As was previously reported by WHCA/WiCAL, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) will be reopening its program offering CARES Act provider payments (CAPP) in mid-July.
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2019 WI Act 185, COVID-related legislation which passed with broad bipartisan support and was signed by Governor Evers, included a provision which established immunity for health care providers during the COVID-19 emergency so long as actions or omissions are not reckless or wanton, and the provider's actions/omissions were a good-faith response to COVID-19 guidance.
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Providers no longer have to submit quarterly reports to HHS related to CARES funding. However, AHCA reminds members that they still need to be keeping records of this funding and be able to account for it as reporting will be required at some point.
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On Tuesday, June 30, WHCA/WiCAL sent a letter to U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to share provider concerns related to CMS's June 1 memo QSO-20-31-ALL.
WHCA/WiCAL sent a letter to Senator Ron Johnson on the memo last week.
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The DHS-Division of Quality Assurance held its weekly webinar for skilled nursing facilities Thursday morning to brief providers on on-going matters of concern.
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As previously communicated, due to the COVID-19 emergency, patient liabilities and cost shares cannot increase during the federal emergency period. Because of a delay in communication, approximately 4,000 members had increases that needed to be adjusted. This was accomplished through updates made by DXC directly in ForwardHealth.
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The Quality Symposium will bring clinicians and administrators up to date on key issues affecting nursing facilities. This will include a Infection Control issues including COVID-19 information, Resident Rights & Visitation information & updates, and a deep dive into two key areas of compliance – Pressure Injury and Accident/Falls. We will use a case study to demonstrate how your facility can use the Critical Element Pathways to complete the Root Cause Analysis and QAPI process.
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Wisconsin has elected to collect Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) codes on Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) assessments effective October 1, 2020.
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On June 26, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updated SNF billing guidance related to Medicare beneficiaries receiving care when a SNF utilizes the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) 3-day stay and spell-of-illness waivers.
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Assisted living providers and stakeholders are invited to attend our Assisted Living Forum. During this time, Bureau of Assisted Living will provide answers to questions related to COVID-19 and assisted living facilities.
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On June 25, CMS released a QSO memo updating changes to the staffing and quality domains of Five-Star due to COVID-19.
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently updated the Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN), Form CMS-R-131, which is issued by SNF and other providers submitting claims for Medicare items and services to beneficiaries in situations where Medicare payment is expected to be denied.
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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has set a new launch date for Electronic Visit Verification (EVV). The soft launch date will be November 2, 2020. EVV will be required for all personal care and applicable supportive home care services paid for by Medicaid from this date.
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Last week, WHCA/WiCAL reported that the DHS assisted living visitation guidance was going to be released on Monday. The Department did release the guidance this week and shared the below message to the Bureau of Assisted Living listserv:
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The National Nursing Home Training Series is brought to you by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the QIO Program, a national network of Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIOs) serving every state and territory.
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AHCA/NCAL recently launched the first phase of its Population Health Management (PHM) Innovation Lab. Phase I contains free “AHCA/NCAL Member Only” foundational resources designed to introduce AHCA/NCAL assisted living, nursing facility and intermediate care facility members and their staff to the wide array of PHM models available today and in the future.
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A survey of providers from all four sectors of the senior living space – skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living communities, independent living, and memory care – gives a “where are we now” look at how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the sector versus the standard “cumulative” review of the pandemic, according to Brian Jurutka, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC).
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The amount of time it is taking labs to process COVID-19 tests is the No. 1 barrier to running programs to gauge virus infections at skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities, according to a survey conducted by the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL).
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Several Democratic state legislators on Monday began circulating a bill they have titled the "Healthcare Heroes Act." The bill creates a requirement for hazard pay for health care workers, paid medical leave, and state-funded COVID-19 testing and treatment for uninsured individuals.
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The Wisconsin Workforce Development Association (WWDA) announced last week that members from all 11 Wisconsin workforce boards will be hosting a series of drive-thru job fairs on July 15th.
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New data from a survey conducted by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) of its members shows more than half of assisted living communities possess less than a two-week supply of specific personal protective equipment (PPE).
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The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) launched a new data dashboard last week designed to give Wisconsinites the tools they need to most effectively respond to COVID-19.
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AHCA/NCAL offers an instructional webinar titled “Pioneering Solutions to the Workforce Crisis.” This 45-minute webinar developed in collaboration with PHI delivers practical action steps and strategies assisted living and nursing facilities of all shapes and sizes can take to improve their employee and retention efforts. The webinar also covers ways to improve the hiring process and explains supportive supervision and coaching methods that positively impact employee retention.
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In case you missed it, Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), published the following op-ed on LinkedIn calling for long term care residents to be prioritized for resources and support:
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Nurse Aide training programs, health care providers and stakeholders are invited to attend a webinar hosted by the Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) on Wednesday, July 8 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. During this time, DQA will respond to questions related to the Emergency Rules for Nurse Aide Training Programs as well as other important program updates.
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