Important HRSA Updates
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) shared an updated status of delayed American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural payments and suggestions for provider action steps, overview of Phase 4, and action steps for Period 1 Reporting if providers missed the November 30 deadline.
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ARP Rural Payments: Applications still are in process due to size of award, Optum Account ID challenges, and pending denial letters or HRSA’s term, No Pay Letters. If a provider disagrees with the award amount, they will have the ability to request a reconciliation review.
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Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4: The Phase 4 process should be simpler because much of the background analysis was completed for ARP Rural payments. Awards are expected to begin in mid-December and continue through January on a rolling basis.
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PRF Period 1 Reporting: HRSA has re-opened the Period 1 Reporting Portal. Providers who contacted the Support Center to alert HRSA about reporting challenges will receive an email notifying them the reporting portal is open. However, all providers (including those who did not notify HRSA of a reporting issue) may go to the portal and complete their reports with no penalty. The portal closes December 20.
HRSA indicated it is unable to address individual provider challenges at this time while it continues working through applications. However, if providers have not received awards by mid-January, they should contact the Provider Support Line at (866) 569-3522 to request targeted assistance.
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TODAY! Office Hours on CMS Interim Final Rule on Vaccine Mandate
Join AHCA/NCAL today at 4 pm ET for an office hours to discuss recent updates on the CMS Interim Final Rule on Vaccine Mandates provided by Sarah Skubas, Attorney at Law, Jackson Lewis, along with AHCA/NCAL Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Gifford. The update will be followed by a question and answer session where attendee questions on vaccine mandates will be addressed.
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Reminder: Maryland Department of Health Cyberattack
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) website and system operations continue to be challenged by the recent cyberattack. With this unexpected and unfortunate event, we stand in support of our MDH colleagues and are helping in any way we can. We ask for all to understand the challenges created by such an attack, and the need for an abundance of caution as MDH explores bringing all systems back online.
On Wednesday last week HFAM asked MDH if the attack would impact the monthly payment to skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers and other Medicaid settings currently providing care to Marylanders in need. In three memos last week, MDH confirmed that Medicaid payments would be impacted. The MDH memo issued most recently said, “Only claims submitted prior to the system shutdown on 12/5/2021 will be included in this weekend’s (12/12/2021) MMIS provider payment cycle. Claims submitted on or after 12/5/2021 will not be included, and providers will not receive payment for those claims. This also means that there will be no payment in the upcoming remittance advice of 12/11/2021 for LTSS Maryland providers.”
MBON License and Certificate Holders
Licensure, re-licensure, background checks, and payments for records at the Maryland Board of Nursing (MBON) are also impacted. Last week, LeadingAge Maryland asked MBON about the impact of the outage on their operations, and on learning of the specific impact, we asked MDH to take steps to ensure licensed professionals continue to be able practice despite their renewal requests being stranded by the computer systems outage. On this, please see this memo issued last week from MBON.
Per this memo:
- “… the Board cannot complete any licensing or certification transactions, including, but not limited to, issuing new licenses or certifications and renewing existing licenses and certifications. In addition, the Board currently does not have the ability to access licensee or certificate holder profiles to provide application status information. For those who have recently submitted electronic applications for licensure or certification (either initial, endorsement, or renewal), there is no need to resubmit your application, as that data is being stored and will be processed in the order it was received as soon as the network security incident is resolved. Constituents who wish to drop off documents, including paper applications for licensure and certification, at the Board's physical location may continue to do so, but only during normal business hours (8:30 am - 4:30 pm daily, except on Wednesdays when business hours are 9:30 am - 4:30 pm).”
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New Training: Inventory Supply Management for PPE and COVID-19 POC Testing
COVID-19 and other unpredictable infectious agents – coupled with fluctuating demand and inconsistent supply – have created the need for skilled nursing, assisted living and ID/DD facilities to have robust PPE and COVID-19 point of care (POC) testing inventory management programs. Surveyors are closely examining how prepared long term care facilities are to weather these unpredictable factors.
The Inventory Supply Management for PPE and COVID-19 POC Testing training is a nine-module case-based learning program that incorporates technical skills with real-life examples to illustrate the importance that inventory and supply management brings to the facility during day-to-day operations and when outbreaks occur. Participants also will learn best practices for addressing common supply and demand issues.
The program helps facilities identify how regular work week needs versus weekend or holiday needs can differ in terms of navigating changing PPE and COVID-19 testing needs. Participants will gain insight about inventory rotation to prevent waste from expired supplies and how the unique needs of stand-alone facilities differ from those of corporate chains.
Case examples engage learners in assessing situations and identifying best practices for addressing common supply and demand issues. Participants also will learn about CDC’s Burn Rate Calculator.
The cost of the course is $199 for AHCA/NCAL members and $650 for non-members. The course is approved for 4.50 NAB CEs and 4.50 nursing contact hours through the Iowa Board of Nursing.
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AHCA Announces 2022 National Skilled Nursing Care Week Theme: "Creating and Nurturing Connections"
The American Health Care Association (AHCA) is pleased to announce “Creating and Nurturing Connections” as next year’s theme for National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW) which will be observed May 8-14, 2022.
Skilled nursing care centers and their staff provide an incredible and steadfast commitment to a high-level of quality care and quality of life for their residents. This has never been more evident than these last two years during the pandemic. In addition to protecting and caring for their residents around the clock during a time of limited visitation and social distancing, staff stepped in and served as family members and friends to ensure residents had the essential social connections they needed.
The 2022 theme celebrates the essential role that skilled nursing care centers and staff play in creating and nurturing connections for their residents.
Graphics Available
Be sure to download 2022 NSNCW graphics for your websites and newsletters
and use the hashtag #NSNCW on social media to spread the word!
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Want to see previous HFAM updates?
Visit our website to view all previous HFAM alerts, as well as guidance
from our federal and state partners.
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