AALC's 2024 Annual Meeting Wrap Up & Contests

Dear Members,

I can't believe how quickly the past month has flown by! We wrapped up our final Wii Bowling and Trivia competitions and hosted AALC's 2024 Annual Meeting. With over 180 attendees and 16 speakers, the two-day event in October was a resounding success. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to attend, express my gratitude to our generous sponsors, and congratulate our state champions on their Trivia and Wii Bowling victories!

We’re already looking ahead to 2025 and are excited to announce that we’ve set the dates for our next annual meeting: May 14–15, 2025! With an earlier timeline, planning starts now, and we’d love your input. If you have topic ideas or know someone who would be an excellent speaker, email us!

in the meantime, don't forget about submitting your entries to our 2024 Photo & Testimonial Contest going on now until November 29th. Find out more here.

Policy Update

Reminder!! Please Update HFS of Relevant Changes to Key Contacts! 

Providers/management companies/administration/interested parties, etc. should email HFS.SLF@illinois.gov with any email address updates/additions/changes that you want to be included on communication from the Supportive Living Program. HFS sends a variety of messages including reminders, recalls, general information, rule updates/reminders.  You do not want to miss any important information.  

Also, if you have any staffing changes (new admin, DON, etc.), you should also email those updates to HFS.SLF@illinois.gov. Include the new contact information (name, position, email address, etc.). 

We really encourage everyone to let HFS know of these changes so HFS can update their contact information and you stay current.

DSNP Update 

Six plans submitted proposals to be part of Illinois’ Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan program by the October 18 deadline. The RFP stated that there will be four awards at most.  Below is the list published by HFS.

• Meridian Health Plan of Illinois, Inc.
• Health Care Service Corporation
• United Healthcare of the Midlands, Inc.
• Aetna Better Health Premier Plan MMAI Inc.
• Humana Benefit Plan of Illinois, Inc.
• Molina Heatlhcare of Illinois

Mandatory Community Settings Rule and Person-Centered Planning Training! 

Reminder! SLP providers must incorporate training regarding the community settings rule and person-centered planning. We encourage you to review and use the HFS training slides on this topic. Note that in the near future, this training requirement will be addressed in the Administrative Code with the other required trainings. If non-compliance is found on an Annual Review, the SLP will be asked to remediate.

Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) October 2024 Updates

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has outlined the most up-to-date information for State-wide EVV Aggregation in a recent Provider Notice. To learn more, click here. 

Reminder! Cost Reports

Cost Reports are required to be filed with the Bureau of Health Finance within 90 days after the end of the facility's fiscal year. The filed cost reports are being made available through the Freedom of Information Act. To learn more, click here. 

SLP October Rates

Rates are down 2% on average ranging from 1% to 3.5% when looking at regions. Acuity (a.k.a. Case mix) decreased 2% for nursing homes, which is the main reason for the SL decreased. Lesser impact but still influencing the drop in SL rates is the decrease in the staffing incentive by 2.3% and the decrease in the Medicaid Access rate by 5.8%. 

Since acuity is part of the Medicaid Access rate, part of the decrease is attributable to the decrease in the Medicaid Access rate. However, the Medicaid Access rates is only about 1% of the total nursing home rate.

AALC PAC

Thank you to all who supported the AALC PAC this year and helped us inspire more! 

If you have not already done so, it is not too late to send your contribution today!  Every dollar counts. We are only a few thousand dollars away from our goal and your contribution could make the difference! Send your check to AALC PAC: PO BOX 1245, Springfield, IL 62705.

Legislative Update

The Illinois General Assembly returned to session on Tuesday, November 12 for the first of its two-week Veto Session. Veto Session is scheduled for November 12 – 14 and November 19-31. Legislators are asked to hold January 2 - 7 for a potential Lame Duck Session. Members of the 104^th General Assembly will be sworn into office on Wednesday, January 8. 

While the full Veto Session agenda continues to evolve, this week the Senate positioned 53 bills for possible action during the Veto Session and a potential Lame Duck Session. A listing of Senate Committee hearings is here. The House has yet to position any legislation for consideration. Note, there were no Gubernatorial Vetoes issued this year. With the results of the national elections, the Democratic super majorities in Illinois are expected to use the Veto and Lame Duck legislative sessions to address issues they believe are necessary to shield the state from anticipated conservative policies at the federal level.  

AALC is in the process of creating its 2025 legislative agenda and is working with the Board of Directors to craft our legislative priorities for the upcoming legislative session.  Top priorities include protecting access to the Supportive Living Program, especially affordable dementia care.   

Mark Your Calendars!

AALC 2025 Annual Meeting

May 14-15, 2025 in Springfield, IL

Planning has already begun for 2025 and need your input! We are looking for topics you'd like to have us cover and speakers you may be interested in hearing from. Please send us an email with any notes you may have and we'll follow up. Thank you!

TRAINING Opportunity for Administrators and Staff! Building a Dementia Training for First Responders

When: Wednesday, November 20 

First responders and health care providers often interact with people living with dementia and their caregivers. This webinar will highlight an award-winning program developed to help first responders and health care providers better address the needs of people with dementia and their caregivers. The presenters will also discuss the road to develop the training and offer tips for engaging local partners.

Objectives: 

• Describe the process for completing the training through EMSconnect 

• Provide an overview of what the training covers 

• Review expansion of training to support people living with dementia Register 

• Discuss supporting and engaging tribal partnerships

Office of Health Care Regulation Monthly Educational Webinars for Long-Term Care and Congregate Care Facilities 

Check out the December and January 2024-25 Schedule

Community Spotlight:

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STATE CHAMPIONS!

Please help us congratulate all of our winners! AALC hosted the Trivia and Wii Bowling Championships prior to the Annual Meeting launch on Tuesday, October 29 in Springfield's Union Station. We had a great group of attendees cheering our champs on!

First place in Trivia was Brookstone Estates of Mattoon North, 2nd place tie with Heritage Woods of Charleston and Mary Bryant Home, and third place was Heritage Woods of DeKalb.



For the Wii Bowling Championship - first place went to Gateway at River City, and second place went to Heritage Woods of Bolingbrook. Congratulations to all of our competitors!

THANK YOU ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORS!

Special thanks to SIU School of Medicine for partnering with AALC to offer 7 CE Units to attendees.

MEMBERS! If you know of a vendor who might be interested in joining AALC, share their information with us at info@aalcillinois.org and we will reach out to them. Are you a vendor member and interested in bringing content to our Supportive Living communities? Let us know and we will feature you in an upcoming newsletter.