LEADINGAGE KANSAS NEWS
Heads Up: This Will be Our Only Daily Update for the Week
If a major announcement or regulatory change comes up, we will send the information out in a special alert. It “should” be a quiet news week. Stay safe and have a Happy Thanksgiving. We will resume our regularly scheduled Updates next week.
First “Coping with COVID” Group Meeting a Success
Thanks to everyone who joined us for our initial Coping with COVID group meeting today. Dr. Bonni Goodwin provided a great foundation for calls in the future. If you missed this group call, you can participate next Monday at Noon by registering here or Wednesday, December 2nd at 7 PM by registering here.
This is a free member benefit to everyone who works in a LeadingAge Kansas member.
The structure of the group meetings includes sharing and education. The groups loosely build upon each other and will be repeated at some point, so you can jump in and out of them as your schedule permits.
View the PowerPoint that was used for discussion today.
Questions can be directed to Dana Weaver.
Webinar: When COVID-19 and Flu Season Converge
Join us tomorrow or a timely webinar: When COVID-19 and Flu Season Converge- What to Anticipate and How to Prepare. Nov 24th @1PM. We will discuss scenario planning, vaccination, and infection control.
No Weekly Webinar this Week – We will Resume on December 4th
Here is the link to register for webinars for the rest of the year.
STATE NEWS
Using Asymptomatic Positive Staff to Care for Positive Residents in an Extreme Staffing Emergency State Epidemiologist Farah Ahmed says, ”… while we do not think that cases working while infectious is a good idea, we acknowledge that CDC has guidance that allows this in extreme cases. If a facility needs to do this, they need to get a modified isolation order from their local health officer, because ultimately it is up to them whether they allow cases to work while infectious.” If you have attempted all of the other staffing mitigation strategies in the CDC guidance and in our Dealing With A Staffing Emergency resource still have dangerously low staffing, make a formal request with your local emergency manager to ask for help with emergency staffing and email scott.brunner@ks.gov to let him know your status and what you’ve tried.
FEDERAL NEWS
First Nursing Home Infection Control Incentive Payment Arriving (Updated)
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Oct 28th announcement, nursing homes improved on their infection control performance between August and September with 76% of them, nationally, eligible for an Infection Control Incentive Payment under the targeted distribution from the Provider Relief Fund. As such, a total of $333 million will be distributed to more than 10,000 nursing homes in two payments. The first arriving on Nov. 2nd representing 80% of the amount and the remainder of the funds will be distributed upon completion of the HHS data collection of mortality information. Learn More.
Updated Guidance – Allowable Costs for Capital Equipment and Facilities Purchases
Our thanks to author Kaily Riskowski, CPA, of Bland & Associates, LeadingAge Kansas reimbursement consultant and Platinum Partner.
Many providers have used their distributions from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund (PRF) to purchase equipment or make temporary or permanent modifications to their buildings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In late October HHS issued a response to a frequently asked question (FAQ) indicating only depreciation on capital purchases would qualify as an allowable expense. On November 18th, additional FAQs were added to allow for the entire purchase price to qualify as an allowable use of the PRF distributions, if certain criteria are met. The guidance now states:
Expenses for capital equipment and inventory may be fully expensed only in cases where the purchase was directly related to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus. Examples of these types of equipment and inventory expenses include:
- Ventilators, CT scanners, and other ICU-related equipment
- Masks, face shields, gloves, gowns
- Biohazard suits
- General personal protective equipment
- Disinfectant supplies
Expenses for capital facilities may be fully expensed only in cases where the purchase was directly related to preventing, preparing for and responding to the coronavirus. Examples of these types of facilities projects include:
- Upgrading a HVAC system to support negative pressure units
- Retrofitting a COVID-19 unit
- Enhancing or reconfiguring ICU capabilities
- Leasing or purchasing a temporary structure to screen and/or treat patients
- Leasing a permanent facility to increase hospital or nursing home capacity
The key language above is “directly related to preventing, preparing for and responding to the coronavirus”.
