News Archives
August 2019 Archives
Below is a list of all of the articles published in the selected month, ordered from most recent to least.
MDH Posts Notice on Distribution of New Home Care Bill of Rights Language
On August 13, 2019 by Bobbie Guidry
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) this week issued an update that addresses changes to the Home Care Bill of Rights that went into effect Aug. 1. MDH is working on updating each version of the Home Care Bill of Rights with the changes and will post them on its website when they are available. In the meantime, MDH is directing providers to the following notice to Home Care Providers to guide distribution of the new Bill of Rights language:
Aug. 15 Free Webinar Explains New Retaliation Law
On August 13, 2019 by Heidi Simpson
Are you ready to comply with the new retaliation protections that went into effect on Aug. 1? Join our free webinar tomorrow (Aug. 15) to learn how these protections apply to residents and staff in care centers and assisted living/housing with services and how you can stay in compliance
Connect Conference Near Sellout
On August 13, 2019 by Heidi Simpson
Our first annual Connect Conference, Aug. 20-21 in Brooklyn Center, is near capacity with more than 450 people attending from the home- and community-based services continuum.
Annual Meeting Deadlines This Week
On August 13, 2019 by Heidi Simpson
Friday, Aug. 16 is the deadline for both early bird registration and application for scholarships for the Annual Meeting a& Leadership Forum. Thursday, Aug. 15 is the deadline to cancel Madden’s lodging reservations and receive a partial refund.
Create Your Nursing Assistant Training Program with OnTrack’s Hands-On Support
On August 13, 2019 by Jenna Kellerman
Long term care providers in Minnesota have a lot on their plates. As much as you may want to build your workforce pipeline by starting a Nursing Assistant Training Program, it may feel like more work than you can add to your plate.
Establishing a Peer Mentor Program
On August 13, 2019 by Jenna Kellerman
Mentor programs offer an important opportunity for staff to develop positive relationships, interact with friends at work, receive the peer support needed to succeed in a job, and increase meaning and purpose in their day. Beyond that, mentor programs have been proven to positively impact team member retention and satisfaction in all departments.
HCBS Settings Rule Guidance Provides Path Forward for New Construction Settings
On August 13, 2019 by Bobbie Guidry
In last week’s Advantage, we featured a story on new guidance for heightened scrutiny review of newly-constructed presumptively institutional settings under the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings rule. This week we are sharing additional detail from the Bulletin on how new construction settings required to undergo heightened scrutiny can qualify for Medicaid (waiver) reimbursement and providing examples of reimbursement pathways for new construction settings.
RAD for PRAC Implementation Guidance Delayed
On August 13, 2019 by Bobbie Guidry
The release of guidance implementing Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) for PRAC, expected earlier this spring or summer, is still delayed and may not be issued until early fall.
CMS Updates Recently-Revised Appendix Q
On August 13, 2019 by Sue Boyd
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued additional updates to the State Operations Manual Appendix Q, including guidance to surveyors on citing immediate jeopardy.
Help Recruit Staff and Create Career Pathways: Apply for HCBS Scholarship Grant
On August 13, 2019 by Jenna Kellerman
The Minnesota Department of Health is soliciting grant proposals from providers of adult day care, home care and housing with services to provide educational scholarships for their employees. Find the HCBS Program detail, application, and forms on the MDH website here.
DHS Launches New Web Site Geared Toward People with Hearing Loss
On August 13, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
People with hearing loss can learn more about assistive technology, communications access and other issues at a new website launched this week by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Jodi Harpstead Named DHS Commissioner
On August 13, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
Governor Tim Walz has named Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota President Jodi Harpstead as the new commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS).
Direct Caregivers Make Direct Impact on Quality
On August 13, 2019 by Jenna Kellerman
Quality improvement projects developed by Health Support Specialists from Avera Marshall, Three Links, Traverse Care Center and Regent at Burnsville were recently selected as the winners of the ICan Innovation Contest.
Don’t Forget: Change from KEPRO to Livanta Requires Action by Medicare Providers
On August 6, 2019 by Jonathan Lips
As we reported earlier this summer, Livanta replaced KEPRO as the Beneficiary and Family Centered Care (BFCC) Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Minnesota effective June 8, 2019. The purpose of the BFCC-QIO is to conduct quality of care reviews, beneficiary complaint reviews, and discharge and termination of service appeals in various Medicare provider settings. Livanta requires a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) from providers. To complete a new MOA and read frequently asked questions (FAQs), click here.
