestions for content or other site enhancements can be submitted to the ahcancalED team at educate@ahca.org. AHCA/NCAL welcomes ideas that will help improve quality and strengthen the knowledge, skills and attitudes of staff in the long term and post-acute care community.
From the Blog of Josh Linkner
The Power of Strong Habits
|
Dr. Williams is a consultant, trainer,
and author, who focuses on the areas of service excellence and organizational
effectiveness. He has spoken at
numerous AHCA/NCAL events, and his passion is to serve others so they may
better serve the world. Here is a link where you can see some of Dr. Williams’ book recommendations on service, leadership and personal
development. |
National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities
The National Association of States
United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) holds a monthly call or webinar
concerning topics of interest to those who work in the field of aging and
disability. One of the past calls focused on resources
for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias and their caregivers. Information about
future calls, and audio recording of previous ones, can be found here.
Upcoming 2017 Events
AHCA/NCAL 2017 Quality Summit – March 6 – 8,
2017
AHCA/NCAL 2017 Independent Owner Leadership Conference – March 8 – 10, 2017
AHCA ID/DD Committee In-Person Meeting and Hill Fly-In Event – March 21 and 22, 2017
AHCA/NCAL 2017 Independent Owner Leadership Conference – March 8 – 10, 2017
AHCA ID/DD Committee In-Person Meeting and Hill Fly-In Event – March 21 and 22, 2017
2017 Health Care Observances
January 2017 marks,
among other observances, National Blood
Donor Month,
National Birth
Defects Prevention Month, Glaucoma Awareness
Month,
and Cervical Health
Awareness Month.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Honoring Our Nation’s Veterans
A center that receives this award joins an extremely elite group of long term care providers in the nation. Gold award recipients are rare nationwide, and Maine Veterans’ Home in Scarborough’s (MVH-Scarborough) selection was the first gold award recipient in Maine and only the second State Veterans’ Home (SVH) in the nation to have ever achieved this distinction. Serving veterans, their spouses, and gold-star parents is a mission that Maine Veterans’ Homes has always viewed as a privilege and a sacred trust that goes far beyond simply providing excellent medical care. Provider Magazine covers more about the quality care MVH provides to our nation’s veterans. The full story, entitled Reflections on a Quality Journey by Devin Robinson (director, public relations & marketing, Maine Veterans’ Homes, Scarborough) is online.
AHCA/NCAL is proud to represent a number of SVHs, as well as countless civilian facilities nationwide that serve veterans as their residents. More information can be found on the AHCA’s Veterans webpage.
Thank You for Supporting a Day for Not for Profit (NFP) Providers at Convention
Congrats to Our AHCA/NCAL 2016 Award Recipients
The American Health Care Association and
National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) honored the recipients for the
2016 AHCA/NCAL Awards program last month.
Each year, AHCA/NCAL recognizes the men and women who selflessly care
for individuals in long term and post-acute care centers, ID/DD residences, and
assisted living communities. Honorees
demonstrate selflessness, compassion, and strive to enhance the lives of the
elderly and intellectually or developmentally disabled in their communities.
Award recipients were honored at the AHCA/NCAL 67th Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee on October 19, 2016.
The 2016 AHCA/NCAL Awards recipients are:
-
Hero of the Year- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: John Lair, New Hope Services a division of Medicalodges, Inc., Pittsburg, KS
- Not for Profit Program of the Year: Chaparral House, Berkeley, CA
- Not for Profit Trustee Award: Robert Martin, Madison County Nursing Home, Canton, MS
- Adult Volunteer of the Year: Randy McQueen, Mercy Living Plus, Oelwein, IA
- Group Volunteer of the Year: Adopt A Senior, Jackson, NJ
- Young Adult Volunteer of the Year: Zach Severson, Good Samaritan Society, Canton, SD
Award recipients were honored at the AHCA/NCAL 67th Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee on October 19, 2016.
FCC Rural Health Care Program Funding Application Process and the Ability to Partner with a Consortia
The Rural Health Care Connectivity Act of 2015 was passed by Congress and enacted into law on June 22, 2016. The Act authorized eligible rural not for profit skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to participate in the Rural Health Care Program (RHCP) to assist in payment for broadband expansion and expenses to facilitate and deliver health care services. It also mandated the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow applications by eligible SNFs within 180 days of enactment, which is effectively Jan. 1, 2017. The FCC’s Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) administers the universal service fund program associated with the RHCP.
According to a recent press release from USAC, RHCP funding requests reached a historic high of $377.64 million in Funding Year (FY) 2015, and demand may exceed the $400 million funding cap in FY2016 (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017). To fairly distribute future RHCP funding if the funding cap is reached, the FCC just announced additional filing window periods for FY2016. Because of the 180 day delay of enactment included in the legislation, SNFs will technically not be able to apply for funds from the RHCF program until Jan. 1, 2017. Therefore, the first filing window period for SNFs will be from February 1 - April 30, 2017. Given the potential of applications reaching the funding cap, eligible SNFs are strongly encouraged to submit their funding requests for the FY ended on June 30, 2017 as soon after Jan. 1, 2017 as possible.
