UPDATE Weekly

Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) gave the public its first look at the newly designed Medicare card. The new Medicare card contains a unique, randomly-assigned number that replaces the current Social Security-based number.

CMS will begin mailing the new cards to people with Medicare benefits in April 2018 to meet the statutory deadline for replacing all existing Medicare cards by April 2019. In addition to this announcement, people with Medicare will also be able to see the design of the new Medicare card in the 2018 Medicare & You Handbook. The handbooks are being mailed and will arrive throughout September.

CMS has assigned all people with Medicare benefits a new, unique Medicare number, which contains a combination of numbers and uppercase letters. People with Medicare will receive a new Medicare card in the mail, and will be instructed to safely and securely destroy their current Medicare card and keep their new Medicare number confidential. Issuance of the new number will not change benefits that people with Medicare receive.

Healthcare providers and people with Medicare will be able to use secure look-up tools that will allow quick access to the new Medicare numbers when needed. There will also be a 21-month transition period where doctors, healthcare providers, and suppliers will be able to use either their current SSN-based Medicare Number or their new, unique Medicare number, to ease the transition.

This initiative takes important steps towards protecting the identities of people with Medicare. CMS is also working with healthcare providers to answer their questions and ensure that they have the information they need to make a successful transition to the new Medicare number. For more information, please visit http://www.cms.gov/newcard.

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As our members are aware, starting October 1, 2018, all Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Medicare Part A rates will be cut by 2 percent to fund an incentive payment pool. At that time, CMS will adjust payments and return some amount to providers based on how well they do in managing hospital readmissions by meeting or exceeding performance standards. This CMS effort, the SNF Value Based Purchasing (VBP) Program, links financial outcomes to quality performance.

Providers may think they don’t have to focus on the SNF VBP program yet as it does not affect payment until 2018. But CMS is currently collecting rehospitalization data that will be used to determine how much centers earn back.

This week, we are featuring Building Prevention Into Every Day Practice, the last resource in a 10-part series designed by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) to support members in reducing rehospitalizations.

AHCA’s Clinical Practice Committee designed this framework series with the goal in mind of developing solutions for reducing rehospitalizations and adverse events. Quality of care drives business success or failure in long term and post-acute care. This framework acknowledges that clinical results need both an organizational and a clinical foundation.

The framework outlines guiding elements such as individualized care approaches, effective transitions of care, CMS’ Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement (QAPI) concepts, safety, risk management, team-based care, and diagnostic quality. Care providers that use such a framework can more effectively apply knowledge through organizational approaches and clinical care that leads to optimal patient outcomes and quality of life.

Check out this resource here to learn more.

For more information about the SNF VBP program and to access additional resources and tools, visit the AHCA SNF VBP Web site here.

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The NCHCFA Annual Convention and Trade Show will be held January 28-31, 2018 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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The Intent to Apply process for the 2018 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award application cycle is now open.

The deadline to submit an Intent to Apply payment is Thursday, November 9th at 8:00 PM EST. The Intent to Apply is not mandatory to apply for the Quality Award, but members who submit an Intent to Apply benefit by saving money on their overall application fee and receive weekly tips on submitting a successful application.

Please note the following:

• All applicants should read the application packet in full before submitting an Intent to Apply payment.
• If your center last received a Bronze or Silver Quality Award in 2015 and has not submitted an application meeting minimum requirements since then, this is your last year to submit an application at the next level. If you do not submit an application this year, you will be considered a past recipient and have to resubmit at the Bronze level if your center chooses to participate again in the program. For more information, please review the recertification policy here.
• The National Quality Award website has numerous resources for applicants. Please make sure to visit our Website at http://ahcancal.org/qualityaward to learn about the latest updates to the program.

If you would like to review your center’s award history or have any questions, please feel free to contact AHCA at qualityaward@ahca.org.

Key Upcoming 2018 Quality Award Program Dates

November 9, 2017: Intent to Apply deadline
December 7, 2017: Bronze, Silver and Gold applications accepted online
February 1, 2018: Bronze, Silver and Gold final application deadlines
All deadlines are at 8:00 PM EST

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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) is pleased to announce the relaunch of the Quality Initiative Recognition Program to honor skilled nursing and assisted living members for their individual work in achieving the goals of the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative.

All achievers will be recognized at the AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit in New Orleans, March 12-14, 2018.

