KHCA/KCAL Update 11/24/25

November 24, 2025

This message contains confidential information and is intended only for KHCA/KCAL membership. Dissemination, distribution or copying the contents of this email beyond this group is strictly prohibited.

The Latest News

KHCA’s AIT Program: Celebrating Success and Leadership!

Over the past three years, KHCA’s Administrator-in-Training (AIT) Program has been an incredible success. We’ve had the privilege of working with so many talented individuals who have gone on to become licensed nursing home administrators.

Today, we want to take a moment to celebrate and congratulate, another AIT and their hard work and dedication, Amy Cottrell. We’re proud to be a part of your journey! Congratulations on passing your exam!

If you are interested in signing up for KHCA’s AIT program you can find more information on our website or you can always reach out to Teresa Keating.

Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar

Based on the increased scrutiny of discharges and transfers, this will be a discussion related to discharge “against medical advice” (AMA). F627 Transfer and Discharge discusses AMA in two places and notes, “As appropriate, facilities should follow their policies, or state law as related to discharges which are Against Medical Advice (AMA). Note: These situations only apply when a resident expresses their wishes to be discharged earlier than outlined in the care plan. These situations do not apply if a facility offers to discharge a resident to a location which does not meet their health and/or safety needs, and the resident agrees (this would constitute noncompliance).” READ MORE

Education Department To Limit Loan Eligibility Rules For Nursing, Other Degree Programs

McKnight’s Senior Living (11/24, Gaivin) reports, "Degrees for nursing and some other programs no longer are classified as ‘professional’ degrees under new federal loan eligibility rules, according to the Department of Education, meaning that those who pursue those degrees will be ineligible for higher federal loan limits and some loan forgiveness programs." AHCA/NCAL Associate Vice President of Workforce and Constituency Services Dana Ritchie said, "At a time when our country desperately needs more nurses, this is a missed opportunity. Nurses are the beating heart of long-term care, and advanced practice nurses, like nurse practitioners, are helping to revolutionize our sector."

REMINDER: License Expiration Grace Period Survey

In response to concerns voiced in the House Special Committee on Government Oversight KSBN is seeking interest and needs for a grace period for nurse’s license expiration date. They would appreciate your feedback. The data will be reported to the decision-makers to assist in possible legislative changes to the Kansas Nurse Practice Act. It is a short survey and can be completed fast. Thank you for your consideration in completing this survey to assist in legislative decisions.

COMPLETE THE SURVEY HERE

In Case You Missed It

Update from Friday’s Stakeholders Meeting

During Friday’s stakeholders meeting, KHCA/KCAL staff learned from Scott Brunner that KDADS will continue assigning SNF surveyors to Kansas state-licensed–only communities through the end of November. Dawne Altis also confirmed that federal surveyors are expected to resume surveys in SNF buildings beginning in early December.

If you have questions or need support as we navigate these transitions, please reach out to the association. We’re here for you—and we’re all in this together.

As pressures mount, so do involuntary nursing home discharges. Here’s how providers should approach them

McKnight's Long-Term Care News (11/20, Marselas) reports, "Facing increased fiscal and liability pressures, more US nursing homes are initiating involuntary patient discharges."

A follow up from Friday’s Facility Standards and Nurse Advisory Committee call

Links to the information discussed related to immigration via programs and the elimination of automatic extensions of certain types of employment authorizations can be found here.

KHCA’s AIT Program: Celebrating Success and Leadership!

Today, we want to take a moment to celebrate and congratulate, another AIT and their hard work and dedication, Stacey Bertz. We’re proud to be a part of your journey! Congratulations on passing your exam!

If you are interested in signing up for KHCA’s AIT program you can find more information on our website or you can always reach out to Teresa Keating.

Medicaid Eligibility System - Provider Escalation Guide

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has provided the following document by clicking here, to assist providers when they have difficulties with the Medicaid eligibility system. This provider escalation form gives step by step instructions on who to contact for specific issues. Please keep a copy for your records when you reach out and feel free to contact us if you need additional assisting advocating for your residents.

LTC Trend Tracker Updates: What You Need to Know

As you know, LTC Trend Tracker, AHCA/NCAL's exclusive web-based tool, helps long term and post-acute care providers-including assisted living-benchmark performance, monitor quality measures, and access valuable insights.

What Changed?

Based on feedback from assisted living providers, LTC Trend Tracker now offers simplified data entry within the NCAL Measures upload template. Previously, providers had to complete all data fields within the NCAL Measures upload template in order to successfully upload information into LTC Trend Tracker-a challenge for those not tracking every metric within the template. With the new system update, providers can enter the metrics they are tracking-such as hospital readmissions or falls with injury- without receiving an error message for incomplete data, making it easier to start small and expand over time.

Why It Matters for Members

This improvement removes a major hurdle for assisted living communities wanting to utilize LTC Trend Tracker, allowing them to engage in quality improvement efforts without overwhelming requirements. It's a practical way for providers to demonstrate commitment to quality and benchmark against peers.

We Encourage Our Members to Act

If you haven't registered for LTC Trend Tracker, now is the time. We encourage you to sign up today by clicking here.

CMS Refreshes Care Compare Ratings As AHCA Calls For Improvements

Skilled Nursing News (11/20, Siddiqi) reports CMS "began refreshing the nursing home Care Compare ratings" on Thursday following the government shutdown. Meanwhile, American Health Care Association Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Services Holly Norelli "said in a statement to SNN that the largest association for for-profit providers is also calling for improvements to Care Compare." Norelli said, "Seniors and their families deserve accurate and timely information about nursing homes, and we’ll continue to encourage the administration to make improvements to Care Compare to support this."

CMS Reportedly Rarely Enforces Medicare Advantage Rules To Ensure Members Can See Physicians

KFF Health News (11/20, Jaffe) reports that "government documents obtained by KFF Health News" in a FOIA request "show the agency overseeing Medicare Advantage does little to enforce long-standing rules intended to ensure about 35 million plan members can see doctors in the first place." The CMS documents "covering the past decade" show the agency sent letters "to only five insurers from 2016 to 2022 after seven of their plans failed to meet provider network adequacy requirements – lapses that could, in some cases, harm patient care."