News

The June 4 edition of Advantage included a detailed article titled What Providers Need to Know About Minnesota’s New Happy Hour Process. The new Minnesota law loosens some of the red tape for licensed assisted livings, nursing homes, and boarding care homes.

The annual selection for the Quality Improvement Incentive Payment Program (QIIP) for nursing homes is due by July 12. The selection for this year will be judged based on the period from July 1, 2026 through July 1, 2027 and will apply to rates effective January 1, 2027.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has issued new guidance for Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) providers affected by revalidation-related disenrollment.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) rent and income limits. These limits are now available on Minnesota Housing’s Multifamily Rent and Income Limits webpage. Minnesota Housing uses the HUD published limits to compute income and rent limits for Multifamily loan programs.

Minnesota’s much-discussed “Grandparents’ Happy Hour” provision is now live, and it gives assisted living communities, nursing homes, and boarding care homes a clearer path to host resident-focused activities or events where alcohol may be served without obtaining a separate liquor license.

DHS’s Office of the Medicaid Medical Director is asking Minnesota Health Care Programs providers to share their experiences related to heightened federal immigration enforcement activity that occurred between December 2025 and February 2026.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on May 21, 2026 issued a new requirement for certain federally assisted housing providers to reverify the immigration status of certain tenants within 30 days.

CMS continues to test a risk-based survey process known as a “short survey” for select nursing homes that meet higher-quality indicators. The shorter survey approach is intended to focus survey resources while still protecting resident health and safety. The short survey still meets CMS requirements for the standard survey cycle.

As reported by LeadingAge National, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced policy changes that could significantly affect employment-based green card processing and create additional workforce uncertainty for aging services providers relying on international workers.

Three new funding opportunities have been added to the Grant Grid this week, an exclusive resource for LeadingAge Minnesota members. Be sure to check out our Grant Grid here.

OnTrack helps providers stay ahead of changing healthcare standards by delivering CNA and TMA training that is current, relevant, and responsive to workforce needs.

The 13th Annual LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation Golf Tournament on August 4 is officially sold out! Thank you to everyone who registered to help support the Foundation's scholarship program, which empowers aging services professionals to pursue education, build new skills, and advance their careers.

HJ Sims is pleased to announce the hiring of Greg Ellingson as a Vice President on its not-for-profit senior living investment banking team. Based in Des Moines, Greg will support the firm's continued Midwest growth through business development and client engagement, reinforcing HJ Sims’ commitment to serving mission-driven organizations across the region.

Earlier this week, Saint Therese today announced the three recipients of its Youth Volunteer Scholarships, which are awarded annually to recognize youth volunteers who enrich the lives of older adults.

Guardian Pharmacy of Minnesota, a member of Guardian Pharmacy Services, one of the nation’s leading long-term care (LTC) pharmacy services companies, recently announced the promotion of Jeff Kerr to pharmacy president of the Sauk Rapids pharmacy.