SDAHO Long-Term Care Weekly Update October 6, 2023: A Resource for Members

Each week, through our Unified Voice Newsletter, recipients will receive an overview of state, federal, policy and additional issues impacting post-acute care. Each story will include a direct link to a more complete overview where readers can find more information on topics relevant to their needs.

Updates for this week: October 6. 2023

CALL TO ACTION
We need to have as many people as possible write a letter to CMS to stop this proposed staffing rule, which impacts all of us, not just nursing homes. We simply do not have enough RNs and CNAs to fill our healthcare jobs today and if CMS finalizes this rule, where will nursing homes find the staff?

Here is a helpful toolkit:

1. A video Call to Action for you to share with your staff, board and/or community members. CLICK HERE
2. A power-point presentation you can share with staff and/or use for key talking points.  CLICK HERE
3. A 1-page summary of this issue to print/share CLICK HERE
4. A template to get started with the letter to CMS.  CLICK HERE

State

• SD Medicaid Home Health Services – EVV Action Needed
• SD DSS New Covered Services
• Transition for Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR)
• Changes to SOM Chapter 5 – Complaint Procedures – Facility Reported Incidents (FRIs)

Federal

• CMS Nursing Home Funding Opportunity for Wi-Fi Access
• Technical Updates Re: SFF Nursing Home Program
• Update: Recommendations for Certain O&M Halyard Surgical N95 Respirators, Surgical Masks, and Pediatric Face Masks: FDA Safety Communication
• CMS Hosts Quarterly National Stakeholder Call with the CMS Administrator on October 17, 2023
• Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum
• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made updates to facility reported incidents (FRIs) in Chapter 5 – Complaint Procedures of the State Operations Manual (SOM)
• Bill Would Prohibit CMS Implementation of Proposed Staffing Rule
• Home Health CAHPS Quarterly Newsletter Released
• DOL Submits Final Independent Contractor Rule to White House for Review
• New CDC Resources for LTC Settings

LeadingAge

• LeadingAge Bronze Partner CLA Publishes 38th SNF Cost Comparison and Industry Trends Report
• LeadingAge to Congress: Delay the Proposed Nursing Home Staffing Rule
• LeadingAge Meets with Center for Clinical Standards and Quality on Hospice Special Focus Program
• LeadingAge News – October Newsletter
• LeadingAge WIN! Congressional Letter Supports LeadingAge position on Special Focus Program sent to OMB and CMS
• LeadingAge to Congress: You Must Act to Ensure Patient Access and Provider Payment for Home Health

Other

• NIC Report Finds Older Adults’ Frailty Declines, Post-Move to Seniors Housing.
• AARP State Scorecard, Fifth Edition Released.
• Paper on Medicaid Rate Construction Reform, by Zimmet Healthcare Services Group LLC

For SDAHO members interested in reading the long-term care weekly update in its entirety, please click here. Sign-in to the member portal and you will be redirected to the member only LTC update!