Honoring Our Nation’s Veterans

Veterans Day 2016 will be observed this Friday, today. In honor of Veterans Day, American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) wanted to share a story of one of its members, the Maine Veterans’ Home. Their skilled nursing care center in Scarborough, Maine, had been selected as one of only three centers across the nation to receive the prestigious AHCA/NCAL Gold – Excellence in Quality Award.

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

AHCA/NCAL’s constituency education program for NFP providers was held on Tuesday, October 18, in Nashville, TN, and was packed with motivational and educational speakers. The keynote speaker, John O’Leary (pictured), was a curious nine-year-old boy. Playing with fire and gasoline, he created a massive explosion in his garage and was burned on 100% of his body. Given less than 1% chance of survival, John is proof of the power of the human spirit. Using his fire story as a backdrop, John inspired participants to take back their life, see the abundant possibility within their professional and personal challenges, and change the world. Participants also had the opportunity to hear from other top-notch speakers.  To learn more about this day, which will be held again next year at the AHCA/NCAL Convention in Las Vegas, please don’t hesitate to contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit & Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson.

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.

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

The Hero of the Year award recognizes an individual who works or volunteers in an ICF/IID facility or HCBS Waiver Homes and has shown commitment and dedication to serving people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.  The Not for Profit Program of the Year award highlights a specific program that adds value to the care of individuals within a community.  The NFP Trustee of the Year Award recognizes the vital role played by members of the Board of Trustees in not for profit nursing centers.  The Volunteer of the Year program seeks to honor a young adult (under 19), an adult, and a group organization that have served in a volunteer capacity for more than one year and have made a positive contribution to residents and staff of a care center.

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:

• 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.

Required preparatory steps can be time consuming.  Some SNF management may wish to hire a consultant with expertise in the FCC’s application process if there is interest in submitting an application for either FY2016 or FY2017.  Another option is to join an already existing consortia to apply for and obtain funding.

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

Steven Chies, AHCA’s NFP Council Chair, encourages AHCA’s NFP providers to participate in our grassroots advocacy efforts in 2016.  AHCA would like to help you get facility tours and in-district meetings set up over future recess days.  Please provide your name, facility address, and email address and we will craft the invite and send it to you to send to the Congressional office.  The four brief steps for a successful facility tour visit can be found here.  Please feel free to contact Matthew Smyth and Dana Halvorson who can help you with all of the logistics.

AHCA’s NFP Council member, Van Moore (pictured to the right), meets with Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR-2, pictured on the left) at the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles.  Van discussed with the Congressman issues impacting AHCA/NCAL members, including the observation stays issue. 
 

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

As you are planning your visits with members of Congress and their staff in Washington, D.C., or in your district, the Congressional calendars will be of assistance to you.  The U.S. House of Representatives calendar for the 114^th Congress, second session, can be found here.  The U.S. Senate schedule for 2016 can be found here. The dates in blue reference the times the U.S. Senate is in session.  The red dates represent when the U.S. Senate is in recess.

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

AHCA members have access to key Medicaid and Medicare information through the State of the States Clearinghouse.  The AHCA State of the States Clearinghouse is a one stop shop for key Medicaid and Medicare information impacting the long term care profession.   

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.

AHCA will continue to provide the most up-to-date information through the Clearinghouse and share new data/resources as they become available.  Also be sure to visit the AHCA Medicaid Page to learn more about the program and to access additional AHCA members-only Medicaid resources.

We’ve Got You Covered! AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions Website

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) now offers a variety of comprehensive insurance programs to meet your business needs. Backed by the strength of our membership, AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions programs are designed with exclusive member savings and discounts for both the fully-insured or self-insured members.

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

Legislative and Agency Corner

AHCA/NCAL Elects New Board of Governors, Directors at Annual Convention in Nashville – ahcancal.org
Parkinson Extends Post-Election Congratulations – ahcancal.org
American Health Care Association Responds to Ruling on Injunction Delaying CMS Implementation of Arbitration Rule – ahcancal.org
American Health Care Association Files Court Challenge to Arbitration Rule – ahcancal.org
ACL 2016 Alzheimer's Disease Initiative: Specialized Supportive Services (ASI-SSS) Program Awards – acl.gov

AHCA/NCAL Learning Management Website

AHCA/NCAL has recently launched a comprehensive online Learning Management System to support the training needs of its members. The website, known as ahcancalED, contains a wealth of information including educational programs, webinars, instructional videos, training courses, and other tools. It is available free to AHCA/NCAL members.

"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

Noted on the Josh Linkner blog, “To Josh Linkner, creativity and innovation are the lifeblood of all human progress. As such, he’s spent his career harnessing the power of creative disruption.  His journey has been non-traditional at every step. As the founder and CEO of four tech companies, Josh built his businesses from a blank page into a combined value of over $200 million. As a hyper-growth CEO of over 20 years, he’s used innovative approaches to topple competitors, fight through adversity, and achieve at the highest levels.”  The bio section of Linkner’s blog goes on to include that, “Josh is an internationally-recognized thought leader and top-rated keynote speaker on innovation, creativity, reinvention, and hyper-growth leadership. His keynotes are focused on not only inspiring audiences, but also sharing actionable strategies to drive meaningful outcomes.”  Read some of Linkner’s blogs below.  In addition, you can view some of his keynote speaking addresses here.

• 5 Personalities Your Company Needs
• Blowin’ in the Wind
• View Frustration as a Magnet of Opportunity
• Play Up
• Overcoming Your Inner Critic
• The Two Must-Have Beliefs of History-Makers

The Power of a Well-Timed Nudge

Mr. John Wood, who is the HR Recruitment Manager at the Shore Lodge Resort, notes on the Dr. Bryan K. Williams (pictured) blog that, “‘Nuggets’ are those actionable points of execution that set one service experience aside from all the rest.  That special occasion when an authentic connection is made between the service and the guest.  As a hospitality professional of over 30 years, I have a place in my heart for those extra special service nuggets that I have witnessed.”  The full blog version of “The Power of a Well-Timed Nudge” article can be found here. 

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 2016 and 2017 Events

• 26th Alzheimer Europe Conference – October 31 – November 2, 2016
• AHCA/NCAL 2017 Quality Summit – March 6 – 8, 2017
• AHCA/NCAL 2017 Independent Owner Leadership Conference – March 8 – 10, 2017

2016 Health Care Observances

The 2016 AHCA/NCAL Health Care Observances Calendar can be found here.  December 2016 marks, among other observances, Worlds AIDS Day on December 1, National Influenza Vaccination Week December 4 – 10, and National Hand Washing Awareness Week December 4 – 10.