Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Important Resources

Visit this website daily for the latest information that NCHCFA has to share about COVID-19. As concerns arise with the emerging coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, we are working with our state partners, including the NC Division of Public Health to ensure nursing centers receive necessary guidance to prevent the spread of this disease. NCHCFA President & CEO Adam Sholar is also serving on the Governor’s Coronavirus Task Force.

What’s New

04/03/2020 – CMS Issues COVID-19 Long Term Care Facility Guidance

04/01/2020 – CMS Updates PDPM ICD-10 Mappings for New COVID-19 Diagnosis Code

04/01/2020 – Change in Resource Request Process for Personal Protective Equipment in SNFs

Effective immediately, the resource request process for EMS Systems is changing and will no longer be submitted through your county emergency managers. This change is due in part because of the excellent feedback received from many of you. This process change only relates to supplies for healthcare providers in the Hospital, EMS, and Long Term Care sectors. Our prioritization plan calls for fulfillment of scarce supplies in order to ensure urgent needs are met for those actively engaged in providing care for COVID-19 patients. This prioritization plan includes providing up to 7 days of inventory, when possible, for those that have only 96 hours of inventory remaining.

Skilled Nursing Facility administrators will be able to submit all resource requests directly to the State Emergency Operations Center. These requests must be submitted here.

Requests will be vetted by ESF8 staff and the appropriate course of action will be taken based upon priority and available supply at the state’s Healthcare Preparedness Coalitions. No other processes have been revised at this time. As supplies continue to arrive in North Carolina, we will work towards fulfilling resource requests for all agencies. Our healthcare providers are vital partners in our communities and will still require coordination and collaboration with Local Emergency Managers. It is not our intent to usurp the mutually beneficial relationships developed locally over the years but to help make the process more streamlined.

04/01/2020 – Memo on Eligibility Requirements for New SBA Loan Program Created by CARES Act

  • As a way of addressing some of the questions about the SBA sections of the CARES Act,  James Segroves with Reed Smith wrote a memo for members of the American Health Care Association (AHCA).  You can read this memo by clicking here.

04/01/2020 – Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness & Response – U.S. DHHS

03/31/2020 – Palmetto GBA Revised Request for Accelerated/Advance Payment Form

03/30/2020 – Enhanced Medicaid Rates

As announced last week, Medicaid has increased nursing facility rates by 5% in recognition of the cost increases related to COVID-19. The enhanced rates have been posted here.

The March rate file also includes the enhanced April rates. NCTracks should have these rates as well. If providers bill at the higher rates, they should be paid at these rates in the next checkwrite.

03/29/2020 – Guidance – Testing for Healthcare Workers & Residents/Patients in Long Term Care Settings

NCHCFA Email Communications – Week of April 4th

AHCA/NCAL Email Communications – Week of April 4th

Visit AHCA/NCAL for the most up to date information regarding COVID-19.

Email any additional questions to AHCA/NCAL staff at COVID19@ahca.org.

Section 1135 Waiver Flexibilities – North Carolina Coronavirus Disease 2019

Ancillary Services Guidance for Feeding Assistance

The document here contains necessary requirements and guidance for allowing non-nursing staff such as housekeepers or business office personnel to provide feeding assistance to persons who DO NOT have any difficulty eating, drinking, or swallowing. The document was approved by both Cindy Deporter, State Survey Director and Becky Wertz, Section Chief, Licensure and Certification Section, NCDHSR.

Childcare

We know many of our members are worried about ensuring their children have safe care while you and your teams continue providing critical services during this unprecedented crisis. To assist with this challenge, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the NC Department of Public Instruction are working with their networks of partners across the state to provide child care options to children of essential workers, which includes first responders, hospital staff, front-line healthcare providers, nursing and adult group home staff, child care program staff, food service staff and others working to keep our communities safe and healthy as we respond to COVID-19.

Parents and families with urgent childcare needs may call 1-888-600-1685 to find high-quality, safe childcare for infants through children age 12. We encourage you to share the hotline number and these handouts:

Governor’s Visitation Recommendations

NC DHHS Coronavirus Resources

NCHCFA Webcasts

Update From NCTracks

CMS Communications

NCHCFA Crisis Communication:

Given the public focus on Coronavirus and COVID-19, we recognize that many of the staff and residents in member facilities and their families are particularly focused on these developments. While we know your focus is rightly on the provision of needed health care services, and protecting your staff and residents, we want to aid in preparing from a communications perspective for the possibility of an occurrence of COVID-19 in your facility. The following information here has been provided to the Association by a crisis communications expert who is available to assist our members if necessary.

NC Division of Public Health

Guidance for Management of Scarce Resources

Guidance for both healthcare workers and facility owners/operators

Questions

If members have specific questions about COVID-19 or need assistance with risk assessment for a resident or staff member after talking to your local health department, the Communicable Disease Branch of the Epidemiology Section of the N.C. Division of Public Health, Department of Health & Human Services, has a 24-hour call line.  That number is: (919) 733-3419.  More information about the Branch is available here.

Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology (SPICE)