KHCA/KCAL Update 3/17/25

March 17, 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.

Membership Reminder: The renewal deadline for your KHCA/KCAL membership is March 31st. We strive to give you a highly-valued return on your dues investment, and we look forward to serving you in the year ahead.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your membership status, please contact Kristin Plantz kplantz@khca.org.

The Latest News

Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar

Well, another delay in the regulation revisions, and perhaps not the last one. Published “experts” seem to think this delay may not benefit providers as much as it benefits the surveyors as it gives them more time to become more educated on the changes in the guidance. If you want to know the exact education/training the surveyors are receiving, go to https://qsep.cms.gov/. You will find the trainings that the surveyors are receiving on all aspects of regulations. READ MORE

CMS Nominee Addresses Medicare Advantage, Nursing Home Staffing During Confirmation Hearing

Skilled Nursing News (3/14, Siddiqi) reported, "Dr. Mehmet Oz vowed to reduce the bureaucratic footprint of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) if confirmed to lead the federal agency." Oz "also acknowledged problems with Medicare Advantage plans and criticized the preauthorization process and overbilling by insurers." During his testimony before the Senate Committee on Finance, Oz also addressed Medicaid budgets and the federal staffing mandate, and "said a shortage of nurses at nursing homes was the issue, and suggested that the solution lies in technology. He did not state his view on the federal staffing mandate."

McKnight’s Senior Living (3/17, Bowers) reports Oz "declined, however, to answer yes or no when asked whether he would commit to opposing any cuts to the Medicaid program." NCAL is among groups that "have communicated opposition to Medicaid cuts."

Members Only Nurse Advisory Committee (NAC) and Facility Standards Call – Friday, March 21, 2025 10:00AM - 11:00AM

Join us at 10:00AM for a Legislative update with Linda MowBray, President and CEO. Linda Farrar, KHCA Clinical Consultant will review recent SNF survey findings followed by Nurse Advisory Committee President, Michelle Novotny to discuss Nursing Scholarships, hot topics, and the latest happenings.

Latest Survey Findings

Reflections

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Phone conference ID: 581 415 051#

In Case You Missed It

A Message from the President & CEO Linda MowBray: Our Kansas Commitment

Today is Friday, March 14, 2025, and with it brings day 41 of this Legislative Session. Now starts the two-week count down until the end of the 2025 regular legislative session.

SB 88 – Requiring the state long-term care ombudsman and regional ombudsman to receive training in memory care.

Passed out of the House on a vote of 121 to 1 and will be sent on to the Governor for signage.

Sub for HB2007 - Legislative Budget

Legislative Budget- including full rebase and $20 per day Medicaid add-on for Nursing Homes. The bill continued having hearings from different agencies all last week and our full rebase and $20 per day Medicaid add-on is still intact. The bill will be heard by the Senate next week.

HB2392 - Facilitating nursing workforce development by setting maximum education levels for instructors at nursing schools as a requirement for state approval.

The House Committee of the whole heard the bill on Thursday, March 13, 2025. After a small technical amendment was made, the Committee of the Whole recommended it be passed as amended. In a stunning move prompted by objections from the Kansas State Board of Nursing, a vote was held to reconsider. This was adopted and the bill was withdrawn from the calendar and returned to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The bill is now essentially dead for the year.

SB 276 –

Removing the state fire marshal from the adult care home licensure act and the providers of disability services act and requiring the state fire marshal to complete training in person-centered care and responding to individuals with Alzheimer's disease and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

A new hearing date has yet to be set and the bill is presumed to be dead for the year.

On Thursday, March 13, 2025, KHCA/KCAL and Leading Age Kansas participated in a joint effort at an informational hearing in the House Social Services Budget Committee on a Staffing Agency 101. The information was well received and invoked many questions from the committee. Click here for our testimony. Click here for the live hearing.

The next Bob Bethell Joint HCBS and KanCare Oversight Committee will be April 14, 2025. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are having issues with KanCare or the MCOs so we may bring them to the Committee’s attention.

Thank you for trusting us to be your voice in the legislature. As always, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you.

Linda MowBray, President/CEO

lmowbray@khca.org

(785) 267-6003

Kansas PASRR Level II Evaluation Training Announcement

New for PASRR! Acentra Health is Kansas’ new Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) Level II Evaluation vendor. Beginning April 1, 2025, referrals for PASRR Level II evaluations will be entered in Acentra Health’s online PASRR provider portal, Atrezzo. Documents can be uploaded directly to the Level II evaluation case. Case statuses can be tracked and once reviewed and completed by KDADS staff, the Level II determinations can be viewed, printed, and easily stored in individual nursing home files.

Acentra’s provider portal will be available for submissions beginning April 1, 2025. Acentra will be providing comprehensive training to assist nursing facilities in registering and using the new portal, available soon at https://portal.Acentra.com. Please see below for training dates and times. To request an invite, please contact Acentra at KSPASRR@Acentra.com. For more information, including documentation checklists and updated release of information forms (below), visit http://KSPASRR.Acentra.com.

KDADS 2025 ROI with Instructions

2025 CARE Level I Assessment Fillable

Education Spotlight

Advance Concepts for Operators - Assisted Living Lunch and Learn

April 17, 2025 - 9:15AM - 3:30PM

This lunch and learn was created specifically with the Operators of our Kansas State Licensed Only facilities in mind. This 1-day lunch and learn will dive into topics that we frequently receive questions on for our Assisted Living, Home Plus and Residential Health Care Providers. Class size is limited to 40 and will include sharing and perspectives from all setting types.

Click here to learn more.

Upcoming Education