Tuesday, December 18, 2018
AHCA/NCAL Supports the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act
Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced S. 2076, and it is co-sponsored by 57 Senators. Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Maxine Waters (D-CA), and Christopher Smith (R-NJ) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives, and it is co-sponsored by 253 members. It is also supported by 181 organizations and individuals. The bill was approved by the full Senate on December 12, 2018, and has been sent to the House for consideration
Texas Judge Strikes Down Obamacare As Unconstitutional but the Law Remains in Effect for Now
By all reports, it seems certain that the ruling will be appealed. Supporters and opponents of the ACA are gearing up for a battle over the ruling which could go up to the Supreme Court. Until those appeals are decided, the ACA remains intact according to the White House.
“We expect his ruling will be appealed to the Supreme Court,” said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “Pending the appeal process, the law remains in place.”
The Department of Health and Human Services echoed the White House’s comments in a statement this week saying “The recent U.S. District Court decision regarding the Affordable Care Act is not an injunction that halts the enforcement of the law and not a final judgment. Therefore, HHS will continue administering and enforcing all aspects of the ACA as it had before the court issued its decision.”
‘Live Soulfully’ Announced as 2019 Theme for National Skilled Nursing Care Week
“Each and every person in our profession makes an impact on the lives of our residents,” said AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark Parkinson. “National Skilled Nursing Care Week celebrates our centers and caregivers for their tireless everyday work caring for others.”
Established by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) in 1967, NSNCW, formerly known as National Nursing Home Week, recognizes the essential role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for America’s frail, elderly, and disabled. Skilled nursing care centers and members of the public can download NSNCW promotional materials at www.ahcancal.org/NSNCW and are encouraged to share activities, ideas, and experiences for the observance on social media using the hashtag, #NSNCW. AHCA will issue a planning guide and product catalog in late February. For more information on National Skilled Nursing Care Week, visit www.ahcancal.org/NSNCW.
Long Term Care Sector Addresses Caregiver Shortage with Innovative Workforce Resource Center
The online Workforce Resource Center includes resources and tools for AHCA/NCAL members to learn more about effective strategies for recruiting, retention and staff development. The association also announced a partnership with PHI, a leading provider of workforce training programs. PHI offers a range of services that help providers attract quality workers, promote excellent care, reduce turnover and achieve cost efficiencies. AHCA/NCAL and PHI will provide coaching, training and consulting to help long term care providers deliver quality care.
“Our members have been clear that staffing is one of their biggest challenges,” said Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “The tools we’ve developed, and our partnership with the premier organization in long term care training and development, will provide valuable resources for our members.”
The health care system has experienced a shortage of trained caregivers for critical roles for some time. The federal government estimates nearly 27 million people will need some kind of long term care by 2050, magnifying the workforce shortage that already exists.
“AHCA/NCAL will continue to develop workforce resources that help our members maintain the high quality of care they provide for America’s seniors and people with disabilities,” said Parkinson.
NFP Grassroots Advocacy – Facility Visits over Recess
NFPs Engaging in the Political Process
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 116th Congress, first session, can be found here. The tentative U.S.
Senate schedule for 2019 can be found here.
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
-
The 2019 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Application Deadline – longtermcareleader.com
- Check Out the Employee Health Plan That Delivers Highly Valued Benefits and 24/7 Unlimited TELADOC® Services for Just $161 a Month – longtermcareleader.com
- Knowledge is a Powerful Weapon in the War on Germs – longtermcareleader.com
- Learn from the AL Gold Recipients – In More Ways Than One – longtermcareleader.com
- Bronze Early Submission Day January 14 – longtermcareleader.com
- Independent Owner Leadership Conference Offers Critical Education Sessions – longtermcareleader.com
- Disrupt to Lead. Innovate to Succeed. – longtermcareleader.com
- Advance Your Long Term Care Career with ACHCA Administrator Credentialing – longtermcareleader.com
- It’s Winter Graduation Season and the Long Term Care Career Center is a Great Place for Jobs! – longtermcareleader.com
- Loss Protection from Cyber Criminals is Key to Avoiding Devastating Financial Consequences – longtermcareleader.com
Legislative and Agency Corner
-
AHCA’s Dr. David Gifford Testifies at New Jersey Senate Committee Hearing on Infection Prevention and Control – ahcancal.org
- CMS Posts Annual Update to Part B Therapy Modifier and Targeted Review Dollar Thresholds – longtermcareleader.com
- Updates to the OMHA Case Processing Manual – longtermcareleader.com
- CMS launches Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program – longtermcareleader.com
- Resources to Meet ROP Compliance and Ethics Program Requirement – longtermcareleader.com
Webinars of Interest
Stay informed and tune in to ahcancalED for several
pre-recorded and live webinars on topics impacting the long-term care
profession. Webinars that might be of interest are noted below.
