A Message from the President & CEO Linda MowBray: Final Nursing Home Rates for FY 25 

Final Nursing Home rates for FY 25 (July 1, 2024) have been updated and reported in the Kansas Register. Click here for the link.

According to Myers & Stauffer, facility specific rate letters will be available via the portal on Monday, June 24, 2024. Should you have questions, please contact me lmowbray@khca.org.



As always, it is a privilege to serve you.

Linda MowBray President/CEO

(785) 267-6003

LeadingAge Joins The American Health Care Association, Texas Organizations In Lawsuit Against The Federal Government’s Nursing Home Staffing Mandate



On Tuesday, AHCA announced that LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services, is now a co-plaintiff in AHCA’s lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Filed on May 23, 2024, by AHCA, the Texas Health Care Association, and several Texas long term care facilities, the suit argues the agencies exceeded their statutory authority in issuing the Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities final rule. READ MORE

Antipsychotic Medication Management Toolkit

Antipsychotic medications remain an area of high focus for CMS, as seen during surveys, ongoing quality measures in the Five-Star Quality Rating program and the recently implemented Schizophrenia Audits.

The AHCA Clinical and Regulatory Team has refreshed the Antipsychotic Medication Management Toolkit. This toolkit includes a variety of evidenced-based tools which may be used by members for their quality improvement efforts. In addition to the main toolkit, there are three Fact Sheets and a separate case study for staff education.

2025 Webinar Planning

As we look forward to education planning for 2025 we will once again utilize our partnership with Proactive Medical for webinars. Please take a moment to complete the survey included here about topics of interest to you and your entire team. Please consider all areas of the building when responding.

NEXT WEEK: RAC-CT Certification In-Person Workshop

6/25 - 6/27/24

Wichita, KS

Click here for more details.

Get Ready for National Assisted Living Week 2024

National Assisted Living Week® 2024 is quickly approaching, so make plans now to celebrate! This year’s celebration is supported by official sponsor Select Rehabilitation and will take place September 8-14. READ MORE

CMS Releases Revised Guidance for the LTC Facility Assessment

Tuesday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the revised guidance for the Long-term Care Facility Assessment regulation (QSO-24-13-NH), as part of the federal staffing mandate finalized last month. 

The revised regulatory requirements have been moved from 42 CFR 483.70 to 42 CFR 483.71. Existing regulations at 42 CFR 483.70(f) through (q) have been re-designated as paragraphs (e) through (p), respectively. The revised guidance notes that surveyors should determine whether a facility assessment contains the required components under the regulation; they should not evaluate the quality of the assessment. 

The revision to the facility assessment regulation at F838 must be implemented by August 8, 2024.

Reminder: new rules from HHS/OCR regarding Nondiscrimination in Health Care and Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability

• Nondiscrimination in Health Care: Blog Post and Member Summary
• Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability: Blog Post

Members Only Nurse Advisory Call & Facility Standards Call

We will not have our Nurse Advisory and Facility Standards call as normally scheduled this month. We hope you are joining us in Manhattan at the Nurse Leadership Conference instead! Below you can still find the latest survey findings from Linda Farrar.

Survey Findings

Reflections

FACE of Kansas Scholarship for KHCA/KCAL CNA’s wanting to become CMA’s

The Foundation for Aging and Caring of Elders of Kansas Inc. (FACE of Kansas) is pleased to offer the FACE of Kansas Education Scholarship Program. FACE will award $500 scholarships to qualified future CMA’s who are interested in enrolling in a KDADS approved CMA course in the state of Kansas. Potential recipients must have worked as a CNA for at least 6 months in a KHCA/KCAL member building and plan to continue a career in the Long Term Care Profession.

FACE of Kansas is a non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of the long-term care homes of Kansas through professional opportunities and education for long-term care providers.



The Foundation for Aging and Care of Elders of Kansas, Inc. (FACE of Kansas) was established in 2006 to provide a community organization to promote quality care in Kansas adult care homes. FACE of Kansas seeks to improve the quality of care and services, and the quality of life for elderly and disabled Americans, through opportunities under which members may exchange ideas and obtain education to improve the knowledge, abilities, and standing of the adult care home profession. Only one scholarship per facility may be awarded per year.

Questions about the scholarship can be directed to khca@khca.org. The criteria and application form can be found by clicking here.

Webinar: Deconstructing Immediate Jeopardy Mitigation: Navigating Top Risk Areas: Reducing Risks Related to Medication Errors

7/9/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.

Webinar: Documentation in Depth: Supportive Documentation for Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Management

7/16/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.

Joint Provider Fire Marshal

7/22/24 - 8:30AM-4:00PM - Topeka

7/22/24 - 8:30AM-4:00PM - Wichita/Virtual

Assisted Living CNA/CMA Boot Camp

7/26/24 - 8:30AM-4:00PM Topeka, KS

Click here for more details.