Eligibility

For skilled nursing care centers, members must achieve four or more of the AHCA Quality Initiative goals to be eligible for recognition. The goals are:

1. Decrease turnover rates among nursing staff by 15% from 2015 or achieve/maintain at or less than 40%
2. Adopt Core-Q customer satisfaction questionnaire and measure and upload data to LTC Trend Tracker
3. Reduce the number of unintended health care outcomes
4. Safely reduce the number of hospital readmissions within 30 days during a skilled nursing center stay by 30% from December 2011 or achieve and maintain a low rate of 10%
5. Improve discharge back to the community by 10% from December 2014 or achieve and maintain a high rate of at least 70%
6. Improve functional outcomes by 10% from December 2015 or maintain an average rate of improvement of 75%
7. Safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics in long-stay nursing center residents by a total of 30% from December 2011
8. Safely reduce hospitalizations among long-stay residents by 15% from December 2014 or achieve/ maintain a low rate of 10% or less

What to Do Next

By October 13, 2017, nursing centers must submit staffing and customer satisfaction data in LTC Trend Tracker. All other data is automatically uploaded by LTC Trend Tracker.

AHCA/NCAL also encourages members to:

• Check their data on LTC Trend Tracker to see where they stand on each Quality Initiative goal – AHCA members can also download their quarterly LTC Trend Tracker Top-Line publication
• Review resources for achieving Quality Initiative goals for nursing centers and assisted living communities

Notification & Assistance

Later this year, achievers will be notified by the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative Recognition Program team using the latest available data.

In the meantime, if you need assistance with LTC Trend Tracker, e-mail help@ltctrendtracker.com and be sure to add the e-mail address to your Safe Sender list.

Please contact the program team here if you have any questions.

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Palmetto GBA JM A/B MAC is presenting an informative workshop in Columbia, South Carolina that will provide information related to the most common errors identified through a variety of data analysis and tips to avoid them. This workshop is intended to keep providers apprised of Medicare guidelines as well as using technology for better results. The Palmetto GBA recommended participants are administrators, billers, nurses and other healthcare professionals that submit claims to Medicare. Topics include: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Medicare Updates, Appeals, Medical Affairs, Medical Review, eServices portal, and Provider Enrollment and Revalidations. This is a free event!

For additional information and registration instructions, click here.

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CMS provides information on the Confidential Feedback Reports for the claims-based measures adopted for the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP). These reports will be made available to SNFs via providers’ Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting (CASPER) folders in early October 2017. Information will be presented on the claims-based IMPACT Act measures included in the reports and direct participants to measure specifications.

CMS has scheduled a Webinar, on Thursday, September 28th from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM EST, to review this information.

CMS plans to discuss the following items during this Webinar:

• SNF QRP background
• Claims-based IMPACT Act measures
• Confidential feedback report layout
• Additional resources
• Next steps
• Questions & Answers

To register for this Webinar, click here. For more information, visit the SNF Quality Reporting Program Training Webpage.

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It is time once again to acknowledge front line, unlicensed personnel who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in the long term care profession. This awards program honors individuals who are the backbone in our facilities because of the support they provide to our residents. A panel of judges from the Education and Programs Committee will select a Nurse Aide winner from each of NCHCFA’s five districts. In addition, one recipient in a non-nursing discipline will receive the Riley W. Clapp Outstanding Service Award. Each of the award recipients will be honored at the Annual Awards Gala during the Annual Convention and Expo on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 in Greensboro, NC.

To complete nominations on-line or to obtain additional forms, visit the Member Center of the Association Web site at http://www.NursingHomesNC.com. Click on “News & Updates”, select “2018 NCHCFA Annual Awards Packet” and choose “Survey Monkey”. If you have any questions about the Annual Awards, call the Association office at (919) 782-3827. Click here to download and print the brochure. Click here to print the nomination forms. Nominations received in the Association office after Friday, October 20, 2017 will not be considered.

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Now is the time to register for this year’s AHCA/NCAL 68th Annual Convention & Expo, and make your plans to join AHCA in Las Vegas in October. AHCA/NCAL has so many exciting things planned. From education sessions and networking events to good food and entertainment, you will not want to miss a thing.

Experience one of the largest Expos, supporting the needs of long term and post-acute care. Attendees have exclusive access to meet one on one with the business community. These specialists stand ready to share solutions that drive efficiency without sacrificing quality.

If you have been too busy to submit your registration, or haven’t made up your mind on attending, do not wait any longer. Commit now and register today! When registering, make sure to get your tickets for the Gala Dinner & Show with Huey Lewis and the News. It will be a night you won’t forget!

