June 2, 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

Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar

Back to documentation best practices this week…Thorough and complete documentation is a critical part of licensed nursing care, especially when residents in a nursing home are prescribed antibiotics.

Too frequently, nurse documentation when a resident is ordered an antibiotic looks something like: “Resident continues on ABT. No adverse reactions noted. Temp 98.2”…that’s all there sometimes is included during antibiotic treatment duration. READ MORE

Click here to order a Documentation Guideline Booklet.

Senior Living Industry "Sounds Alarm" Over Administration’s Recent Immigration Moves

Senior Housing News (5/30, Christman) reported, "Senior living operators once pinned their hopes on an influx of workers via new immigration to help meet a surge of demand in the years ahead." However, "in 2025, those hopes seem all but dashed," as the administration "has taken a hard line to new immigration, with aspirations to further ramp up its rate of deportations in the future." The senior living industry, including AHCA/NCAL, has "sounded the alarm over the Trump administration’s recent immigration moves." AHCA/NCAL "stated in April that it ‘has long supported immigration reform as one of many solutions to help strengthen the long term care workforce,’ and urged Congress to ‘expand and expedite opportunities for international health care workers who wish to live and work in the United States.’"

KHCA/KCAL District 1 Round Table

Tuesday, July 8, 2025 from 10:30AM - 12:30PM in Shawnee, KS

KHCA/KCAL Board Members would like to invite you to the KHCA/KCAL District 1 Round Table hosted by Suzie Sexton, Brett Pu, Jeremy Whitt, Miles Nease, Fred Pitzel and KHCA/KCAL President and CEO Linda MowBray. (See image for counties included in this district.) We will discuss hot topics in your area and answer any questions that you might have. Come join us for some heavy appetizers and refreshments. Also, if you attend you can sign up to win one of the $50 gift cards or a $100 gift card.

Location:

Johnson County Library – Monticello

22435 W. 66^th St.

Shawnee, KS 66226

You do not have to be a KHCA/KCAL Member to attend and there is no cost.

RSVP:

If you plan to attend this meeting, please RSVP to the KHCA/KCAL office by emailing Teresa Keating (tkeating@khca.org). Please indicate your name, community and a phone number.

In Case You Missed It

Call to Action: Tell Your Senator to Protect Medicaid and Provider Taxes

Last week, we shared that the House passed its “big, beautiful” reconciliation bill. As a reminder, it includes a 10-year delay of the nursing home staffing mandate and puts a moratorium on current provider tax rates. Now, the bill moves onto the Senate, and we need your help.

NOW is the time to contact your senators, especially if they are Republicans. It is possible that the Senate will create its own version of the legislation, and there are forces in the Senate that still desire to reduce provider tax limits. Staff have already started moving forward on drafting their version of a reconciliation bill over the long holiday weekend.

Act Now: Contact Your Senators

If your senator is a Republican, we need you to contact them ASAP – it's simple. Visit the AHCA/NCAL Advocacy Action Center to see step-by-step instructions on how to:

Send an email: Contact your U.S. Senators urging them to oppose any reduction in the provider tax. These messages will be directed to their Washington, D.C. offices.
Make a call: Reach out to your Senators and share your concerns about the potential impact of provider tax reductions.

CONTACT YOUR SENATOR

Contact the AHCA/NCAL Government Relations team with any questions or issues in utilizing the Action Center. Every call and email make a difference. We will be in touch with important updates as they are available.

We also look forward to seeing many of you in Washington, D.C. soon for Congressional Briefing where we can continue these important advocacy efforts. Thank you for standing with us to protect Medicaid and our vulnerable residents who depend on it.

As Reported on by:

McKnight's LTC News: Providers girding to fight for better Senate budget bill after ‘cold-hearted’ House version passes

McKnight's Senior Living: Providers, Advocates Urge Senate To Reject $700M In Proposed Medicaid Cuts

PBS NewsHour: How cutting Medicaid could upend long-term care for many older Americans

Kansas Aging and Disability Resource Center to Launch New Website June 2nd

We are excited to share the launch of the new Kansas Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) website, which will go live on Monday, June 2. The new website marks the kickoff of the enhanced Kansas ADRC. The Kansas ADRC’s goal is to support older adults and people living with disabilities by offering easy access to information, referrals, and options counseling. The ADRC program will help individuals make informed choices about long-term services and programs, meeting them where they live, work, and socialize. READ MORE

The Sunflower Connection - A Publication from KDADS

In this episode:

KNAP
KSCSCG for Long Term Care Facilities
New Payment System for Nursing Facilities
Reporting to the Complaint Hotline
Bed Rails
Advanced Directives
HCBS

Click here for more details.

Door remains closed on CMS forums as new rules, requirements are phased in

Four months into the new presidential administration, skilled nursing leaders have had no opportunity to hear directly from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services staff during traditional Open Door Forums or National Stakeholder Calls.

Open Door Forums have been held three-to-five times annually in a practice that started more than 20 years ago. The online meetings give providers, vendors and other stakeholders an opportunity to learn more about regulatory and logistical changes being pursued by CMS, as well as providing question-and-answer sessions with policy architects. READ MORE

Less than two weeks remain to register for AHCA/NCAL's Delivering Solutions at the Early Bird Rate!

Set your sights on success—Delivering Solutions 25 (DS25) is where leadership, innovation, and opportunity meet. Join us in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 19–22, 2025, for the premier annual event that brings together long term care, post-acute, and assisted living professionals from across the country for a dynamic experience of learning, networking, and celebration. READ MORE

Education Spotlight

Nurse Leadership Conference

June 25-26, 2025

Salina, KS

Members $219 | Non Members $269 until June 11th

This special Nurse Leadership Conference is an opportunity for nurses working in the Long-Term Care setting to strengthen their leadership and clinical skills. Building strong leaders through education is essential to promoting a better quality of life for our residents. Meet new vendor partners and spend time networking and getting to know others that are doing the same valuable work that you’re doing. A fun networking event is in place Downtown Salina. This will be a separate ticket event, so don’t forget to sign up. Let’s enjoy some time relaxing and learning from each other.

Click here to learn more.

Upcoming Education