News

The OnTrack Nursing Assistant Training is excited to announce our expansion into North Dakota! 

The 2019 Legislative Session began on Tuesday, Jan. 8, and committees are getting underway this week. Your LeadingAge Minnesota advocacy team is ready to work on your behalf throughout session this year. To give you a clearer picture of the policies we are supporting, our team has prepared a legislative preview document to give you an in-depth look at the priorities for this session:  

Section 202 communities will not see their December 2018 and January 2019 contracts renewed because of the partial federal government shutdown. HUD expects Section 202 provider to rely on their reserves to cover expenses during the shutdown, which could have grave consequences on older adults who rely on these programs. WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

Each year, the state calculates the average wages of RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and TMAs in care centers using the data provided from the annual cost reports and then computes the statutory limits on the amount that Supplemental Nursing Services Agencies (SNSAs) can charge per hour for each type of staff. The new caps were effective Jan. 1.  

Yesterday marked the start of Minnesota’s 2019 legislative session, and we know now who will lead two key state agencies that impact our members and the people they serve – the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Human Services.  

It’s the story that rarely gets reported: the high quality of life older adults receive in our member settings. We recognize and celebrate the work you and your staff teams do to serve each resident as an individual, treat all in your care with respect and dignity, and prevent harm from occurring in the course of caregiving. Now let’s get that story told. We’re developing a virtual storyboard and need you to help us write the chapters. 

A Jan. 16 webinar from LeadingAge national will provide an overview of Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs). An I-SNP is a type of Medicare managed care plan that is designed explicitly to serve the needs of Medicare beneficiaries needing a nursing home level of care. Aging services providers are exploring I-SNPs as an opportunity to lead a payment model that financially rewards them for redesigning care and services to lower cost and improve outcomes through a more integrated approach, but there are considerable challenges and financial risks that providers should be aware of before going down this path.  

The Minnesota Legislature is scheduled to convene on Tuesday, Jan. 8 and aging services providers have a lot at stake. Don’t miss a free, one-hour webinar on Jan. 9 for insights into the current political environment, our priorities at the Capitol, and ways you can support our advocacy efforts.  

Are you curious about the OnTrack Nursing Assistant Training program that more than 30 organizations have launched? Sign up for a demo webinar on Jan. 16!  

The best way to kick off a new year? Joining LeadingAge Minnesota at one of its seven district meetings taking place in January. Our hot topic agenda features a sneak peek at our new Safe Care for Seniors program, and two breakout sessions that will help prepare care centers and housing with services/assisted living prepare for new opportunities in payment, regulations and more in 2019. Our meetings start next week, so don’t delay - register today!   

LeadingAge Minnesota filed comments last week with the United States Department of Labor (DOL) to voice our support for a proposal that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to operate power-driven patient lifts independently. 

Happy Anniversary to LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation’s OnTrack Nursing Assistant Training program, which launched the RN Train the Trainer curriculum in December 2017! The first students matriculated a month later in January 2018. 

AgingServicesJobs.Org continues to see upgrades. The newest upgrade includes integrating your Aging Services Job posting into a premium job board with access to special pricing. Premium job boards include: 

Nearly 40 percent of reports of maltreatment of older adults and people with disabilities nationwide are for self-neglect, according to a new report from the Administration for Community Living (ACL). 

A recent analysis of Comprehensive Home Care licensed provider surveys revealed several trends. Of the top 10 correction orders written over the past four quarters, the top two -- Contents of Service Plan and TB Prevention and Control -- have remained constant, eight tags are consistently cited, and only two have entered or dropped out over the last four quarters. Also, there are now only three Tags cited in 50 percent of the surveys currently being conducted.   

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will provide state survey agencies with a list of facilities with potential staffing issues to support survey activities for evaluating sufficient staffing and improving resident health and safety, according to a Quality, Safety and Oversight Memorandum (19-02-NH) released Nov. 30.  In addition to this survey-related announcement, the memorandum also alerts providers to updates in the PBJ Policy Manual and to the availability of new MDS-based census reports in the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting (CASPER) system. 

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced that Alzheimer’s disease will become eligible for treatment with medical marijuana in Minnesota next year, making it the 14th health condition approved since the state’s cannabis program began in 2015. 

Value-Based Payment, Growth of Managed Care Models, Continued Workforce Challenges, and Repurposing of Skilled Nursing Facilities are just a few of the 11 aging services trends Health Dimensions Group (HDG) has identified for 2019. 

Social Media is a key tool for recruiting new staff. Use the two videos below in your recruitment efforts to engage job seekers in your community. When all LeadingAge Minnesota members come together to share a unified message, the impact can be powerful. Share these videos today!  

The fourth set of annual rates to be calculated using the new Value-Based Reimbursement (VBR) system will take effect on Jan. 1, 2019. The rates are now posted to the DHS Nursing Facility Provider Portal.