Published on June 23, 2020
Articles in this issue:
Author: Lisa Volk and Jackie Pappalardi* Published in Clinical & Quality
The Department of Health is hosting a 45-minute webinar for adult care facilities and nursing homes regarding the weekly Nursing Home and Adult Care Facility staff testing survey related to measures taken by the facility to meet the terms of Executive Order #202.40 and specifically staff testing. See attached for details and registration.
NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:
Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15
Jackie Pappalardi, RN, BSN
Executive Director
518-462-4800 x16
Author: Carl J. Pucci* Published in Finance & Reimbursement
AHCA has released updated Provider Relief Fund FAQs, as well as an HHS notice of a Medicaid allocation application webinar to be offered Thursday, June 25, 2020. Below is the AHCA bulletin:
HHS Updates Provider Relief Fund FAQs
On June 22, made several updates to the Provider Relief Fund FAQs. Additionally, later today (Tuesday, June 23) and on Thursday, June 25, HHS will be offering webinars on the Medicaid Allocation application process. To register for one of the webinars, click here.
Below is a summary of changes to the FAQs specific to long term care providers.
HHS added detail on calculating lost revenue and revenue (page 7)
“You may use any reasonable method of estimating the revenue during March and April 2020 compared to the same period had COVID-19 not appeared. For example, if you have a budget prepared without taking into account the impact of COVID-19, the estimated lost revenue could be the difference between your budgeted revenue and actual revenue. It would also be reasonable be the difference between your budgeted revenue and actual revenue. It would also be reasonable to compare the revenues to the same period last year.”
On page 38, HHS also notes that patient out-of-pocket costs should be counted as revenue. Later on page 39, HHS indicates that revenue lost under Medicaid value-based purchasing programs may be counted as lost revenue.
Duration of Terms and Conditions (page 9)
“Some Terms and Conditions relate to the provider’s use of the funds, and thus they apply until the provider has exhausted these funds. Other Terms and Conditions apply to a longer time period, for example, regarding maintaining all records pertaining to expenditures under the Provider Relief Fund payment for three years from the date of the final expenditure”.
Change in Ownership Additional Detail (page 9)
HHS elaborates upon scenarios in which sellers may not transfer funds.
Medicaid Allocations (page 38)
HHS notes that even a small General Distribution payment makes a provider ineligible for the Medicaid Allocation. The Department also added detail on who may apply noting that if a provider did not bill Medicaid/CHIP during the eligibility window, providers may apply for Medicaid allocation funding as long as they provided diagnoses, testing, or care for individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19 after January 31, 2020 and can produce evidence of such care.
Additionally, HHS limits on page 39 which providers who enrolled as Medicaid/CHIP providers in 2020 may apply. Also, on page 39, the Department notes that providers who bill under Medicaid Managed Care may apply.
Tax Information
On pages 38 and 41, HHS clarifies needed tax documentation information.
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Please email COVID19@ahca.org for additional questions, or visit ahcancal.org/coronavirus for more information.
NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:
Carl J. Pucci
Chief Financial Officer
518-462-4800 x36
Author: Carl Pucci Lisa Volk and Nancy Leveille* Published in Finance & Reimbursement
DOH has posted the MDS webinar slide deck for your reference (see MDS Case Mix Collection tab). A reminder that the deadline for review of census data and/or any MDS revisions is Sunday, June 28, 2020. Attached is NYSHFA member mailing with the related DAL. DOH plans on posting last week’s webinar once it has been transcribed.
NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:
Carl J. Pucci
Chief Financial Officer
518-462-4800 x36
Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15
Nancy Leveille, RN, MS
Director, Special Projects and Educational Development
518-462-4800 x20
Author: Lisa Volk and Jackie Pappalardi* Published in Clinical & Quality
This message is to inform you that all nursing homes and adult care facilities that indicated a need for additional COVID-19 test kits for the purpose of testing staff at these facilities in last week's survey, will receive a shipment on Wednesday, June 24, 2020.
For questions, please send an e-mail to covidadultcareinfo@health.ny.gov.
NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:
Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15
Jackie Pappalardi, RN, BSN
Executive Director
518-462-4800 x16
Author: Lisa Volk and Jackie Pappalardi* Published in Clinical & Quality
Topic: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Strategies for COVID Care
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2020
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET
Advance Registration Required: Register here.
Note: Once you register, you will receive an email with your individual link to join the webcast. The link you receive will only work for one user. Please forward this email to other team members if you would like them to attend so they can register.
The webcast audio will stream through your computer speakers. For the best experience, be sure to have headphones or your volume turned up. We recommend closing any other applications that may be open, especially those that use up bandwidth.
Audience:
Open to nursing home leaders, clinical and administrative staff members and others interested in nursing home infection prevention in the era of COVID-19.
Series Description:
The National Nursing Home Training Series is brought to you by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the QIO Program, a national network of Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIOs) serving every state and territory.
Invitations are distributed weekly for each training in the series. Sign up here for updates.
Miss a training? View recordings, slides and resources on QIOProgram.org.
This Week’s Topic: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Strategies for COVID Care
Following today’s call, participants will understand why using personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary for infection prevention and will be able to describe how to properly use it. Additionally, participants will learn how to use an audit tool for tracking compliance in proper use of PPE. An auditing tool will be shared with participants. Lastly, we will share promising practices and strategies for PPE supply and proper use.
