CMS released a proposed rule in July that is intended to ease some of the pressures of the Requirements of Participation (RoP) and delays implementation of portions of Phase 3 by a year. The public comment period on the proposed rule closed on Monday, September 16. WHCA/WiCAL President & CEO John Vander Meer submitted a letter to CMS on behalf of members.
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The Direct Care Workforce funding initiative from the 2017-2019 state budget is winding down. If you participated in the initiative and received funding there are several important dates to be aware of to ensure none of the money you received is recouped.
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By the deadline of Monday, September 9, WHCA/WiCAL members submitted 91 Shining Star nominations - a record number! The awards will be presented during the 68th Annual WHCA/WiCAL Fall Convention, October 23-25, 2018 at the Best Western Premier Waterfront-Oshkosh.
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released MDS 3.0 RAI Manual v1.17.1. Please click HERE to view the manual. This version of the MDS 3.0 RAI Manual incorporates clarifications to existing coding and transmission policy; it also addresses clarifications and scenarios concerning complex areas. The new RAI manual will take effect October 1.
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The long term and post-acute care profession is reminding providers that new arbitration regulations released earlier in the summer by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have gone into effect as of Sept. 16, stressing that separate legal actions concerning arbitration issues do not impact the implementation process.
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Last week, U.S. House of Representative Members, Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), wrote to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Honorable Alex Azar, and to the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Honorable Seema Verma, on the three-day stay requirement and observation stays issue. In the letter, Reps. Courtney and Thompson specifically noted to the agency heads, “This year, we ask if you intend to use your authority to once and for all remove this inequitable, longstanding, and bureaucratic barrier to care.”
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September 17 through October 21, AHCA members in good standing may nominate themselves or another member to serve on an AHCA committee for the 2020/2021 appointment term.
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The Department of Health Services has released a new video, titled, "What is WCCEAL?"
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) recently finalized a new rule to strengthen protections against Medicare or Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse. The rule goes into effect November 4, 2019.
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Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published updated resources on Civil Money Penalty (CMP) reinvestments.
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Are you ready for the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) to start on October 1? The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has many resources to help you prepare.
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As skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) prepare for the transition to the new Medicare Part A reimbursement system, Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), understanding what is not changing may be as important to appropriate care and reimbursement success as insight into the new requirements.
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Today, the Intent to Apply (ITA) for the 2020 National Quality Award program cycle opened in the Quality Award Portal. While not mandatory, applicants who submit an ITA will save money on their overall application fee and receive extra educational resources.
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New data from the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) show second quarter 2019 occupancy levels for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) kept to a steady range as it has for most of the last year, staying within a plus or minus 1 percentage point range.
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The Department of Health Services (DHS), Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) looks forward to conversations regarding current trends that can improve their process to better serve their clients
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On October 1, WHCA/WiCAL's Moving Mountains webinar series will feature a webinar to review best practices to decrease potential billing errors and promote accurate reimbursement for PDPM claims through internal interdisciplinary auditing processes. Key roles of interdisciplinary team members in completion of a collaborative triple check process and key data collection, billing, and monitoring process pertinent to PDPM will be emphasized.
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Have you seen the attendee brochure yet? Registration is now open to explore the new frontier, WHCA/WiCAL 68th Annual Fall Convention and Expo: Thriving in the Brave New World of Long-Term Care.
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In observance of Sepsis Awareness Month, Dr. Denise Cardo, director of the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, highlights CDC’s efforts to protect patients from sepsis and how our partners have impacted this work in a new Safe Healthcare blog post.
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WHCA/WiCAL is excited to welcome our newest Gold Business Partner, HPSI Purchasing Services.
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