UPDATE Weekly

Governor McCrory unveiled his first budget today. The $20.6 billion, 324 page, budget will be presented to the General Assembly during a joint meeting of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday morning. Spending priorities include School Security, Drug Courts, Medicaid, Information Technology, Public Education and Universities, State Buildings, Jobs, and Government Reorganization. The Medicaid portion of the proposed budget is $3.1 billion. The Governor and General Assembly plan to propose major reforms to Medicaid. An analysis of important budget provisions of interest to NCHCFA members will be made available soon.

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In February, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) published a Request for Information (RFI) for recommendations to assist the Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the state’s Medicaid program.

“Reforming Medicaid is crucial to everyone in North Carolina,” said DHHS Secretary Aldona Wos, M.D. “By publishing this RFI, the Department of Health and Human Services is inviting North Carolina healthcare providers to the table and also encouraging citizens with innovative ideas to participate.”

NCHCFA prepared a response to the RFI that included innovative methods that could impact the delivery of care to nursing facility residents throughout the state, including long-term and short-term goals and ideas. Some of these ideas involve the increased use of Nurse Practitioners in nursing facilities, the expansion of electronic medical record systems, and the ability to exchange care related information.

Now that the March 15th deadline has passed, DHHS staff will begin the task of reviewing each of the submitted responses and use them to develop a person-centered proposal to serve as the basis of reforming the Medicaid program.

The NCHCFA RFI response has been posted in the Member Center portion of the Association Web site at http://www.NursingHomesNC.com.

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As part of the Personal Care Services (PCS) transition process, a one-hour conference call has been scheduled for tomorrow morning, Thursday, March 21st at 10:00 AM. This call is targeted to Special Care Unit providers. In addition to being a follow-up to a recent conference call it is also a question and answer call. To participate, dial (866) 409-2889 and use Conference Code 7631220923.

For more detailed information on the PCS changes, go to http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dma/pcs/pas.html.

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Earlier this week, Mark Parkinson, CEO and President of the American Health Care Association released a message addressing sequester cuts, the national debt, new priorities for AHCA and a new benefit for AHCA members to address the insurance requirement of the Affordable Care Act. To read the message, click here.

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The March 2013 Medicaid General Bulletin informed providers that NCECS Web Tool and Secure FTP users must enroll in the new Password Management Capability by April 1, 2013 or risk losing connectivity to the NC Medicaid system. Due to the upcoming launch of the replacement Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS), the NC Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) has decided not to proceed with the Password Management Initiative. Effective immediately, enrollment in the NCECS Web Tool and Secure FTP Password Management Capability is no longer required. Providers who have not enrolled will not be adversely affected. Providers who have enrolled may continue using the new passwords they have established. If you have questions regarding this communication, contact the HP Enterprise Services ECS Unit at (800) 688-6696, menu option 1.

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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) understands that most, if not all, nursing facility providers have concerns about implementing the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As a result, AHCA developed an internal team to make sure that their members have the tools and information to comply and implement all the requirements the industry is facing.

Part of what this group is doing is developing and promoting periodic Webinars on various aspects of the ACA. You can find the latest Webinar, as well as other ACA resources on their Web site.

AHCA also has taken this to a new level of assistance. Many providers are worried about the cost of implementing the employer mandate. Whether they choose to provide a compliant health insurance plan, or provide no plan at all, the concern is that they don’t have the financial resources to comply. After the Supreme Court ruled that the law was constitutional, AHCA recognized to need to develop an insurance product for AHCA members that is compliant, but costs less than the penalty. AHCA has developed just such a product and AHCA is excited to roll it out to our members.

AHCA recently announced that they have formed a partnership with Aetna as their health insurance partner and Compass Total Benefit Solutions as their General Agent to develop a series of health insurance solutions for the membership. This program will encompass a wide variety of insurance options from traditional health insurance packages with a special AHCA member discount; to stop-loss policies offered at a special AHCA member discount for self-insured member companies; to a new Private Exchange formatted to be very similar to the State Exchanges.

A key member benefit that will be provided as part of this new program is the detailed analysis providers will need to do in order to ensure compliance with the ACA. This service will be provided at no cost to AHCA members and will analyze individual member situations and show you what compliance versus non-compliance will mean to your company’s bottom line. AHCA encourages you to take advantage of this service by contacting their partners at Compass Total Benefit Solutions. Just go to http://www.ahcabenefits.com where you will find a clear outline of the data you will need to provide to begin your path to compliance today.

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The Budget Control Act of 2011 requires, among other things, mandatory across-the-board reductions in Federal spending, also known as sequestration. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 postponed sequestration for 2 months. As required by law, President Obama issued a sequestration order on March 1, 2013. The Administration continues to urge Congress to take prompt action to address the current budget uncertainty and the economic hardships imposed by sequestration.

