Join AHCA/NCAL on Capitol Hill to Raise Your Voice and Advocate for Quality Care

When you attend and participate in Congressional Briefing, you have the invaluable opportunity to meet and discuss key issues with your Members of Congress and their staff.  Don’t miss the chance to discuss your concerns face to face.  Contact your state affiliate to set up your meetings today.

New speakers are also being added every day!  See the complete agenda and get all the details at cb.ahcancal.org.

Registration for the 70th AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo Is Now Open

This year’s jam-packed, four-day event honors you —the superheroes, warriors, and champions of quality care!  Prepare to take on your toughest challenge in a single bound…From PDPM to changes in Five-Star to the new Rules of Participation, you’ll get concrete solutions and strategies that will make you feel like you have super powers:

·        Extraordinary education sessions for SNF, AL, and post-acute care providers and staff. Earn CEs, network, and learn from your peers.

·        Super speakers, like Opening Keynote Speaker Doris Kearns Goodwin, World-renowned Presidential Historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning Author.

·       An out-of-this-world Expo Hall with hundreds of business partners providing demonstrations of the latest industry products and services.

Fill your toolbox with fresh ideas, inspiration, and action plans. Bring your staff and your family. There’s something for everyone.  Visit AHCAConvention.org for details and hotel information.

AHCA Awards Program Nominations Are Open!

We are now accepting entries for the AHCA Awards Program.  AHCA honors individuals who are committed to improving the quality of life for residents. Categories include:

·         ID/DD Hero of the Year

·         Not for Profit Trustee of the Year

·         Not for Profit Program of the Year

·         Volunteer of the Year

o   Young Adult (Ages 13-19)

o   Adult

o   Group

Nominations packets are available on AHCA's website now through June 7, 2019.  We encourage AHCA members take the time to submit a nomination to recognize those making a difference in the long term care industry.  Honorees will be recognized at AHCA/NCAL's 70th Annual Convention and & Expo in Orlando this October.

‘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​.

We Need You for Our New Social Media Initiative

AHCA/NCAL is beginning a new social media advocacy initiative this year and is encouraging all members to get involved.  The effort focuses on improving the overall image of the post-acute and long term care profession by sharing positive stories and pushing back on pieces that attempt to tie all providers to isolated negative events.

AHCA/NCAL will be sending interested members tips for getting more involved on social media, best practices for posting content, sample posts, and a roundup of positive stories about the profession on a regular basis. Individuals who want to get involved should email socialmedia@ahca.org to get on the mailing list. AHCA/NCAL is encouraging all members to get involved.

The campaign also will include a rapid response to stories that are unfairly negative about the profession or do not accurately portray the reality of post-acute and long term care.  AHCA/NCAL hopes to build on these successes as the year continues. With thousands of buildings nationwide who touch the lives of millions of people, there is the chance to seriously affect the way the profession is viewed and treated by lawmakers and the media.

GAO Releases Report on the Veterans Community Care Program

On April 10, 2019, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on the Veterans Community Care Program.  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plans to replace the Veterans Choice Program in June 2019 with the Veterans Community Care Program.  The Veterans Choice Program allowed eligible veterans to obtain health care services from providers not directly employed by VA (community providers).  According to the GAO, they testified in the report on challenges and lessons learned from the Veterans Choice Program that could help VA successfully implement its new program.  These challenges include:

• Complex referral and appointment scheduling processes
• Incomplete and unreliable data on the timeliness of veterans' access to care
• A lack of timely payments to community providers

GAO has made 12 recommendations to VA to improve its management and oversight of the Choice Program and the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP).  VA generally agreed with all but one of GAO's recommendations.  GAO continues to believe that all of the recommendations are warranted.  As of April 2019, these recommendations have not been implemented.  The highlights of the GAO report can be found here.

Observation Status Lawsuit Update

The Center for Medicare Advocacy released a March 28, 2019, press statement titled, “Court Denies All Government Motions in Class Action Seeking Appeal Right for Medicare Beneficiaries on ‘Observation Status’”.  The statement included that “in a decision issued on March 27, 2019, a federal judge denied multiple attempts by the federal government to halt a lawsuit by Medicare patients seeking a right to appeal their placement on ‘outpatient observation status’ in hospitals.  Alexander v. Azar is a nationwide class action brought by individuals who were forced to pay up to $30,000 for post-hospital skilled nursing facility care because they had been classified as outpatients in observation status, rather than as inpatients.”

The statement goes on to include that, “Although care provided to patients on observation status is often indistinguishable from inpatient care, it does not count toward the three-day inpatient hospital stay requirement for Medicare coverage of nursing home care. This leaves beneficiaries with the burden of paying for – or forgoing – extremely costly nursing and rehabilitative care.  The opportunity to appeal is critical because of the severe ramifications that can result from the observation status categorization.”  McKnight’s also published an article around the court decision titled, “Lawsuit over observation status, SNF payment finally going to trial.”  

33 national organizations, including AHCA/NCAL, supports the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2019 (H.R. 1682/S. 753).  Introduced by Congressmen Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Glenn 'GT' Thompson (R-PA) and Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the legislation ensures that time spent under “observation status” in a hospital counts toward satisfying the three-day inpatient hospital requirement for coverage of skilled nursing care services under Medicare.  For more information about the observation stays issue, please visit the AHCA/NCAL website.     

Articles and Resources of Interest

• 2019-2020 AHCA Elections and Solicitation for Candidates – longtermcareleader.com
• 2019-2020 NCAL Elections and Solicitation for Candidates – longtermcareleader.com
• National Skilled Nursing Care Week 2019 Toolkit Available – longtermcareleader.com
• CARES Online Dementia Training Programs Just Got Cheaper for AHCA/NCAL Members – longtermcareleader.com
• Want Fewer Survey Deficiencies?  Try ANCC Board Certification for Your RNs – longtermcareleader.com
• Be PDPM Ready: Register for ICD-10 Coding Online Training Today – longtermcareleader.com
• #WhyICare Workforce Campaign – longtermcareleader.com 
• Career Pathways Website Expands to 17 States – ahcancal.org
• Kelley Kash, CEO of Maine Veterans' Homes, is changing the culture of housing veterans - mainebiz.biz

Legislative and Agency Corner

• Update on Department of Labor Proposed Rules – longtermcareleader.com
• PBS NewsHour Story on Observation Stays Issue and Surprise Medical Bills – longtermcareleader.com
• New CMS Guidance on Home and Community-Based Services Settings Rule – longtermcareleader.com
• AHCA/NCAL Commends Congress for Reintroducing the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act – ahcancal.org
• LeadingAge and AHCA Statement on the Nursing Home Workforce Quality Act – ahcancal.org

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

• National Skilled Nursing Care Week – May 12-18, 2019
• AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing (Washington, D.C.) – June 3-4, 2019
• AHCA/NCAL 70th Annual Convention & Expo – October 13-16, 2019

2019 Health Care Observances

May 2019 marks, among other observances, Healthy Vision Month, Older Americans Month, National American Stroke Month, National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, and National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Awareness Month.  The 2019 Healthcare Observances Calendar can be found here.