Kansas State Capitol building located in Topeka, Kansas, USA.
Developments in State-Led Legal Challenge to Staffing Rule 

Judge Leonard Strand, who is presiding over the lawsuit filed by LeadingAge state affiliates and state Attorneys General to challenge the nursing home staffing standard, has taken the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction under advisement following a December 5 hearing. The hearing followed the submission of detailed written arguments by the plaintiffs and HHS/CMS, and it offered Judge Strand the opportunity to pose questions to attorneys for all parties about the legal issues involved. Judge Strand also approved the filing of a friend of the court brief by a group consisting of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Justice in Aging, and other advocacy organizations, in support of HHS/CMS and the rule. A link to the filing is available in National’s Nursing Home Staffing Mandates serial post. 

Registration Open for the December Legislative Regional Roundtables 

Due to the election year, this year’s regional legislative roundtables, or Coffee Chats, will take place virtually the second and third week of December. Review which region your provider organization is in and register using the Zoom link associated with it. 

Thursday Dec. 12th | North Central Region | Zoom | 9:00 – 10:30 AM | Register Here 

Providers invited for this region:  

Ascension Living Via Christi Village Manhattan, Bethany Village/Bethany Home, Clay Center Presbyterian Manor, Colorado Plaza, Edinburgh Manor, Garden Grove, Garden Grove II, Good Samaritan Society Ellsworth, Leonardville Nursing Home, Marketplace Apartments, Meadowlark Hills, Nicol Home, Park Villa Nursing Home, Riverview Estates Inc, Salina Presbyterian Manor, Saline Apartments, SunPorch of Smith County, Sunset Home, The Cedars, Village Manor Memorial Hospital 

Tuesday Dec. 17th | South Central Region | Zoom | 9:00 – 10:30 AM | Register Here 

Providers invited for this region:  

Anthony Community Care Center, Arkansas City Presbyterian Manor, Ascension Living HOPE, Ascension Living Via Christi Village Broadmoor, Ascension Living Christi Village McLean, Ascension Living Via Christi Village Ridge, Attica Long Term Care Facility, Bethesda Home, Bluestem Communities, Bluestem PACE, Caritas Center, Catholic Care Center, Cheney Golden Age Home/Home Plus, Good Samaritan Society Hutchinson, Homestead Health Center, Kansas Christian Home, Kansas Veterans Home, Kidron Bethel Village, Larksfield Place Retirement Communities, Mennonite Friendship Communities, Mercy Hospital Inc, Moundridge Manor, Mount St. Mary, Newton Presbyterian Manor, Paramount Community Living and Rehab, Parkside Homes, Pine Village, Pleasant View Home, Prairie Homestead Assisted Living, Prairie Sunset Home, Presbyterian Manors of Mid America, Salem Home, Schowalter Villa, St. Luke Hospital and Living Center, Sunshine Meadows Retirement Community, Villa Maria, Wesley Towers, Wheatlands Health Care Center, Wheat State Manor, Wichita Presbyterian Manor, Winfield Rest Haven 

Wednesday Dec. 18th | Northeast Region | Zoom | 9:00 – 10:30 AM | Register Here 

Providers invited for this region: 

Aberdeen Village, Aldersgate Village, Apostolic Christian Home, Atchison Senior Village, Brewster Place, Catholic Community Health, Cedar Lake Village, Cedar Square, Claridge Court, Dooley Center, Emporia Presbyterian Manor, Evergreen Community of Johnson County, First Apartments, Frankfort Community Care Home, FW Huston Medical Center, Good Samaritan Society Olathe, Good Samaritan Society Wamego, Grace Team, Hoeger House, Lakeview Village, Lawrence Presbyterian Manor, Midland Care Connection, Ridgeview Village I & II, Santa Marta, Senior Care Homes, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Tallgrass Creek Retirement Community, Topeka Presbyterian Manor, Villa St. Francis, Village Shalom, Wellsprings of Westmoreland 

Thursday Dec. 19th | Southeast Region | Zoom | 9:00 – 10:30 AM | Register Here 

Providers invited for this region:  

Anderson County Residential Living Center, Ascension Living Via Christi Village Pittsburg, Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, Good Samaritan Society Parsons, Parsons Presbyterian Manor, Prairie Mission Retirement Village 

Contact Kylee Childs with additional questions. 

Recredentialing with Aetna Not Required 

Some providers have received recredentialing requests from Aetna just this month, ahead of their transition out of an MCO in the state. After consulting with Aetna, they have said providers do not need to complete the recredentialing paperwork.  

For providers who may have received a retroactive rate letter backdated to July 2024, Aetna has assured us those rate letters were sent to each MCO. The MCOs will then adjust the rates, pull all effected claims, and reprocess those at the new rate – even if that means paying above billed charges of an original claim. Aetna assured us they will still be processing and reprocessing claims through 2025. 

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Kylee Childs, MSW, is the Director of Government Affairs.Since joining the association in 2023, she continues to be a fierce and resourceful advocate for aging services in Kansas. Her professional focus has always been service to others through advocacy. Kylee has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a bachelor's degree in criminology with a minor in Conflict Analysis and Trauma studies from Kansas State University, and a certificate in Grant Proposal Writing from Fort Hays State University. With a professional background in law enforcement and child welfare, and a successful 2023 legislative practicum with the Children's Alliance of Kansas, she brings rich professional experience to her role as Director of Government Affairs, and a front-line perspective on the needs of health and human services providers in our state. When not working, she's spending time with her two daughters. You can reach Kylee directly at 785.670.8051.