HCBS Providers asked for Information for SEIU

The association is aware our HCBS providers received a letter from Secretary Don Jordan requesting information about your workers.  We recommend you refrain from complying with the request for information until the Association has an opportunity to address and resolve this with the Secretary.  We are concerned the request of the Secretary on behalf of the SEIU is not authorized and may violate the legitimate privacy interests of those involved.  The association Counsel is involved in this and we will keep you posted on developments.

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  SAVE OUR SENIORS

With the August Congressional recess moving into its final week, we are asking you to contact your Representative today! Join AHCA's "Save Our Seniors" campaign, where you will find many ways to make your voice heard and to educate your Member of Congress about the impact of the recent CMS final rule, the ongoing challenges of dealing with chronic underfunding from Medicaid, and how the additional proposed cuts to Medicare would affect facilities, staff, and most importantly, the residents you care for in your community.  Please don't miss this opportunity to be heard on this very important issue.

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  Kansas Attorney General Steve Six Signs Letter to CMS about 5 Star Rating

In an effort that was spearheaded by Mary Sue Terry, former Attorney General of Virginia, who was working on behalf of AHCA, thirty-one Attorneys General from across the nation sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, calling for the suspension and revision of CMS’ Nursing Home Five Star Rating System on August 20. The letter states that the system ‘can be misleading and create significant confusion for seniors’ and goes on to say that it is imperative for the system to be suspended temporarily and revised, using more appropriate methodology. AHCA will be continuing our efforts to suspend and revise the Five Star Nursing Home system ensure that appropriate information that truly reflects the quality of nursing home care is available for all consumers.

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  H1N1 information

KHCA and KAHSA are communicating frequently about pandemic developments and plan to issue uniform communications to their respective members throughout this flu season.

1.  Begin your regular seasonal influenza prevention measures and vaccination campaign as early as possible. (Rationale: Major efforts will be shifted to H1N1 vaccination when the vaccine becomes available, which HHS officials estimate will be in mid-October.)

2.  Employers can anticipate absenteeism rates of 10-15% or more during peak times, which historically have run in 4-week cycles.  Symptomatic workers should stay out of work for 24 hours after they no longer have a fever without ibuprofen or acetaminophen. For more information for employers go to  www.kdheks.gov/H1N1/H1N1_guidance_employers.htm.
Another good site is
www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/guidance.html

3  It is essential to develop your Continuation of Operations Plan
(COOP) NOW. Your plan needs to include sick leave and vacation time policies in the event of H1N1 and transfer agreements.  If you already have a COOP, take it out and review it.  Does it still look good? A good snapshot of what to consider in creating you COOP is at www.fema.gov/pdf/about/org/ncp/inf_checklist.pdf.

4.Designate appropriate staff to book mark and check the KDHE H1N1 web page weekly www.kdheks.gov/H1N1 for updates.  www.khca.org and www.ahca.org

5.  Touch base with your local health department NOW to get a common understanding of CDC H1N1 guidelines and develop vaccination plans for your workers.

6. Current thinking is that the H1N1 vaccine will be available beginning in mid-October.  Because all 600 million doses (2 doses per person) will not be available all at once, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has established high risk populations who should are priority for the vaccine.  Residents over 65 are NOT eligible for the vaccine.

a. Pregnant women,
b. People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age
c. Health care and emergency medical services personnel
d. Persons between the ages of 6 months through 24 years of age,
e. People from ages 25 through 64 years who are at higher risk due to chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

(At this time the 65+ population appears to be less apt to contract H1N1.  Of the 316 confirmed cases in Kansas as of last week, only one was a person in this age group. So far only 6% of H1N1-related hospitalizations have been in this age group-as opposed to nearly 50% with regular seasonal flu.) 

7. There will be a need for several hundred H1N1 vaccination sites statewide. If you want to be a H1N1 vaccination site pre-register at www.kdheks.gov/H1N1.

