COVID-19/Novel Coronavirus Update 3/18/2020

State of Kansas Updates

• 3-18-2020 Kansas Health Care PPE Request Process
• 3-17-2020 Governor Laura Kelly has issued two new Executive Orders to limit size of mass gatherings (EO 20-40) and temporarily suspend utility and internet disconnects (EO 20-50) 
• Gov. Kelly closes schools for rest of school year and sends state workers home starting March 23rd. (Awaiting more details about how the state worker order will impact functions/personnel at KDADS.)
• KDHE COVID-19 Update March 17, 2020
• The KDHE Medicaid Eligibility Clearinghouse Institutes COVID-19 Measures in light of COVID-19 Crisis. Breanna Dohrman, KDHE LTC Senior Manager of the KanCare Clearinghouse issued this statement on March 17, 2020  “Walk-In, in-person consultations are no longer accepted until further notice. School closings and potential quarantine measures may impact our staffing levels. We ask for your patience as we process and prioritize requests based on urgency and the received date of the request. We appreciate your cooperation by limiting phone calls, emails, and spreadsheet concerns to those that have been pending for a determination for more than 45 days. Please refrain from inquiring on cases where information was recently submitted, this would include checking for a status update for HCBS or NF coding when the consumer was recently screened or recently admitted to the facility.” Brenda’s phone number is 785-368-6415.
• Obtaining PPE.  This is the process for healthcare facilities, according to Ron Marshall, Director, Preparedness and Regulatory Affairs Kansas Hospital Association is as follows:

1. Try to obtain PPE products from their normal vendors and other vendors that may sell similar products,
2. Contact other facilities in the region and/or if part of a system contact related organizations;
3. Contact their regional healthcare coalition to see if they have a cache of supplies, and if these steps
4. Contact the county emergency manager to have them make a request to the Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

• According to State Medicaid Director Adam Proffitt, the MCOs have been told to immediately and temporarily suspend all face-to-face visits with both providers and members. The MCOs are to make every attempt to substitute an in person visit with a telephonic visit, and will work to reschedule the in person visit as soon as is feasible.
• Governor Kelly announces Executive Order to temporarily prohibit evictions and foreclosures 

CMS Updates

• 3-17-2020 CMS Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update and Information for Long-term Care Facilities. View slides or watch archived webinar.
• Issued 3-16-20  Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Response to the Public Health Emergency on the Coronavirus (COVID-19). More coming soon.

LeadingAge Kansas and LeadingAge Updates

• LeadingAge Kansas weekly virtual COVID-19 meetings every at Friday at 10 a.m., beginning March 20th, to share information and give members an opportunity to ask questions and share ideas/concerns. To participate in this week’s COVID-19 Meeting. Then dial Ph  +1 (646) 749-3122. Use Access Code: 158-801-037
• READ the Joint Letter to Members from LeadingAge Kansas, Kansas Health Care Association and Kansas.
• Our team is working with the other Kansas LTC associations to put together a request for funding for the new 1135 waiver, using some of the request and cost estimate templates used by other associations around the country.  We welcome your input!  Send to Debra. Also, let her know if you would like to help review the draft.
• Our team,  is running the traps to see if we can get some flexibility for child care solutions for caregivers (priority- nursing homes and adult care homes.) Stay tuned. We’d love to hear if you are on the road to figuring this out in your community.  Email Debra or Stephanie. 

LeadingAge National Updates

• LeadingAge National Updated Resources LeadingAge has instituted Daily Call-in Briefings for interested LeadingAge members at 2:30 p.m. Central Time. LeadingAge policy experts will share the most up-to-date information on guidance, regulation, and legislation related to the pandemic and its impact on aging services providers. They will also field member questions. Recordings will be posted on our website daily, so you can listen even if you can’t dial in. To join the call, register now.
• LeadingAge has created a new Member Community COVID-19 Group for members across the country to share and discuss everyday practices related to COVID-19. Log into your my.leadingage.org account and join the group to stay connected
• LeadingAge would like to hear from members who have had problems with mail carriers related to COVID-19 visitor restrictions (e.g. insisting on gaining access to your internal resident mail boxes without screening or refusing to leave mail with you at the door.)  Email Dee Pekruhn with your organization name and zip code for advocacy with the US Postal Service.

CDC Updates

• CDC Hosted a Webinar at Noon Central Time Today Answering 20 Questions about COVID-19. Watch the recording on Facebook  through the CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response Facebook page.
• Criteria for Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 (Interim Guidance)

Regional Emergency Preparedness Health Care Coalition Update

The Kansas City Metro Health Care Coalition (MARC) is having weekly LTC Emergency Preparedness calls which are focusing on COVID-19 at this time.  Providers from Leavenworth, Wyandotte, Johnson and Miami Counties are encouraged to participate.  Contact Sara Shirk for more information.