July 24, 2025
Featured News
New Federal Budget Resource Available for Residents, Families and Caregivers
On July 24, 2025 by LeadingAge Minnesota
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.
Factsheet
LeadingAge Minnesota has created a factsheet that members may use with residents and their families, as well staff, which aim to help answer the most common questions we have received so far. It is important that we remain engaged with our state lawmakers to ensure their future actions do not exacerbate the cuts and regulatory burdens they just enacted in 2025.
The factsheet can be accessed here, and is available under the Advocacy button on LeadingAge Minnesota’s Resources page.
LeadingAge Minnesota Certified Worker Organization Training Compliance Webinar and Materials Now Available
On July 24, 2025 by Mark Schulz
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.
On July 24, LeadingAge Minnesota staff conducted an important webinar on the new Certified Worker Organization (CWO) training requirements for nursing facilities. During the webinar staff reviewed the key employer responsibilities under the Minnesota Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board Act, including timelines, compliance documentation, and employee training logistics. Understanding this information is critical to help your organization prepare for employee training certification.
What Are Certified Worker Organizations?
Certified Worker Organizations (CWOs) are entities—primarily unions—that meet specific certification criteria set by the NHWSB. These organizations are responsible for providing training that covers:
- Minimum wage and working conditions standards,
- Anti-retaliation protections,
- How to report violations, and
- Additional worker rights and safety information.
Several organizations, including SEIU, AFSCME, and AFL-CIO, were certified to conduct the training.
Employer Responsibilities
Nursing home employers must:
- Ensure all nursing home workers complete the required training every two years;
- Submit written attestations to the NHWSB confirming compliance;
- Pay employees for the training hour and any reasonable travel expenses if training occurs offsite;
- Share employee contact information with the CWO after training sessions, unless workers opt out by submitting a written statement
Employers are not required to host training onsite but must arrange for workers to attend certified sessions. Employers are advised to use LeadingAge Minnesota legal counsel developed model posters, opt-out forms, and educational scripts to communicate these requirements to staff and maintain proper documentation.
Resources Available
The NHWSB website will list certified organizations and resources to help employers comply with the training standards.
LeadingAge Minnesota’s external legal counsel has also developed model materials to help facilities navigate the new requirements. Those resources include:
- LeadingAge Minnesota Memorandum on Employee Opt Out Process - Read how your organization can educate employees about their rights to opt out of giving certified worker organizations their contact information.
- Script for Employee Opt Out Education Meeting - Use this legal counsel developed script verbatim when educating non-union employees about their rights to opt out of giving certified worker organizations their contact information.
- Employee Opt Out Form - Download this legal counsel developed form when employees wish to prohibit you from providing their contact information to certified worker organizations.
- Certified Worker Organization Training Employee Rights Poster - Download and post this legal counsel developed notice about employee rights regarding worker training and their right to restrict worker organizations from receiving their contact information.
These resources and others including a recording of the webinar and the webinar slides are now available on our webpage dedicated to the topic of certified worker organizations.
Please reach out to Mark Schulz with any questions.
MDH Posts Moratorium Exceptions Process Application
On July 24, 2025 by Jeff Bostic
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.
We are pleased that the Legislature approved ongoing funding for the moratorium exceptions program in 2021, which means that the current round will be able to distribute roughly $8.1 million in state Medicaid funds. Due to the way the state budgets for the program, only the first year of state cost is applied against that amount, so the available funding will support many projects if there are a high volume of applications. This is a great opportunity for those nursing homes looking to significantly upgrade their building.
Timeline
Following a presentation to a review committee shortly after the application deadline, MDH will have a list of approved projects by March 31, 2026. Under the nursing facility property rate system, a moratorium exception approval allows the provider to have their entire property rate calculated based on a rental value formula adopted by the 2019 Legislature. That formula is simpler and tends to produce a better rate than the old system, so the moratorium exceptions process is a key tool for upgrading and replacing nursing homes across the state.
State News
Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) Case Mix Transition Moving Forward
On July 24, 2025 by Jeff Bostic
One of the changes approved by the Legislature this year is a transition of the nursing home case mix system to using the PDPM nursing weights to adjust rates instead of RUGs-IV weights. This change will be effective Oct. 1, 2025.
New Rate Notices Forthcoming
DHS is currently working on the rate calculations and plans to post new rate notices with PDPM rates by August 15. They are also working on resources for billers to help them understand how to bill after the transition, and we will share those as soon as they are available.
In addition to the transition in October, which will be based on costs and resident days from the 2023 cost report, DHS will also be updating rates as scheduled for 2026. Those rates will be based on the costs and resident days from the 2024 cost reports. DHS plans to issue those rates by November 15 as required by law each year.
DHS recently reported to LeadingAge that almost 50 nursing homes have not filed their PDPM resident days by payer for 2024. Without that information, DHS will not be able to set the 2026 rates and deliver a rate notice by the statutory deadline. Providers who have not submitted that information should use this tool and return it to Deb Doughty at DHS.
Landlords and Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities Updated Handbook
On July 24, 2025 by Shelli Bakken
In Minnesota, landlords are required to notify residential tenants about the availability of the Minnesota Attorney General's Office Landlords and Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities handbook.
Requirements
This notification must be provided at the start of the tenancy or within 14 days of the tenant occupying the unit. This requirement applies to all assisted living, independent living, and HUD rental housing.
The handbook is a resource that explains the rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants in Minnesota and has been updated this month. The latest version of this handbook can be found here.
If you have reviewed the LAMN Legislative Report, you may recall that this year’s legislative session contains a new requirement that directs MHFA to publish and promote information about this handbook prominently on its website. This requirement does not affect landlords; you should continue to notify your tenants as you have in the past.
Federal News
HUD Posts Updated HOTMA Forms for Public Comment
On July 24, 2025 by Shelli Bakken
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has posted draft materials needed for certain federally-assisted housing providers to comply with requirements under the Housing Opportunity and Modernization Act (HOTMA).
New Compliance Date Set
HOTMA is a major rule change in affordable housing that impacts who is eligible for HUD-assisted housing and how much rent they pay, among other changes. After repeatedly delaying implementation, HUD has currently set the compliance date for Multifamily Housing providers at Jan. 1, 2026.
The materials include long-awaited forms, such as the new model lease for Section 202 and Section 8 housing communities, which HUD has updated to reflect tenant certification and rent procedure changes required by HOTMA.
Posting the materials to the drafting table gives HUD’s Multifamily Housing stakeholders a chance to review the drafts. Next, HUD will publish the draft forms to the Federal Register to formally request feedback within a 30-day window.
LeadingAge National applauds HUD for progressing with the draft materials ahead of the looming HOTMA compliance deadline of January 1, 2026, and will work with members to provide robust comments on the new materials.
Review the draft documents here.
Notable News
Member News
Education Solutions
New Nursing Home Quality Webinar Series
On July 24, 2025 by Sharon Hollister
A new Nursing Home Quality webinar series is a deep dive into each of the federal quality programs. Attend the series to understand key information to effectively report data, access and interpret the reports, and use the data to improve performance and outcomes.
- Sept. 23 – Part 1: Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) and Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP)
- Sept. 30 – Part 2: Nursing Home Quality Measures
- Oct. 2 – Part 3: Five-Star Quality Rating System and Changes to the Staffing Domain
Register here for the series to get the lowest pricing. Individual webinar registration is also available. Registered participant (only) can earn up to 3.5 clock hours.