STATE NEWS

COVID-19 Update for Local Partners, March 25^th
The slides and Q&A for the 3-24-22 COVID-19 Update for Local Partners webinar are attached. Access the recording of the webinar here.

Highlights include:

• Slide 8 – statewide map with county-by-county community levels
• Slide 12 and 13
• Slide 41 – BA2 is increasing – commonly called delatacron
• Slides 43 and 44– recall of Celltrion DiaTrust COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test and SD Biosensor STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag HomeTest.
• Slide 58 – Sites that have therapeutics. (Search for Kansas.) If you have any questions related to monoclonal antibody distribution in Kansas, please contact Michael McNulty.

The next COVID-19 Update for Local Partners will take place at 10 AM Thursday, April 7^th. Register here. Password: KDHECOVID

FEDERAL NEWS

NHSN Training at 1 PM on March 29^th and 31^st  
NHSN has created a new functionality in the application to allow users to manage their person-level tracking worksheet in the application. Please join the webinar to learn how the Data Tracking Worksheet will operate in NHSN. Register for the March 29th webinar here. Register for the March 31st webinar here.

Tell Congress to Fund Provider Relief Program

From LeadingAge National Advocacy Team: We need your help to ensure that there are enough pandemic relief funds for aging services providers as the pandemic continues. While Congress allocated $178 billion for Provider Relief Funds (PRF) during the pandemic, most of this money has been spent and providers have been reimbursed for just a small portion of COVID costs. We know many of you continue to struggle financially and without approval by Congress, this financial lifeline could cease to exist. Send a message to your Congressional offices and urge them to replenish the PRF account with at least $23 billion as part of the next COVID relief package

Provider Relief Fund 2^nd Period Reporting Deadline – March 31, 2022 at 10:59 PM Central
All things must come to an end. For those who received Provider Relief Funds between July 1 – December 31, 2020, these providers must submit their reports to HRSA no later than 10:59 PM Central on Thursday, March 31st. This includes Phase 2 and 3 funds plus Nursing Home Infection Control (NHIC) payments and related Quality Incentive Payments (QIP). The latter are considered targeted payments and therefore, the nursing home that received the NHIC and/or QIP payments must report on how they were used for infection control expenses. Even if a nursing home is part of a larger organization, their parent organization cannot report for them on the NHIC and QIP payments. This reporting period also is the first time assisted living and home and community-based services providers have had to report. Members who have questions or have any trouble submitting their report can contact the PRF Provider Support Line at 866-569-3522, Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 10 PM Central Time.  

Correcting PRF Reporting Errors from 1^st Reporting Period
This is a reminder that providers can correct errors in their first reports that may have resulted in receipt of a repayment letter or errors in the first report that may impact how the provider files its second report such as a nursing home who reported all infection control expenses in reporting period 1. This article describes the steps providers must take to correct these reporting errors.

LEADINGAGE KANSAS NEWS

We Look Forward to Joining You for Our Weekly Webinar this Friday at 10 AM
Get the latest on COVID, CMS, the Legislature and more each Friday at 10 AM. If you haven’t registered for future calls, you can do so here.

If you would like to listen to updates you have missed, visit this page.

LEADINGAGE NATIONAL NEWS

NO Coronavirus Update Calls This Week
Calls will resume on Monday, April 4th, with plans announced soon. On Wednesday, April 6th, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine will release its much-awaited recommendations and report on nursing home quality, regulation and financing andwe will talk with David Grabowski about the report and his participation on the committee that wrote it. If you haven’t registered for LeadingAge Update Calls, you can do so here. You can also find previous call recordings here.

New Insights and Tools From LeadingAge

LeadingAge staff experts are developing essential advocacy, guidance, and tools, and curating the most relevant resources for aging services providers, including:

• LeadingAge Members Promote, Educate, and Vaccinate with CDC Grants
• Providers Can Correct PRF Reporting Errors
• Provider Relief Running Out, More Needed
• Interview with Dr. Katelyn Jetelina March 23, 2022

THANKS TO OUR PLATIUM PARTNER