Notwithstanding the delay of enactment for SNFs, there is much preparatory work that must and can be done in advance of formal application of funds. For questions about the filing window periods, you can contact the RHCP Help Desk via email or at (800) 453-1546. Suggested first steps for SNFs that are eligible and would like to apply for funds from the RHCP include:
In that regard, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (Good Sam) – an AHCA member – has completed a consortia request which was recently approved by USAC. It would be a rather simple and seamless process to join to be part of the Good Sam consortium. If any eligible provider is interested in exploring this option, you may contact Dan Holdhusen, Good Sam’s Director of Government Relations. Dan is familiar with the USAC application process and testified on behalf of SNF providers this past spring at a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing in support of the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act.
Finally, feel free to also contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit and Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson, who has been closely following this matter if you have any questions.
According to a recent press release from USAC, RHCP funding requests reached a historic high of $377.64 million in Funding Year (FY) 2015, and demand may exceed the $400 million funding cap in FY2016 (July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017). To fairly distribute future RHCP funding if the funding cap is reached, the FCC just announced additional filing window periods for FY2016. Because of the 180 day delay of enactment included in the legislation, SNFs will technically not be able to apply for funds from the RHCF program until Jan. 1, 2017. Therefore, the first filing window period for SNFs will be from February 1 - April 30, 2017. Given the potential of applications reaching the funding cap, eligible SNFs are strongly encouraged to submit their funding requests for the FY ended on June 30, 2017 as soon after Jan. 1, 2017 as possible.
Notwithstanding the delay of enactment for SNFs, there is much preparatory work that must and can be done in advance of formal application of funds. For questions about the filing window periods, you can contact the RHCP Help Desk via email or at (800) 453-1546. Suggested first steps for SNFs that are eligible and would like to apply for funds from the RHCP include:
- Become familiar with the overview of the RHCP and determine eligibility by visiting the USAC web site.
- Become familiar with the specific steps required in the application process.
- Sign up on USAC’s listserv to receive ongoing updates of activity and timeline requirements.
In that regard, The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (Good Sam) – an AHCA member – has completed a consortia request which was recently approved by USAC. It would be a rather simple and seamless process to join to be part of the Good Sam consortium. If any eligible provider is interested in exploring this option, you may contact Dan Holdhusen, Good Sam’s Director of Government Relations. Dan is familiar with the USAC application process and testified on behalf of SNF providers this past spring at a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing in support of the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act.
Finally, feel free to also contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit and Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson, who has been closely following this matter if you have any questions.
NFP Grassroots Advocacy – Facility Visits over Recess
NFPs Engaging in the Political Process
For more
information on how NFPs can engage in the political process, please review this
webinar and handout from Wiley Rein, LLP. Both documents will give members of 501(c) 3
tax exempt organizations an overview of what they can and cannot do in regards
to lobbying and political activity. For
issue briefs, talking points and more, visit AHCA’s advocacy page.
U.S. Congressional Calendars
AHCA/NCAL Advocacy App
If you
haven’t already heard about it, then we wanted to alert you to a great app that
allows you to keep abreast of AHCA advocacy efforts. Among other things, it provides important
talking points, issue briefs and features that allow you to take action. It will be useful not only to you, but serves
as a great way for providers to weigh in.
You can get the app by clicking on the appropriate black box below.
Download our
advocacy app!
AHCA’s State of the States Clearinghouse
This resource provides valuable data, including:
- Overview of the demographic landscape;
- State-specific nursing center occupancy and ownership breakouts;
- Certificate of Need requirements for nursing centers and state licensure requirements;
- State data on the cost of care for long term services and supports;
- State data on the total number of Medicare enrollees;
- Data on state Medicare Advantage plan enrollees and comparisons to the national average;
- State and national Medicaid expenditure data;
- State Medicaid rates, costs and shortfalls;
- And other significant state-specific data related to payment structure, managed long term services and home and community based services coverage.
We’ve Got You Covered! AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions Website
The program offers health insurance options, group and voluntary benefit packages, an aggressive Stop-Loss insurance program as well as cloud based HR platforms that will help members achieve savings and greater efficiencies on HR services within your company, while also tracking and reporting on key Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements. For more information, please contact AHCA’s Dave Kyllo at dkyllo@AHCA.org and visit the AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions website.
Articles and Resources of Interest
-
Could Loneliness Be an Early Sign of Alzheimer's? – healthfinder.gov
- November is National Family Caregivers Month – longtermcareleader.com
- Pneumonia Can Be Prevented—Vaccines Can Help – cdc.gov
- It's Your Life. Treat Your Diabetes Well. – cdc.gov
- Lung Cancer Awareness – cdc.gov
- Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet – nia.nih.gov
- About Alzheimer's Disease: Caregiving – nia.nih.gov
- Sundowning: Alzheimer's Caregiving Tips – nia.nih.gov
- Wandering: Alzheimer's Caregiving Tips – nia.nih.gov
- Money Problems: Alzheimer's Caregiving Tips – nia.nih.gov
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)