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The North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association will present a full-day session on the following important topics with Cindy DePorter, MSSW, State Survey Agency Director, Division of Health Service Regulations (DHSR).

• New Interpretative Guidelines
• The second phase of the Requirements of Participation (RoP) to be implemented by November 28, 2017
• CMS’ intent to implement, as well as an overview of, the New Survey Process which is scheduled for implementation on November 28, 2017

**Please note that Ms. DePorter presented a shorter session on the above content at our recent Summer Symposium. This will be a more comprehensive, full day session.

We will conclude this session with a one hour presentation by Polly Welsh, Executive Vice President of the NC Health Care Facilities Association, that will focus on staff interface with the new RoP and the Survey Process. We have confirmed the following dates and locations to choose from. Click here to register on-line now. Click here to download and print the brochure and registration form. Brochures will also be mailed to all facilities today!

October 26th, 2017 – Embassy Suites, Concord, NC
November 2nd, 2017 – Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Durham, NC
November 9th, 2017 – Hilton Greenville, Greenville, NC

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Our upcoming seminar on September 26th in Greensboro, NC, titled Coding Accuracy With a Special Presentation on Baseline Care Planning has sold out. We will not be able to accommodate any on-site registrations. If you registered for this seminar and are not able to attend, please e-mail Karen Lennon at karenl@nchcfa.org as soon as possible. For those unable to attend, we have scheduled another class on November 16th in Durham. Judy Wilhide Brandt will be back again with this same presentation. Brochures will be mailed within the next few weeks for the November session.

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NC Health Care Facilities Association will be presenting this workshop to our members for the fourth time and now in the western part of the state. Servant leadership is a set of behaviors and practices that turn the traditional “power leadership” model upside down; instead of the people working to serve the leader, the leader exists to serve the people. When leaders shift their mindset and serve first, they unlock purpose and ingenuity in those around them, resulting in higher performance and engaged, fulfilled employees. As servant leaders, your purpose is to inspire and equip those you influence.

The goal of this workshop is to provide attendees with information and tools that are relevant, transformative, memorable, and actionable. You will learn and practice execution of the most critical skills needed for leading by serving first. You will come out of this course feeling energized and have a number of tools and skills you can start to apply immediately to empower your teams.

What You’ll Learn

• Why Lead This Way?
• Top Skills of Servant Leaders
• Practical Tips for Shifting to Servant Leadership
• Creating a Shared Vision and Getting Engagement
• Leading Through Change

This workshop will be Tuesday, October 24th in Asheville, NC. It will be facilitated by Mark Gogal, a Human Resources Leader with over 25 years of progressive, global, and diverse human resources experience, practical business partnering expertise, strong organizational and analytical skills, and proven strategic management experience. He has a multi-faceted background in developing and implementing core HR policies/practices to meet the changing business, legal, and labor compliance environment. He has worked in a variety of industries in the public and private sectors including healthcare.

Mark is an enthusiastic, energetic, and passionate leader and presenter who truly enjoys developing others to reach their fullest potential both professionally and personally.

For the complete brochure and registration information, click here.

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Bernie Dana draws on his 28 years of experience as an executive and consultant, his academic training and research in quality management, and his involvement in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program in developing this practical guide to creating a quality management system in your organization. He begins with the crucial role of leadership and the basics of quality that will enable leaders and supervisors to shift from the inspection-oriented and crisis management thinking that is often embedded in long term care. He then provides practical guidelines for developing six essential elements of a quality management system that will be the foundation for continuous performance improvement. This new edition provides a step-by-step process for developing a long-range plan and creating and using a balanced scorecard of key measures to assess organizational performance. This is a companion book to Continuous Quality Improvement.

To order, visit http://www.AHCApublications.org or call (800) 321-0343. Fax orders may also be placed at (800) 869-5605.

Product # 6816
AHCA Members (on-line price) $34.95

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This brochure outlines what physical restraints are, when they should be used, rules and regulations concerning restraints, and making decisions about using them. To order, e-mail your request to Donna Snyder at donnas@nchcfa.org.

• NCHCFA Member: $30.00 per 100 brochures plus tax and shipping
• Non-Members: $60.00 per 100 brochures plus tax and shipping

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Feeling Older? Here’s How to Embrace It

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/12/smarter-living/aging-well.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FElderly

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The word for the day after tomorrow is “overmorrow”.

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