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. |
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Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar
Apparently Vaccine Declinations are getting increase surveyor scrutiny. Fortunately, AHCA has provided extremely valuable tools. On the AHCA LTC Infection Control Forum there has been a LOT of discussion about how to get signed permissions for vaccinations at the time of admission. Many facilities have included physician orders for annual or as needed vaccinations in “Standing Orders”, but for the resident consents, the exact influenza or pneumococcal vaccine being offered must be included in the education and the consent obtained. READ MORE
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‘No time to mislead the public’ on nursing homes, Biden told; experts offer solutions
The Biden administration should stop its “incendiary descriptions” of the long-term care sector and focus instead on collaborative policy solutions, scolded LeadingAge president and CEO Katie Smith Sloan in an open letter to the president.
Sloan specifically highlighted two policy areas — building care worker immigration pipelines and increasing training pathways into the sector. READ MORE
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New Member Profile Creation and Webinar Access Information |
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We are excited to announce an enhancement to the AHCA/NCAL website that empowers all members to create their own profiles and login credentials. This feature enables smoother access to our Members-only online resources and enhances the overall user experience.
Members can now easily create their own individual profiles and obtain login credentials by visiting https://members.ahcancal.org and clicking on the "CREATE NEW ACCOUNT" option located at the top of the screen. We encourage all members to utilize this functionality for streamlined access to valuable resources.
Please note, it is important for individuals to add their company information to their profile during registration. The Member status of their company will determine their individual member status, ensuring accurate access to relevant materials and benefits. If you do not add your company to your profile, you will be marked as a Non-Member and will not be able to access any members-only content.
Also, AHCA/NCAL has observed a surge in attendance for webinars recently, and we are thrilled to see such strong engagement from our members. However, we understand that some members may encounter challenges during registration or login processes. To address any issues related to webinar access, we urge members to reach out to the AHCA/NCAL Education department at educate@ahca.org for prompt assistance.
We anticipate that these new resources will alleviate bottlenecks and facilitate seamless access to our website and Members-only online resources.
Thank you for your continued support in helping us serve our members effectively.
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A Message from the President & CEO Linda MowBray: Our Kansas Commitment 5/3/24
Legislators worked late into the night on Tuesday to finish up the last few days and gavel out Sine Die. While we finish sorting out all of the details, here are some highlights for long-term care.
- Budget bill passes.
- Full rebase and inflate to the midpoint of FY25.
- $15.40 per Medicaid resident per day starting July 1, 2024. This replaces last year’s add on and is not in addition to.
- HCBS FE rates rise to $7.50 per unit.
- All other waivers see an approximately 5% increase.
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Click here for details on the bill.
- Page 35 items 3 &4
- Page 37 items 27 & 28
- Page 78 item 4
- And page 79 items 19, 22 & 24
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Click here for the full bill.
- Fire Marshal cannot wear body cameras during inspections but may continue to take still pictures of violations.
- CCRC oversight will move to KDADS.
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No Patient Left Alone passes with language that exempts us if not imposing isolation methods ordered by CMS jeopardizes our funding.
- KDADS will collect data from AL and Home Plus on involuntary discharges.
- Staffing agencies will be required to register with KDADS in order to do business in Kansas.
All of these items were bundled into one bill. See below for how this all progressed.
We will meet with KDADS on May 20, 2024, for a glimpse at the final rates.
We will meet with KDADS on May 23, 2024, to discuss the implementation of the CCRC oversight, Involuntary Discharge data gathering and the Staffing Agency registration process.
Should you have questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me. As always, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you.
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Enhanced Barrier Precaution FAQ
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Urgent Call to Action: Come to Washington to Meet with Your Members of Congress
Last week, the Biden Administration announced the Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Final Rule - a decision that demands our immediate attention.
This one-size-fits-all mandate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services threatens to deepen the workforce crisis in long term care, jeopardizing access to care for our seniors. With bipartisan opposition from lawmakers and widespread concern among healthcare leaders and policy experts nationwide, the time to act swiftly and decisively is now.
Your Members of Congress need to hear from you as they consider the bipartisan Protecting America's Seniors' Access to Care Act (S. 3410/H.R. 7513) which would prohibit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary from finalizing the proposed nursing home staffing rule. Join us in our efforts to safeguard long term care facilities nationwide from involuntary closures.
Make plans to join us for Congressional Briefing, June 3-4.
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RAC-CT Certification In-Person Workshop
June 25-27, 2024
Wichita, KS
Increase your knowledge of clinical assessment and care planning, completion of the MDS, the regulations surrounding the RAI/MDS process, and managing the PDPM by attending an AAPACN Resident Assessment Coordinator-Certified (RAC-CT) certification workshop. Having the RAC-CT credential behind your name shows you are a knowledgeable and capable MDS professional. RAC-CT certification is the nationally recognized gold-standard in resident assessment in the long-term care nursing profession. By earning this credential, individuals have shown their expertise in skilled nursing facility prospective payment system and minimum data set (MDS 3.0) assessment.
The RAC-CT certification program consists of 10 education courses designed for post-acute care professionals with at least six months of experience with the MDS/RAI process. If you have less than six months of experience, we highly recommend taking MDS Essentials as a foundation to get you started and make sure you’re prepared to succeed in the RAC-CT program. To earn the RAC-CT credential, you must successfully complete the associated final certification exams with a score of 80% or higher. You will have one year from the date of the workshop before they expire. There are three exam attempts per course. Recertification is required every two years.
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Webinar: Deconstructing Immediate Jeopardy Mitigation: Navigating Top Risk Areas: Reducing Risks Related to Infection Control
5/14/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Documentation in Depth: Supportive Documentation for Dialysis Care
5/21/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM
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Webinar: Deconstructing Immediate Jeopardy Mitigation: Navigating Top Risk Areas: Reducing Risks related to CPR
6/11/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM
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SSD Boot Camp
6/17/24 - 8:30AM-4:00PM
Topeka, KS
This class is full! Please email khca@khca.org to be placed on wait list.
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Nurse Leadership Conference
6/18 - 6/19/24
Manhattan, KS
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Webinar: Documentation in Depth: Supportive Documentation for End-of-Life Care
6/18/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM
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RAC-CT Certification In-Person Workshop
6/25 - 6/27/24
Wichita, KS
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Administrator in Training (AIT) Program
Looking for an AIT Program? Click here for more details on KHCA's Program.
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Kansas Health Care Association and the Kansas Center for Assisted Living
1100 SW Gage Blvd. | PO Box 4770 | Topeka, KS 66604
PH: 785-267-6003 FAX: 785-267-0833
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