8. Strongly encourage workers and their family members in high risk groups to get the H1N1 vaccination when it is available.

9. Ask your workers now what their family plans are for sick kids.

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  AHCA/NCAL Convention- One Week Left for Advance Registration

Register today for the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo held October 4-7 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The advance registration discount ends on September 10 and you have less then two weeks to register at this rate. Register online now! Be sure to also utilize Attendee Planner Plus, to plan your show!

If you already register for convention, don’t forget to purchase your tickets for the Gala Diner & Show. This year’s Gala Dinner & Show provides unstoppable laughter combined with the largest live celebrity tribute. The Second City, Chicago’s premier improvisational comedy troupe will open the evening with sketches and performances to keep attendees laughing well into the evening. Following The Second City is the Legends In Concert, featuring five acts of celebrity tribute legends. Come and see Cher, Bette Midler, Garth  Brooks, Elvis, and the Blues Brothers give audiences a one-of-a-kind show. Registered attendees may purchase tickets in advance or on-site based on availability.

Purchase your tickets online today.

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  Order Your New September 2009 Edition of AHCA's LTC Survey Now

The new September 2009 edition of the LTC Survey has gone to the printer. It should be ready to ship in mid-September,  Send Karla an email, kwerth@khca.org  if you would like to get on the list for a new copy.
.
The September 2009 edition contains two sets of changes: the first set, effective June 17, concerns various Quality of Life and Environment (culture change) language in a variety of F-tags. Also, F255, closets, was deleted and the content moved to F461. The second set of changes is effective September 30. F442, 443, 444, and 445 are all deleted and the material moved to F441. More than 40 pages of new guidance have been added to F441, Infection Control. The table of contents and index has been updated to include the new material.

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  OIG Releases Updated Exclusions List - Be Sure To Check It Out!

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) posts a monthly update to its LEIE, identifying individuals and entities excluded from participation in any Federal health care program. The updated LEIE contains a list of all exclusions currently in effect. Long term care providers should routinely check the OIG's LEIE as Federal law prohibits providers from employing or contracting with any individual or entity who is excluded from participation in Federal health care programs (e.g., Medicare/Medicaid) for the provision of items or services for which payment may be made by those programs. A provider who employs or contracts with an excluded individual or entity in violation of the law is subject to the imposition of a civil monetary penalty by the OIG. Instructions for accessing either format can be found on the OIG website here.

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  Workforce Survey for AHCA--Important!!

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) is conducting a nationwide nursing facility survey, which will estimate the vacancy, retention, and turnover rates of nursing facility positions.  This information will be used to address workforce issues related to health care reform with Congress and the Obama Administration, and in the area of quality improvement.

The AHCA 2007 vacancy and turnover study estimated that there were approximately 110,000 (full-time equivalent) nursing staff positions vacant in America’s nursing homes and has been a critical tool for in educating the public and policymakers about staffing issues in long-term care. Results of the 2007 survey can be viewed at: http://www.ahcancal.org/research_data/staffing/Documents/Vacancy_Turnover_Survey2007.pdf . 

An expanded and updated survey on staff vacancies in nursing facilities is needed to provide accurate and consistent information, which will inform our advocacy on long term care workforce issues at the state and national levels.

For your convenience, nursing facilities can participate and complete this survey in one of the following ways:

• Print and fax/mail the completed survey (PDF) to AHCA: http://www.ahcancal.org/research_data/staffing/Documents/2008NursingPositionVacancySurvey.pdf; or

• Email the completed survey (Excel) for independent and multiple facilities to research@ahca.org :  http://www.ahcancal.org/research_data/staffing/Documents/2008NursingPositionVacancySurvey.xls.

Please submit the survey to AHCA by September 18, 2009.  Should you have a question or need additional information, please contact us at research@ahca.org, or call Bill Hartung at (202) 898-2841 or Jeffrey Liu at (202) 898-2818.

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