Legislators Champion the Quality Care Assessment Fund

Thanks to your hard work and due-diligence, the Quality Care Assessment Fund has been introduced on the House floor as HB 2673, referred to the Aging and Long Term Care Committee and Appropriations Committee and is now awaiting hearings. Your outreach during the KHCA/KCAL Winter Conference earned several Champions for this legislation. Taking the lead on the House side are:

Representative Bob Bethel, Alden
Representative Cindy Neighbor, Shawnee
Representative Mike Kiegerl, Olathe
Representative Arlen Siegfreid, Olathe

Your work with your legislators can not be underestimated! By telling your story, you’ve put a face to the budget crisis for Medicaid in long term care. By offering HB 2673, the Quality Care Assessment Fund, you’ve proven that you are committed to a solution.

Now, don’t stop eating your Wheaties. We still have a long way to go. Please stay engaged in this process and arm yourself with information. Your KHCA staff will be conducting trainings and providing you with information on the nuts and bolts of this act as it unfolds. Questions? Contact us at khca@khca.org.

This is an exciting time to be a KHCA/KCAL member.

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  2010 Quality Award Application Deadlines Approaching

The 2010 National Quality Award application deadlines are almost here. The deadline to submit a Bronze – Commitment to Quality application is Friday, February 26 at 11:59pmEST and the deadline to submit a Silver – Achievement in Quality and Gold – Excellence in Quality application is Wednesday, March 31 at 11:59pmEST. The online application submission process is now available on the Quality Award website; applications must be submitted electronically in order to be considered for an award.

For questions about submitting an application or making a payment, Quality Award program staff is available from 9am – 5pmEST, Monday through Friday, via email.

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  Annual Cost Report Submission Deadline Approaches

Submission of the Nursing Facility Financial and Statistical Report or cost report is due February 28, 2010. This report can be downloaded online at KDOA’s website by following the link below.

Cost reports are the basis of many important rate restructuring pieces and as always, accuracy counts. All NF providers that have operated a facility for 12 or more months on December 31 of the proceeding year are required to file a calendar year cost report. 

Forms and Instructions for reporting the data to KDOA,can be found on the KDOA website or by clicking this link:
 <http://www.aging.state.ks.us/Forms/RateSetting_Forms.html> .

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  The Social Security Administration will be mailing letters soon

With fraud scams being uncovered daily, KHCA/KCAL wanted to alert members to a legitimate letter being sent from Social Security Administration to individuals previously denied extra help with prescription drugs.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is preparing to send each of
the 2.5 million people previously denied LIS a letter to let them know
that they may now be eligible because of the recent changes in the law.

SSA has provided a state breakdown of where these letters are going.
If your clients are among those 2.5 million people, they will receive their
letter within the next three weeks.

28,809 Kansas beneficiaries will be receiving this letter.

The Letter begins like this:

In the past, we found you were not eligible for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs.  We may have good news for you.
 
A new law will apply to applications filed beginning January 2010.  You may be eligible for Extra Help now, even if you were not in the past.  Starting in January 2010, we will no longer count the value of any life insurance policy as a resource.  And, we will no longer count payments other people make for your food and shelter as income.  You will need to file a new application if you want us to use the new rules to decide if you can get Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug plan costs.

Are You Now Eligible for Extra Help?

To qualify for Extra Help:

For a complete copy of the letter which beneficiaries will receive, please contact khca@khca.org.

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  Census Workers Make Advanced Visits to Nursing Homes

Don't be surprised if a member of the U.S. Census Bureau pays a visit to your nursing home over the next few weeks.

The bureau counts people where they reside on April 1. But for nursing homes, workers with the bureau make advanced visits. Nursing homes are classified as “group quarters,” according to Muriel Jackson, media specialist with the Chicago office of the 2010 Census. The Group Quarters Advance Visit started on Feb. 1 and will go until March 19, said Jackson, who spoke with McKnight's about the process.

As a follow up to the advance visit, workers return to count the residents and classify the type of group quarters.

“We have a census questionnaire—that's the tool, the vehicle that's used to gather the information,” Jackson explained of the enumeration process.

Ideally, nursing home residents would complete the forms themselves, she said. If a resident is unable to fill out the forms, a census worker or staff member may be able to help them.

Because these counts are conducted in nursing facilities, the Census Bureau asks family members of nursing home residents to leave that person off their own census form, even if they will later return to that address. Otherwise, they may be counted twice.

More information on the 2010 census process can be found at www.2010census.gov.

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  National Nursing Home Week® Themed Products Available

National Nursing Home Week is right around the corner starting May 9, 2010 through May 15, 2010. This year’s theme for National Nursing Home Week® is “Enriching Every Day.” As always, AHCA has a variety of colorful and economically-priced products to help you celebrate in style. Almost all products are now in stock, and the rest will arrive in the next week or two. New this year is the NNHW “Party Pack” which contains various quantities of six different popular items at a 20% discount over regular prices. But order early—some items will sell out! To order products, contact Karla at kwerth@khca.org.

We are proud to announce that AHCA has partnered with the National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP), a national organization representing activity professionals working in geriatric settings, to celebrate NNHW across the country.  For great ideas in planning events and raising community awareness, check the official NNHW website periodically. The official NNHW Planning Guide & Product Catalog will be mailed later this month. 

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