Meet the Speakers:
Jane Brock, MD, MSPH
Medical Director
Telligen
Sherry Longacre, MS, RN
Sr. Quality Improvement Facilitator
Telligen
Continuing Education Credits:
The National Nursing Home Training Series is not accredited by CMS. You can follow-up with your association or accrediting body to see if they award credit for participation in our trainings. Continuing education credits may be awarded by some organizations for participation in CMS trainings.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Continuing Education (CMSCE) Accreditation Statements:
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
ACCME accreditation seeks to assure the medical community and the public that Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services provides physicians with relevant, effective, practice-based continuing medical education that supports US health care quality improvement.
The ACCME employs a rigorous, multilevel process for evaluating institutions' continuing medical education programs according to the high accreditation standards adopted by all seven ACCME member organizations. These organizations of medicine in the US are the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the Association for Hospital Medical Education, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, and the Federation of State Medical Boards of the US, Inc.
International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is authorized to issue the IACET CEU.
NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:
Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15
Jackie Pappalardi, RN, BSN
Executive Director
518-462-4800 x16
Author: Lisa Volk and Jackie Pappalardi* Published in Clinical & Quality
Nursing home residents who need dialysis treatments are at high-risk for Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection. You will hear from leaders with Dialyze Direct and Concerto Renal Services about how they are minimizing risks of contacting COVID-19. See attached for more information and registration.
NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:
Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15
Jackie Pappalardi, RN, BSN
Executive Director
518-462-4800 x16
Author: Lisa Volk and Jackie Pappalardi* Published in Clinical & Quality
Data Underscores Need for Payment Models that Produce Better Health Outcomes
Today, under the leadership of President Trump, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is calling for a renewed national commitment to value-based care based on Medicare claims data that provides an early snapshot of the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the Medicare population. The data released today includes the total number of reported COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries between January 1 and May 16, 2020. The snapshot breaks down COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations for Medicare beneficiaries by state, race/ethnicity, age, gender, dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid, and urban/rural locations.
For more information on the Medicare COVID-19 data, visit: https://www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-systems/preliminary-medicare-covid-19-data-snapshot
For an FAQ on this data release, visit: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/medicare-covid-19-data-snapshot-faqs.pdf
For a blog by CMS Administrator Seema Verma, visit: https://www.cms.gov/blog/medicare-covid-19-data-release-blog
For a copy of the press release, visit: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/trump-administration-issues-call-action-based-new-data-detailing-covid-19-impacts-medicare
NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:
Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15
Jackie Pappalardi, RN, BSN
Executive Director
518-462-4800 x16
Author: Lisa Volk and Jackie Pappalardi* Published in Clinical & Quality
See attached newsletter from the Iroquois Healthcare Association Workforce Investment Organization (IHA WIO) program. Iroquois is in its third year of the program and wanted to share several program updates and enhancements.
NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:
Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15
Jackie Pappalardi, RN, BSN
Executive Director
518-462-4800 x16
Author: Lisa Volk and Jackie Pappalardi* Published in Clinical & Quality
This course presents an evidence-based approach for the implementation of a high intensity progressive rehabilitation model as part of an evolution from current lower intensity post-acute treatment approaches to address myriad patient needs. Rehabilitation professionals will have access to an interactive multimedia learning experience including responsive, self-paced presentation of foundational concepts, simulated case scenarios, and a moderated discussion environment for learning with fellow clinicians - all informed by the latest learning science and innovative technology.
What PT/OT Professionals Will Learn
The goal of the course is to teach rehabilitation professionals better methods of addressing functional decline due to underlying medical complexity and deconditioning from hospitalizations or illness. By the end of this course, rehab professionals will learn how to:
Course Design, CEs & Target Audience
This is a self-paced course that contains nine learning modules. Each module has an interactive lesson. Some modules have quizzes, some have Slack channel discussions, and some have case simulations to test the mastery of the subject matter. The course concludes with the Post-Assessment/Final Exam and survey. All modules must be completed to take the Post-Assessment/Final Exam.
CU recommends that the course be taken over an eight-week period to allow rehab professionals time to implement and practice the concepts as they are learned. Additional technological requirements and skills to take the course are discussed in the attached FAQ document.
This course is built for professionals that provide rehabilitation services to patients in skilled nursing facilities (including PT, PTA, OT, OTA). Documentation will be provided by AHCA/NCAL to rehab professionals who successfully complete the course, so that they can apply to their respective state licensing boards for continuing education credits.
Course Fees and Two-Step Registration/Enrollment Process
The course fee is $495 for an employee or contracted employee registering as affiliated with an AHCA member facility and $595 for all other non-member registrants. Individuals will register and pay for the course through the ahcancalED platform at this web site: ahcancal.org/restoreregistration. Then, within 48 hours, registrants will receive further instructions on how to go to the CU platform and enroll in the course and begin their coursework. (FYI for state affiliates – here is the site where registrants will be directed within 48 hours after they register on ahcancalED: ahcancal.org/restorecourse.)
Individuals will need to login with their AHCA/NCAL usernames and passwords to register for this course. For assistance obtaining AHCA/NCAL usernames and passwords, individuals should e-mail educate@ahca.org with their name and facility contact information. Questions about the programs should also be directed to educate@ahca.org.
See FAQ document attached.
NYSHFA/NYSCAL CONTACTS:
Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15
Jackie Pappalardi, RN, BSN
Executive Director
518-462-4800 x16