Happy Holidays from AHCA/NCAL!

AHCA/NCAL Supports the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act

AHCA/NCAL has added its name to the list of national organizations that support the bipartisan Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act, or BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act (S. 2076/H.R. 4256), which would apply a public health approach to Alzheimer’s disease.  Headed by the Centers of Disease and Prevention (CDC), it would create a modern infrastructure for the prevention, treatment, and care of Alzheimer’s and related dementias.  More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and the United States spends more than $277 billion per year, including $186 billion in costs to Medicare and Medicaid.  Without further action, the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s is expected to triple to as many as 14 million by 2050, costing the nation more than $1.1 trillion per year.

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

A federal judge in Texas ruled on Friday, December 14^th, that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional under tax law because of change Congress made that reduces the individual penalty to zero in 2019.  The 55-page ruling said that the constitutional foundation of the ACA was removed when the individual penalty was effectively eliminated. 

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.”  

AHCA/NCAL will continue to monitor developments with the ACA and will keep members apprised of any changes with the law.

‘Live Soulfully’ Announced as 2019 Theme for National Skilled Nursing Care Week

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) recently announced “Live Soulfully” as the 2019 theme for National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW), which will be held May 12-18.  The theme “Live Soulfully” will celebrate skilled nursing centers, and their residents and staff, by showcasing how they achieve happy minds and healthy souls.  Whether it’s planting, cooking, reading or listening to music, these centers pay it forward by helping individuals find happiness to improve quality of life.  Centers will be encouraged to participate by hosting activities that display how they “Live Soulfully” and share their stories and experiences on social media. 

“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

Finding a qualified workforce is one of the largest challenges facing long term care providers. The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently unveiled new resources to help members attract and retain qualified caregivers in the more than 13,800 member centers nationwide. 

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

Gary Kelso, AHCA’s NFP Council Chair, encourages AHCA’s NFP providers to participate in our grassroots advocacy efforts in 2019.  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. 

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 116^th 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

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

• 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.  

• Bronze Early Submission - Step by Step
• 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

AHCA/NCAL has 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.

• 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.