There was not a press release or any form of official communication to indicate this updated guidance had been published. We strongly encourage providers to regularly visit the HHS website to review for updated FAQs, as information is being updated often. Here is the link to the FAQs.
LeadingAge Kansas encourages members to consult with their own accounting firm about specific Provider Relief Fund questions. Under our contract with Bland & Associates, Bob bdick@blandcpa.com or Kailey kriskowski@blandcpa.com are also happy to answer your questions about Provider Relief Funds or other reimbursement questions.
CMS Phone Calls to Select Nursing Homes
CMS sent the following message to LeadingAge and AHCA late last week about phone calls they are making to nursing homes in red or yellow counties who report no testing in the NHSN. The calls are legitimate. Here’s the note:
Just a heads up. As we look at the NHSN data, we’ve been monitoring if facilities report if they are testing when they also report cases. We can also cross-reference the positivity rates to see if facilities are reporting they are testing in yellow or red counties. We wanted to let you know that individuals from our Office Program Operations and Local Engagement (OPOLE) and QIOs will be calling nursing homes to ask them why they may be in a yellow or red county, yet reported no staff testing. Or, if they reported cases, yet reported no outbreak testing. These calls are primarily aimed at understanding why the facility reported no testing while the data shows they should have reported testing. They are not calling from a survey perspective. They are intended to be helpful. We’ve already done some of this and have identified reporting issues, or that a facility was using the state’s positivity rate instead of CMS, or testing supply issues. We’ve also, of course, identified some that just weren’t doing it without realizing they should. So we’re really looking to identify the issues and help alert facilities. So, if your members ask you if a call from CMS about testing is legit, it likely is.
HHS Binax Distributions
HHS shared the allocation of Binax cards with nursing homes and assisted living communities for the weeks of November 16th and November 23rd. Look at the distribution list page within each. You can filter by name of provider. HHS refreshes county data on a biweekly basis and allocates as follows: Red counties: test allocations for testing of all staff 2x/week. Yellow counties: test allocations for testing of all staff 1x/week
LEADINGAGE NEWS
Open Letter to the Public
Together with LeadingAge Kansas and other LeadingAge state partners, LeadingAge released an open letter on behalf of more than 5,000 mission-driven aging services providers. We are asking our fellow Americans for help. The coronavirus has killed more than 170,000 older adults–but a few simple precautions can help ensure we don’t add more lives to that horrific death toll. Read the entire letter now. Read LeadingAge Kansas’ press release throughout Kansas.
2020 LeadingAge Award of Honor Goes to All of You
Every year, LeadingAge national bestows the Award of Honor on one member who has provided nationally significant, transformative leadership in aging services. This person shows vision, mission, compassion, and courage every day in their communities. This year, in the face of great adversity and overwhelming tragedy, you have all risen to the occasion and demonstrated remarkable leadership and unbelievable courage in what will likely be remembered as the hardest year of your life. Listen to Katie Smith Sloan’s presentation of the award. Be warned… It is a 5-minute heartfelt tearjerker worth showing to all of your staff.
Other Resources from LeadingAge
- LeadingAge Need to Know for 11-23-2020
- View the Latest Info, News, and Tools from LeadingAge
- Pandemic Playbook: An Interactive Guide to a Pandemic
RESOURCES
Celebrating the Holidays During the Pandemic
Check out how some LeadingAge members are finding ways to serve elders’ needs for socialization and celebration with family and friends while keeping residents and staff safe. Some great ideas!
Infectious Diseases Society of America: Guidelines on Infection Prevention in Patients with Suspected or Known COVID-19
IDSA Clinical Practice Guidelines are developed by a panel of experts who perform a systematic review of the available evidence to develop evidence-based recommendations to assist practitioners and patients in making decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances. This is a good site for Infection Preventionists to peruse and to share with your medical director and attending physicians. It is frequently updated. Bookmark their website.
