UPDATE Weekly

The regulations governing skilled nursing facilities are under revision for the first time in nearly 25 years. The proposed changes are many and substantive, but they are not final yet.

NCHCFA’s objective is to impress upon CMS just how important these changes are to skilled nursing facilities in North Carolina. To be effective, we need you and as many individuals in your organization as possible to submit comments to CMS on these proposed changes.

We are asking that every administrator, director of nursing, corporate officer, support staffer, everyone with a vested interest in the future of this profession carefully review these proposed changes. NCHCFA will also be submitting comments, but the Association’s comments alone will not be enough.

We do not need form letters; we are asking you to write in your own words. CMS needs to hear directly from you since you are the experts in long term care. In order for comments to maintain credibility, NCHCFA recommends including your name, position and LTC years of experience in the comments.

Your first assumption may be that the rule changes will only mean bigger challenges, but that may not be the case for all changes. A thoughtful and analytical assessment of the proposed regulations is necessary to assess both the costs and the benefits of the intended changes. To make an impact on the final rule, CMS needs to hear from each of us.

Although the proposed changes are very broad, you should not feel like you must address every issue. Focus on a few items that will have the greatest impact on your residents, your staff, or your facility.

Resources to help you:

• Mark Parkinson Video
• Dr. David Gifford Video
• Len Russ Instructional Video
• Instructions
• Topics for Comment
• Sample Comments
• Template Letter for Assisted Living Members
• Mark Parkinson’s Comment Letter to CMS
• See comments already submitted
• Submit a Comment Electronically
• Submit a Comment by Mail
• Log Your Submission
• Summary of SNF RoP Proposed Rule
• SNF RoP Proposed Rule Full Text
• Side-by-Side Comparison of Proposed and Current Regulations

It is often easy to throw up our hands in frustration and think Washington will never pay attention to what one constituency has to say, but your participation will have an impact on the final CMS rule.

If you have any questions regarding the proposed changes or this effort, please do not hesitate to contact either Polly Welsh, pollyg@nchcfa.org, or Eric Kivisto, erick@nchcfa.org, or (919)782-3827.

Submit your comments today! The deadline is September 14 at 5:00 p.m.

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Please plan to join your friends and colleagues in beautiful Pinehurst, North Carolina, on September 16th and 17th for the Fourth Annual Autumn Classic Golf Tournament. The event will begin Wednesday with golf, a reception, dinner and program held at the world famous Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club. The Pinehurst Autumn Classic is being sponsored by the NC Health Care Facilities Association to benefit our political action committee (PAC). You do not have to play golf to participate! Click here for registration materials.

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Registration is OPEN and ALL Long-term Care facilities are encouraged by CMS to register for the voluntary data submission period. Please use the resources listed below to register:

Registration Training:

• PBJ Training Modules for an introduction to the PBJ system and step by step registration instruction are available on QTSO e-University, select the PBJ option https://www.qtso.com/webex/qiesclasses.php

Registration:

• Obtain a CMSNet User ID for PBJ Individual, Corporate and Third Party users, if you don’t already have one for other QIES applications (https://www.qtso.com/cmsnet.html)
• Obtain a PBJ QIES Provider ID for CASPER Reporting and PBJ system access (https://mds.qiesnet.org/mds_home.html)
• PBJ Corporate and Third-Parties must use the current form based process to register for a QIES ID. Registration forms are available under the Access Request Information / Forms section on the right side of the page (https://www.qtso.com)

For technical questions on how to register, please e-mail NursingHomePBJTechIssues@cms.hhs.gov

Additionally, CMS has posted an updated PBJ Policy Manual Draft and a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and answers about PBJ instructions and policies. Please visit https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/Staffing-Data-Submission-PBJ.html for more information. For policy related questions, please e-mail NHStaffing@cms.hhs.gov

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The final rule for the Medicare SNF PPS rates was published on July 30, 2015. The finalized rules provide a net increase of 1.2%, increasing Medicare SNF rates by $430 million nation-wide.

The American Health Care Association has developed an Excel spreadsheet that will calculate the updated rates for each facility. This tool can be accessed at http://www.ahcancal.org/research_data/funding/Pages/MedicareRateCalculator.aspx.

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The Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) is a written notice given to Medicare beneficiaries to communicate that Medicare may not cover certain items or services.

To access the Interactive ABN, please click here.

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Register today for A Blueprint for a Fall Prevention Program presented by Sue Ann Guildermann. This seminar will be held on September 30th at the Doubletree by Hilton in Greensboro, NC. After the educational event, attendees should be able to design a falls prevention program that is founded on root cause analysis to include:

1. Three types of root causes for resident falls in skilled nursing facilities;
2. Three types of interventions from the National Center for Patient Safety and
3. Appropriate interventions to prevent and/or reduce resident falls in skilled nursing facilities.

The cost to attend this seminar is $185 for members and $370 for non-members. This fee includes handouts, lunch, and breaks. YOU CAN REGISTER AND PAY ON-LINE! TO REGISTER, GO TO http://NursingHomesNC.com AND CLICK ON A Blueprint for a Fall Prevention Program. Members may be invoiced. Non-members must submit payment online or mail with registration. Registration is open to anyone who would like to attend!

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They say things in Texas are bigger and better. The AHCA/NCAL 66th Annual Convention & Expo is shaping up to be just that, all from historic and beautiful San Antonio. Experience the food, the landmarks, and the fun of this Texas-sized destination, while you network, learn, and enjoy yourself at this must-attend event. This is not just a networking and educational event: this helps AHCA/NCAL further their mission to deliver solutions for quality care. The 66th Annual AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo is a chance to share your knowledge and learn from your peers, your contemporaries, and experts in long term and post-acute care. The fact that it takes place in San Antonio, one of the southwest’s most colorful and entertaining cities, just makes it even better!

Register now! Additional savings are available when multiple people register from the same facility. There is something for everyone at the 66th Annual AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo.

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NCHCFA thanks all individuals that participated in the Summer Symposium evaluation raffle. Congratulations to Jeff Cochran of Autumn Care of Biscoe for winning a $100.00 American Express gift card! Again, we appreciate your valuable input.

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The NCHCFA Annual Convention and Trade Show will be held February 21-24, 2016 at the Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel/Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, NC! Brochures outlining specific program information will be mailed in December.

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High-quality clinical care comes from high-quality education. Prove the value of your staff development program with help from author and staff development expert Adrianne E. Avillion, DEd, RN, in this new groundbreaking book. Avillion offers clear guidance to help you put your program’s worth into quantifiable terms and align staff development with your organization’s goals. Educators of all levels will be able to evaluate the effect of training on retention, staff competency, and patient outcomes.

To order, visit http://www.AHCApublications.org or call (800) 321-0343.

Product # 8333
AHCA Members (on-line price) $99.00

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If you missed Upcoming Hospice Regulations seminar, the notebook/presentation is now available for purchase. To order, e-mail your request to Donna Snyder at donnas@nchcfa.org. The cost is $25 plus tax and shipping.

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Tomorrow’s nursing homes must integrate palliative care

http://www.mcknights.com/guest-columns/diane-e-meier-md-facp/article/391683

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On average, a baby is born on its predicted due date 4% of the time.

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