News

The LeadingAge Minnesota QUEST Report is now available for Q1 2025.

The fourteenth edition of the Really Big Book of Nursing Home Regulations is finally here and ready to go! It is now available for order.

Several new state laws go into effect on Aug. 1, 2025 that will impact aging services. As a reminder, many of these changes will require additional guidance from our state agency partners, so continue to look to LeadingAge MN for resources, expert support and operational counsel.

The application materials for another round of the nursing facility moratorium exceptions process were recently posted on the MDH website. Nursing homes interested in applying for approval to fund a construction project will need to complete all the required application materials and return them to MDH by December 18, 2025.

The Minnesota Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board (NHWSB) has established training requirements for nursing home employers under the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board Act. All nursing home workers must complete at least one hour of training every two years on their workplace rights, provided by a Certified Worker Organization (CWO). This requirement takes effect January 1, 2025, with full compliance required by December 31, 2026.

As shared in last week’s Advantage, there are still several unknowns for how the federal budget bill, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, will impact older adults and the services they need. Minnesota budget officials estimate that the law will result in nearly $500 million in annual losses to our Medicaid program. Most of those reductions will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2027, or later, and will be subject to future state action by the Minnesota Legislature.

Interviews with residents as part of the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation’s Mechanical Lift Project (Safe Lift) revealed a common and important theme: residents often do not feel like a true member of the team during the transfer process. They also described feeling like the transfer is simply a task to be completed — missing the opportunity for personal, human connection between staff and resident.

The passage of the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OBBB) introduces substantial reforms to Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, focusing on cost containment, program integrity, and greater state flexibility.

Join LeadingAge Minnesota staff for an important webinar on the new Certified Worker Organization (CWO) training requirements for nursing facilities. We'll review the key employer responsibilities under the Minnesota Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board Act, including timelines, compliance documentation, and employee training logistics.

Registration is open for the premier leadership conference of the year. The 2025 Annual Meeting & Leadership Forum, is Sept. 16-19 at Grand View Lodge in Nisswa.

On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OBBB) into law, making major changes to tax and spending policies. Key provisions for aging services providers include deep cuts to Medicaid funding and potential changes to nursing home reimbursement rates and long-term care coverage.

LeadingAge Minnesota’s Stars Among Us Award nominations are now open for 2026. This popular recognition program shines the spotlight on the best and brightest people working, living, and volunteering in our communities. Who on your team deserves the spotlight?

On July 14, 2025, the Nursing Home Survey & Certification functionality will launch in iQIES—just one month prior to the PBJ submission deadline. This rollout is expected to result in a substantial influx of new users, potentially leading to longer hold times.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a formal alert warning Medicare providers of a new phishing scheme involving fraudulent fax requests. Scammers are impersonating CMS and sending deceptive faxes that request medical records and documentation under the guise of an audit. These communications are crafted to appear official and can easily mislead busy healthcare providers into disclosing sensitive patient or organizational information.

On June 17, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued memo QSO-25-19-ALL, introducing a significant shift in how and when survey findings are publicly released for all CMS-certified providers and suppliers, including nursing homes. Under the updated policy, survey results recorded on Form CMS-2567 will be made available to the public within 14 calendar days of receipt by the provider—and, in many cases, immediately upon receipt.

LeadingAge Minnesota is pleased to present its 2025 legislative report. More than a summary, this report is designed to help you lead with insight and intention. It provides a clear-eyed look at the session’s outcomes and a summary of the decisions that will directly impact your organizations and the people you serve.

LeadingAge Minnesota members are invited to participate in a free Safe Lift virtual training session to enhance safety practices when using mechanical lifts. The training is scheduled for Aug. 6 from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

The annual selection for the Quality Improvement Incentive Payment Program (QIIP) for nursing homes is due by July 18^th. The selection for this year has been delayed by technical issues at DHS, but they are now ready to accept QIIP selections through a new process.

Make plans to join us August 13–14 for LeadingAge Minnesota’s Assisted Living Conference — designed with your day-to-day challenges in mind.

The 2025 special session of the Minnesota Legislature concluded in the early hours of Tuesday, June 10.