In general, Medicare FFS claims with dates-of-service or dates-of-discharge on or after April 1, 2013, will incur a 2 percent reduction in Medicare payment. Claims for durable medical equipment (DME), prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies, including claims under the DME Competitive Bidding Program, will be reduced by 2 percent based upon whether the date-of-service, or the start date for rental equipment or multi-day supplies, is on or after April 1, 2013. The claims payment adjustment shall be applied to all claims after determining coinsurance, any applicable deductible, and any applicable Medicare Secondary Payment adjustments.

Though beneficiary payments for deductibles and coinsurance are not subject to the 2 percent payment reduction, Medicare’s payment to beneficiaries for unassigned claims is subject to the 2 percent reduction. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services encourages Medicare physicians, practitioners, and suppliers who bill claims on an unassigned basis to discuss with beneficiaries the impact of sequestration on Medicare’s reimbursement.

Questions about reimbursement should be directed to your Medicare claims administration contractor.

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Submit nomination forms today for the American Health Care Association (AHCA) 2013 Volunteer of the Year awards. Nominations for the Volunteer of the Year award must be submitted through the NCHCFA office — not directly from individual facilities. The deadline for nominations is Friday, May 17, 2013. Visit the News and Updates section of the Member Center on the Association’s Web site at http://www.NursingHomesNC.com to obtain nomination forms and to review all rules and criteria. Because the nomination forms are reproduced as is and submitted to judges in the long term care community, please make sure your forms are typed. Variations of AHCA’s nomination forms will not be accepted. Faxed nomination forms will not be accepted. The winners will be honored at AHCA’s 64th Annual Convention and Exposition, October 7-10, 2013 in Phoenix, AZ. If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail or call Ms. Claire Krawsczyn at ckrawsczyn@ahca.org or (410) 340-2210.

AHCA will also recognize an honoree of distinction from an ICF/IID facility or HCBS Waiver Home for their dedication to improving the quality of life of clients and advancing community understanding of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The same rules/regulations apply as above. (Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities Hero of the Year Award- ID/DD Hero of the Year)

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The NC State Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators will offer the 2013 Preceptor Seminars on April 22nd and 23rd, 2013 and April 23rd and 24th, 2013 at the Kingston Plantation, Myrtle Beach, SC. You will need to choose the first seminar dates for Renewal Preceptor certification and the second seminar dates for Initial Preceptor Certification and Continuing Education Only. The seminars will be open to all nursing home administrators seeking continuing education credits and/or preceptor certification. This is the only Preceptor Seminar being planned for 2013 by the NC State Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators.

To register for your overnight rooms at Kingston Plantation, call 1-800-876-0010 or call (843)449-0006. The group’s special code is NBE. You can also book online at http://www.Hilton.com. Make sure that you are booking at the Embassy at Kingston Plantation. On the booking page, click on the box that says ADD SPECIAL CODE and then put NBE in the box marked “Group Code”. A block of rooms are reserved until March 23, 2013. Click Here to download more information along with the registration form.

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The national theme for the 2013 National Nursing Home Week (NNHW) is Team Care. NNHW will be observed in skilled nursing facilities throughout America, Beginning Mother’s Day, May 12th and continuing through May 18th, 2013.

NNHW’s theme recognizes residents and patients in long term and post-acute care settings, the dedicated staff who care for them, and the value of care planning where everyone “pitches in” for optimal outcomes. The observance is an opportunity to involve families, community members, youth, and others in a community-wide show of support and respect for these individuals and the staff who provide care or support services. Activities are designed to foster intergenerational contact, strengthen family relationships and to encourage volunteerism by individuals and local organizations.

Stay tuned for the planning guide, full of fun activity ideas to celebrate the week at your community. Themed products and merchandise developed by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) coming soon! For details visit http://www.nnhw.org and participate on Facebook. E-mail inquiries should be sent to nnhw@ahca.org. Please inform your staff of the date and theme!

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For more than a decade, the How To Be a Nurse Assistant curriculum has provided the most thorough, resident-centered training available, and the fifth edition continues that tradition. Written and developed by registered nurses with over 25 years of experience, it helps the instructor bring out the best in every student. With over 500 full-color photos and illustrations that clearly demonstrate and teach the work of a CNA, it is comprehensive yet easy to read. The fifth edition is updated with current federal regulations, has a revised CPR section, and new chapters on customer service and understanding the survey process. It uniquely prepares CNAs to provide mindful, quality care that enhances quality of life.

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

Product #8226
AHCA Members $45.95

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Alzheimer’s Cafe a place of hope. Once a month, people living with Alzheimer’s and their caretakers come to this cafe for a place to bond.

http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=he_c2#/video/living/2013/03/18/dnt-alzheimers-cafe.kcpq

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Harry Truman was the first former President to receive a Presidential pension. Initially, he received $25,000 per year.

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