- The Impact of Quality Incontinent Products on Incontinence Associated Dermatitis and Operational Costs in Skilled Nursing Facilities- Clinical Research Study
- Understanding the critical role of malnutrition in the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) for Success
- Nutrition and Current Regulatory and “Best Practice Updates”
- Sexuality and the Resident With Dementia
- Improving Clinical Outcomes through Competent Gerontological Nurses
- Sex, Drugs and Rolling Walkers
- Toward Better Behavior: Yours, Mine, and Everyone Else's
- Trauma-Informed Care Providing Mental Health Services in Long Term Care
- 2019 Quality Award Examiners Overview Webinar
- Compliance Considerations for Assisted Living Communities
- Introducing the AL Cost Calculator
- Quality Award Portal - How To
- Are You Ready for the New Not-for-Profit Financial Statements Reporting and Revenue Recognition Standards?
- Patient-Driven Payment Model – An Overview, AHCA Priority Comments, and Outlook for the Final Rule
- International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI)
- Protecting your Tax Exempt Status....It's not just a legal issue
- The Value of Strong Relationships with the Medical Director and Medical Providers in Achieving Desired Clinical and Performance Outcomes
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
Read some of Linkner’s blogs below. In addition, you can view some of his keynote speaking addresses here.
- The Tyranny of Good Enough
- The Power of Surprise and Delight
- Heads Down vs. Heads Up
- Setbacks: Game Over or Game On?
- A Simple Approach to Boost the Appeal of Your Product or Service
- What’s Your Firebird?
- Metrics That That Matter
- We’ve Been Banksy’d
- What Business Can Learn From Our (Nutty) Political Landscape
- The Honey Badger Mindset of Achievement
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 2019 Events
-
Long Term Care and the Law Conference – February 27 – March 1, 2019
- AHCA’s ID/DD Hill Fly-In Event – March 5, 2019 (contact dhalvorson@ahca.org for further info)
- AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit (Tampa, FL) – March 18 – 20, 2019
- AHCA/NCAL Independent Owner Leadership Conference 2019 (Tampa, FL) – March 20 – 22, 2019
- AHCA/NCAL 70th Annual Convention & Expo – October 13-16, 2019
2019 Health Care Observances
January 2019 marks,
among other observances, National Glaucoma
Awareness Month, National Volunteer
Blood Donor Month, National Activities
Professionals Week (January 20 -26), National Intravenous Nurse Day (January
25). The 2019 Healthcare Observances
Calendar can be found here.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
November is National Family Caregivers Month
Long Term Care Sector Addresses Caregiver Shortage with Innovative Workforce Resource Center
The online Workforce Resource Center includes resources and tools for AHCA/NCAL members to learn more about effective strategies for recruiting, retention and staff development. The association also announced a partnership with PHI, a leading provider of workforce training programs. PHI offers a range of services that help providers attract quality workers, promote excellent care, reduce turnover and achieve cost efficiencies. AHCA/NCAL and PHI will provide coaching, training and consulting to help long term care providers deliver quality care.
“Our members have been clear that staffing is one of their biggest challenges,” said Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “The tools we’ve developed, and our partnership with the premier organization in long term care training and development, will provide valuable resources for our members.”
The health care system has experienced a shortage of trained caregivers for critical roles for some time. The federal government estimates nearly 27 million people will need some kind of long term care by 2050, magnifying the workforce shortage that already exists.
“AHCA/NCAL will continue to develop workforce resources that help our members maintain the high quality of care they provide for America’s seniors and people with disabilities,” said Parkinson.
AHCA/NCAL Supports HEADs UP Act
Despite the large and growing size of the population with ID/DD, there are few primary care providers and even fewer specialists who are trained to treat the ID/DD population. The MUP designation would open up over 25 government programs within the Health Resources & Services Administration and other federal agencies for the ID/DD population. These programs include, among other things, incentives for physicians to treat this population in the form of higher Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement rates for physician services delivered in Health Professional Shortage Areas, a designation closely related to MUP. More information on the bill can be found here.
AHCA Honors 2018 Award Recipients
70th Annual Convention & Expo - Call for Presentations
NFP Grassroots Advocacy – Facility Visits over Recess
NFPs Engaging in the Political Process
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 115th Congress, second session, can be found here.
The U.S. Senate schedule for 2018 can be found here.
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.
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