UPDATE Weekly

NCHCFA is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2013 Nurse Aide of the Year Awards and the 2013 Service Above Self Award! Individuals will be recognized in Greensboro, NC during the Annual Convention and Expo.

District I Nurse Aide of the Year

Jamie Greene | Elderberry Health Care

District II Nurse Aide of the Year

Sheila Dalton | Sardis Oaks

District III Nurse Aide of the Year

Johnnetta McKeithan | Peak Resources/Treyburn

District IV Nurse Aide of the Year

Mike Wilson | Highland House Rehab & Healthcare

District V Nurse Aide of the Year

Corey Fields | Heritage Healthcare of Farmville

2013 Service Above Self Award

Liddie Howard | Peak Resources/Alamance

Make plans today to attend the 2013 Association State Dinner & Awards Gala, on Tuesday, February 12th for a very special evening with The American Chef, Walter Scheib!

“For the last eleven years, I have had the honor of doing daily what most chefs would be lucky to do once in their life time. That honor was serving the First Family of the United States.” – Walter Scheib

Brochures outlining specific program details will be available soon!

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The 2013 trade show to be held February 12th during the Annual Convention is sold-out! This is the 29th consecutive year in which the trade show has sold-out. The Annual Convention will be held February 10 – 13, 2013 at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons/Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, NC.

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Did you know that the American Health Care Association (AHCA) publishes a weekly member-only newsletter called Capitol Connection? The publication includes breaking news and legislative progress on regulations and issues affecting the long term care industry.

Issues of Capitol Connection dating back to 2004 can be found by clicking here. The current issue, dated November 27, 2012 can be read by clicking here.

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Many claim denials occur because the providers or suppliers do not submit sufficient documentation to support the service billed. Frequently, this documentation is insufficient to demonstrate medical necessity. In accordance with Section 1862(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act (the Act), CMS must deny an item or service if it is not reasonable and necessary. When determining the medical necessity of the item or service billed, Medicare’s review contractors must rely on the medical documentation submitted by the provider in support of a given claim. Therefore, legibility of clinical notes and other supporting documentation is critical to avoid Medicare FFS claim payment denials.

In order to help providers address this important issue, CMS has released Medicare Learning Network Matters Article Special Edition 1237. Click here to access this article. Additional information can be read by clicking here.

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Palmetto GBA will host a J11 Part A Ask the Contractor Teleconference (ACT) from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM ET on Thursday, January 17, 2013. This ACT is intended for J11 Part A providers billing for services rendered in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. The teleconference is designed to open the communication channels between Palmetto GBA and the Jurisdiction 11 Part A provider community and to allow for identification and discussion of questions or concerns providers may have regarding Medicare Part A billing.

To participate on the call, 10 minutes before it is scheduled to start, dial (877) 789-3907 and use passcode 95902621 when prompted.

You are encouraged to submit questions prior to the call. Just fill out the Ask the Contractor Teleconference (ACT): Submit a Question form. To access this form, please go to http://www.PalmettoGBA.com/j11a/forms. Once completed, send the form via fax to (803) 935-0140 addressed to J11 Part A Ask-the-Contractor Teleconference. All questions must be received at least five business days prior to the teleconference.

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New legislation in North Carolina is requiring all high school students in the state to complete CPR training in order to graduate. Signed by Gov. Beverly Perdue in July, the law passed with 115 of 119 votes. CPR instruction will be rolled into Healthful Living, a required physical education course.

The law states high school students, beginning with the Class of 2015, must be instructed in first aid and emergency care, including CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, using nationally recognized programs such as those from the American Red Cross and American Heart Association. To find out more, click here. To read the entire bill, click here.

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The newly updated Long Term Care Survey manual is ready for distribution. This November 2012 edition contains all the most recent changes and additions from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) since October 2010. The 2012 survey includes all CMS updates:

Revisions to Appendix P of the SOM: use of new QM report.

Changes to Appendix PP:

• F-tag 309 (Quality of Care at or near End of Life)
• F-tag 322 (Feeding Tube)
• F-tag 155 (Residents Rights to Establish Directives and Accept or Decline Treatments)

Revisions to Chapter 9 of the SOM: changes and deletions to Ehibits.

Softbound Edition
Product #6775-1112
AHCA Members $59.95

Notebook Edition
Product #6775N-1112
ACHA Members $79.95

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

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Does your facility need an extra copy of the Membership Directory around the office? This informative guide lists the NCHCFA Board of Directors, member facilities (by facility, administrator and district), staff contacts, and the NCHCFA trade members. Order yours today! Contact Jan Williams at janw@nchcfa.org to place your order.

NCHCFA Members only: $35.00 plus tax and shipping

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Yoga has been a way of life for Bernice Bates, 91, for more than half her life: She began practicing and teaching hatha yoga in about 1960. In a fitting tribute to her decades of helping others learn her passion, she recently won the distinction of the Guinness World Record holder of oldest yoga instructor. Guinness says she is the oldest yoga instructor to complete the complex verification process.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45484875/ns/today-today_health/#.ULYhfIZP58E

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Abraham Lincoln was the tallest President. At six feet, four inches, Lincoln towered over most of his contemporaries at a time when the average height for a man was about five feet, six inches.

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