On Thursday, December 3, on behalf of WHCA/WiCAL members, President & CEO Rick Abrams submitted public comments to the State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee (SDMAC) Vaccine Distribution Subcommittee.
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The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted this week to include long-term care residents at the highest level of priority for the first distributions of a COVID-19 vaccine, along with health care workers.
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WHCA/WiCAL is working to help members find creative solutions to the workforce crisis in collaboration with Bellin College School of Nursing. Bellin is offering WHCA/WiCAL members the opportunity to participate in a preceptorship program with their senior-level nursing students. If you are interested in participating, or would like to learn more about this collaboration, please complete this brief survey by Friday, December 4, 2020.
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On Tuesday, Assembly Republicans released the details on COVID-19 relief legislation that is currently being drafted. The plan comes weeks after Governor Tony Evers' unveiled his own COVID-19 proposals, which call for hundreds of millions of dollars in state funds to continue COVID-19 efforts now funded by federal money.
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Senate Majority Leader-elect Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) said this week that DHS should use a “significant surplus” in the state’s Medicaid fund to address the state’s COVID-19 needs.
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This week, Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) resigned his position in the State Assembly to pursue a career in the private sector. Nygren, who won reelection three weeks ago, has served in the Assembly since 2007 and as the Assembly Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance for four sessions.
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The Department of Health Services recently made changes to the $30 million CARES Act hospital admissions incentive program.
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WHCA/WiCAL is excited to partner with Proactive Medical Review to present the Cultivating LTC Leaders webinar series. This 12-month webinar series addresses hot topics in nursing home operations to develop skills in managing current clinical-regulatory, legal and compliance risks. A team of expert presenters offers insight on systems and strategies to advance preparedness for the varied challenges facing LTC leaders, with practical solutions, templates, tools and resources.
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As we go into the end of 2020 and the holiday session, we wonder when will this all end? COVID-19 has been associated with increased uncertainty and stress for most of us. This acute stress has resulted in care staff operating from the survival portion of our brains. We have heard from many of you the stress your staff is dealing with during the pandemic. WHCA/WiCAL has partnered with our Business Partner, Behavioral Care Solutions, to offer members a free webinar on Handling Stress during COVID-19 on December 10, 2020 at 2:30 p.m.
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Yesterday, the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the CY 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule and associated Fact Sheet which establishes payment rates and other provisions related to Medicare Part B services for calendar year (CY) 2021. Services impacted include those received by residents of skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and residences for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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The Bureau of Assisted Living last week posted new expanded guidelines for Safer Visits in Assisted Living for assisted living facilities that determine they can effectively mitigate the risks associated with relaxed visitation restrictions.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has made several updates on guidance for facemasks for health care personnel (HCP). AHCA/NCAL encourages providers to review the latest updates. As surveys begin to resume, surveyors may look to CDC guidance and evaluate if providers are adhering to the latest guidance.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updates to testing and management considerations for nursing home residents with acute respiratory illness symptoms when COVID-19 and influenza viruses are co-circulating.
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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) this week released maps and corresponding downloadable data tables that break down confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by new geographic boundaries. The new maps allow Wisconsinites to view existing COVID-19 case and death data by municipalities (cities, towns, and villages), zip code tabulation areas, and school district boundaries.
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released the dollar amounts for skilled nursing facilities that received Quality Incentive Payments in September. These include both infection and mortality payments.
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In early April 2020, the DPH Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Prevention Program began performing telephone-based, COVID-19-focused infection control assessment and response visits (ICARs) with long-term care facilities (LTCFs) around the state.
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Join this Friday at 7:00 a.m. for a webinar on the current COVID-19 situation. This week's webinar will include brief presentations on several topics, plus time for questions from participants.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy, bamlanivimab, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients with positive COVID-19 test results who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.
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During staffing crises brought on by the surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations, some health care personnel (HCP) who have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 have been asked to report for duty during their 14-day quarantine period. Because of the risk of asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission, HCP who engage in patient care during the incubation period pose a risk of spreading the disease in the workplace before they know they are infected. Serial testing as a condition of returning to work may mitigate, but not completely eliminate, this risk.
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Governor Tony Evers recently signed an Emergency Order extending indoor mask mandate through January 21, 2021.
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MAKO Medical Laboratories, which serves Nursing homes, CBRFs, and RCACs, this week encouraged facilities to follow the tips below, which will help facilities receive timely results.
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As long-term care providers strive to follow the most current expectations from the Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), finding the answers can become confusing.
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On Wednesday, October 28 Nursing Home Compare and Five-Star ratings were updated. Survey Ratings did not change as traditional nursing home surveys have not yet resumed equally across the nation and CMS prioritizes focus surveys on infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), and Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced today the launch of WisHealth Careers, a multimedia campaign to encourage Wisconsinites across the state to enter the health care field.
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Nursing Home providers and stakeholders are invited to attend a bi-weekly webinar hosted by the Division of Quality Assurance (DQA). During this time, the DQA will provide updates and answer questions related to COVID-19 and long-term care facilities.
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WHCA/WiCAL is calling on Members, Business Partners, and others to submit education topic proposal relevant to the long-term care provider community for our 59th Annual Spring Conference 2021.
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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services will be holding a webinar about the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccination Plan on Friday, December 4, 2020 from 10:00-11:00 a.m for vaccine partners and stakeholders. This webinar will focus on current plans for Phase 1A, which involves priority vaccination for health care personnel.
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