Have an Hour Free on Thursday? Join CMS for its Nursing Facility Open Door Forum
On August 6, 2019 by Jonathan Lips
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will share information on fiscal year 2020 skilled nursing facility payment policies during a Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF)/Long Term Care Open Door Forum this Thursday, Aug. 8, at 1 p.m.
List of Candidates for “Special Focus Facility” Status is Now Public
On August 6, 2019 by Jonathan Lips
At the request of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is now publishing a list of nursing homes in each state that are candidates for “Special Focus Facility” (SFF) status. For many years CMS has published a list of facilities that currently hold SFF designation, and that monthly publication now includes the names of facilities at risk of being designated.
DHS Seeks Public Comments on Third Set of HCBS Setting Evidentiary Packages
On August 6, 2019 by Bobbie Guidry
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has posted for public comment the third round of evidentiary packages for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) settings. This batch includes settings that have been identified as Prong 3 and includes Adult Day, Customized Living and Foster Care providers.
Popular Dementia Care Certificate Program Returns in 2019
On August 6, 2019 by Heidi Simpson
We are pleased to reintroduce our popular Dementia Care Certificate Program, recently updated, streamlined and retooled for 2019. This three-part program is designed for efficient learning and meets the requirements outlined in the Elder Care and Vulnerable Adult Protection Act of 2019.
350 HCBS Professionals to Converge at Connect Conference
On August 6, 2019 by Heidi Simpson
In less than two weeks, more than 350 professionals in home- and community-based service settings will converge on Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center for the first annual Connect Conference for two days of networking, learning and meaningful dialogue about the future of service and care for older adults.
2019 Annual Meeting Important Dates and Updates
On August 6, 2019 by Heidi Simpson
Annual Meeting 2019 will be here soon. Friday, Aug. 16 is the deadline for early bird registration and scholarship applications for our annual leadership conference that takes place Sept. 17-20 at Madden’s.
Now Available: 2019 Unemployment Insurance Toolkit for Nonprofits
On August 6, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
A new toolkit to help management unemployment risk is now available.
How Well Do You Know Your Team?
On August 6, 2019 by Jenna Kellerman
“A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” -Dale Carnegie. Yet one thing we hear periodically on staff satisfaction surveys is, “my supervisor doesn’t even know my name.”
GAO Presses for Better Oversight of VA Nursing Homes
On August 6, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
As the numbers of veterans who will need nursing home care is anticipated to increase by 16% between 2017 and 2022, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is calling for stricter oversight of their care – particularly in state veterans’ homes.
Spending Caps Deal Allows Funding Bills to Move
On August 6, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
The White House and Congress reached a deal to raise the federal budget caps for fiscal years 2020 and 2021.
Aug. 27 Call: Understand Your SNF VBP Program Performance Score Report
On August 6, 2019 by Jeff Bostic
Do you understand the Value-Based Purchasing Performance Score Card? Are you interested in results from payment year one? Join the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for a call on Tuesday, Aug. 27 from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. for a high-level summary of the program and a review of the FY2019 program year.
New Guidance on Heightened Scrutiny Review of Newly-Constructed Presumptively Institutional Settings
On August 6, 2019 by Bobbie Guidry
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided clarifications to questions about the heightened scrutiny process for newly-constructed presumptively institutional settings. The information can be found in the Informational Bulletin issued last week.
State to Award Local and Regional Dementia Grants
On August 6, 2019 by Jonathan Lips
The Minnesota Board on Aging has issued a Request for Proposals for local and regional projects that will increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, increase the rate of cognitive testing, promote the benefits of early diagnosis, or connect caregivers of persons with dementia to education and resources.
HCBS Educational Scholarship for 2020 Now Open
On August 6, 2019 by Jenna Kellerman
The Minnesota Department of Health is soliciting grant proposals from providers of adult day care, home care, and housing with services to provide educational scholarships for their employees. Find the HCBS Program detail, application, and forms here.
Foundation Golf Tournament Raises More Than $60,000
On August 6, 2019 by Jenny Prosser
With workforce pressures reaching unprecedented levels, the 2019 LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation Golf Fundraiser helped raise funds for our next round of caregiver scholarships. The golf event was held on July 30 at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury. View foursome photos sponsored by CBS Construction Services.
Checking In on PDPM: Checklists, Milestones and Outcomes
On August 6, 2019 by Jeff Bostic
It’s happening in less than 60 days. The new Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) goes into effect on Oct. 1. Are you prepared for this major change in how you document and are reimbursed for care?