News
Category: Featured News
Welcome to the Featured News category. The following news items include major developments in the aging services world, as well as important notifications and timely reminders.
Care Centers: Voice Your Concern About CMS Consumer Alert Icon
On October 16, 2019 by Jonathan Lips
As we featured in this week’s Advantage, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it will begin issuing a Consumer Alert Icon on the Nursing Home Compare website to identify nursing homes with instances of non-compliance related to abuse, neglect and exploitation and will cap the Health Inspections rating under the Five-Star Quality Rating System at two stars for facilities that receive the icon shown below:
Are You Listed on the Safe Care for Seniors Committed Organization List?
On October 15, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
More than 425 LeadingAge Minnesota member sites have made the Safe Care for Seniors Pledge and the commitment to implement a 5-Step Action Plan that will help create safe, trusted and inclusive environments and prevent harm that can occur in the course of caregiving. We will soon release our Safe Care for Seniors Committed Organization list. Are you on it?
Care Centers: Negative Trend in Financial Results Continues; State-Specific Analysis Available
On October 15, 2019 by Jeff Bostic
The 34th Annual Skilled Nursing Facility Cost Comparison and Industry Trends Report released by CliftonLarsonAllen last week shows the median operating margin in care centers has dipped below zero.
CMS Will Issue Consumer Alert Icon to Highlight Abuse Citations on Nursing Home Compare & Penalize Care Centers through 5-Star System
On October 9, 2019 by Jonathan Lips
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this week that it will use a Consumer Alert Icon on the Nursing Home Compare website to identify nursing homes with instances of non-compliance related to abuse, neglect and exploitation and will penalize these settings under the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
Leadership Rounding: New Resource & Video from Safe Care for Seniors
On October 8, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
Looking to create and enhance safe, trusted and inclusive environments where staff feel connected and appreciated, engaged in their work and your mission, and know they can speak up to prevent harm and ensure respect and dignity for all who live and work in your setting? Introducing: Leadership Rounding -- the latest tool from Safe Care for Seniors.
Are You Making Zero Harm Possible? They Are!
On October 1, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
Each day, dedicated staff in LeadingAge Minnesota member settings across the state are going above and beyond to create safe, trusted environments for the people they serve and their fellow team members. Today, we recognize four individuals and four staff teams with our Make Zero Harm Possible award.
From RUGs to PDPM: The Importance of the Transitional IPA
On October 1, 2019 by Sue Boyd
It is important that care centers remember that a mandatory Interim Payment Assessment (IPA) is required to transition from Resource Utilization Group, version IV (RUG-IV) to the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) as of Oct. 1.
DHS Accepting Proposals for Customized Living Quality Improvement Grants
On September 24, 2019 by Bobbie DuChamp Guidry
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking proposals for the new Customized Living Quality Improvement Grants, which support provider-initiated projects that improve quality, encourage innovation and advance efficient, high quality service.
Free Clock Hour on New Electronic Monitoring Law
On September 24, 2019 by Adam Suomala
October District Meetings will feature a one-hour session on the new electronic monitoring law that will take effect Jan. 1, 2020. Business Partner Attorney Rebecca Coffin will review what the current law says (and doesn’t say), as well as the changes ahead that you need to understand for when the people you serve want to install an electronic monitoring device.
Gayle Kvenvold Appointed to HHS Blue Ribbon Commission
On September 24, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
Governor Tim Walz appointed Gayle Kvenvold, President & CEO of LeadingAge Minnesota, to the newly-created Blue Ribbon Commission on Health and Human Services.
Act Now: Innovative Dementia Training Opportunity for Assisted Living Members
On September 24, 2019 by Lori A. Meyer
Through a unique partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association nationally and here in Minnesota, the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation is excited to announce an opportunity for our assisted living members to participate in Project ECHO—an internationally recognized training program to build skills and capacity in serving those with chronic, common and complex diseases.
5 Key Steps to PDPM Implementation - Now Less Than 2 Weeks Away
On September 17, 2019 by Jeff Bostic
We are now less than two weeks from implementation of the new Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) that will take effect for Medicare Part A skilled nursing facility clients on Oct. 1. LeadingAge MN has developed a number of key resources to help members with this transition. Below are five key steps for members to be sure they have taken before the new payment system goes into effect:
5 Successful Recruitment & Retention Strategies
On September 16, 2019 by Terri Foley
A summary of key strategies from a two-year Workforce Solutions Grant pilot project funded by the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation can now be found on www.workforcegrants.org.
Skilled Nursing Services Have an Advantage in Medicare Advantage I-SNP
On September 16, 2019 by Jodi Boyne
A recent article in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News shared that long-term nursing home residents enrolled in UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) are 112% more likely to use skilled nursing services than those with Medicare fee-for-service plans.
Experience Marketing: The New Expectation
On September 10, 2019 by Guest Contributor
What experience are you selling? Does your sales process give decision makers - the eldest daughter, family, and the future resident - a realistic picture of what life will be like, should they choose you? Dayta Marketing, a valued partner in the LeadingAge Savings & Solutions Center says organizations who focus on experience and create a sales and marketing funnel that’s customized, responsive, and caring will emerge as winners who have gained natural advocacy from their residents and families.
DNR Status & Response: Register for Oct. 8 Safe Table; Complete Safe Care Action 3
On September 10, 2019 by Julie Apold
Does your staff know what to do when they find a resident unresponsive? Having a policy and procedure in place is not enough. In our assessment of OHFC substantiated reports, we continue to see system failures and staff behaviors that hinder an effective response to urgent situations. Join us on Oct. 8 for a Safe Table on DNR Status and Response.
Reducing TB Prevention and Control Tags
On September 10, 2019 by Sue Boyd
No matter what setting you’re in, TB Prevention and Control is one of the highest cited deficiencies. It has risen steadily to land as the most frequently cited in Comoprehensive Licensed Home Care survey this past quarter. Also, in the past quarter, F880 Infection Control has taken the number one spot in citations for care centers. Bumping TB Prevention and Control out of first place should be an easy fix as the reasons for the correction orders are basically:
PDPM Implementation Moves Closer, New Tools Available
On September 3, 2019 by Jeff Bostic
We are now less than one month from implementation of the new Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) that will take effect on Oct. 1. LeadingAge MN has worked with other state affiliates and our national association to develop some new tools, including a rate calculator and case mix system, that are posted on our PDPM web page.
Individualized Treatment/Therapy Mgmt Plan Tops MDH Survey Trends in Assisted Living Home Care
On September 3, 2019 by Sue Boyd
A recent analysis of Comprehensive Home Care licensed providers surveys for the past quarter (April 1, 2019 – June 30, 2019) revealed several trends. Of the top 10 correction orders written, Tag #1035 Individualized Treatment/Therapy Mgmt Plan has risen to the top of the 52 initial surveys conducted.
Public Charge Test Final Rule Expands Hurdles for Older Adults and Long-Term Care Workers
On August 28, 2019 by Kari Thurlow
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a final Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds rule that goes into effect Oct. 15. This rule applies prospectively to determine the eligibility of persons wishing to immigrate to the US, obtain a green card to authorize employment or to obtain certain visas. It will not be applied to immigrants currently in the country unless or until they seek to change or extend their immigration status.
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