LEADINGAGE KANSAS UPDATES
Weekly COVID-19 Calls
Did you miss our weekly call today? Due to technical difficulties, we did not get a recording for this. Here is the PowerPoint.
Don’t forget to join us next Friday at 10 AM to talk all things COVID-19. Register now.
Miss a weekly webinar update? Check out the archives.
Here are our other upcoming timely webinars focused on COVID-19
- May 14, 2020 1-2 PM | Webinar: Caring Through COVID-19 – Navigating the Pandemic.
5-Star Reports Went Out Today
We sent out the 5-star reports for members today to each nursing home member. If you did not receive the information, please email dana@leadingagekansas.org .
KANSAS UPDATES
There 4,449 cases of COVID-19 in Kansas today. These numbers represent ONLY individuals that have had a positive COVID-19 test. | Map of COVID-19 in KS.
FEDERAL UPDATES
Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Application for Communicative Technology Requests
Recognizing that visitor restrictions may be difficult for residents and families during COVID-19, CMS has developed this application template and application approval level for requests for the use of Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Reinvestment funds to provide residents with adaptive communicative technologies. Applicants shall submit this CMP Reinvestment Application to the applicable state agency (SA). The SA shall make a determination on the potential of the project to benefit nursing home residents and improve their quality of care or quality of life. The applicant will be notified by the SA about a funding decision, and applicants may contact the applicable SA with questions about their CMP Reinvestment Application. For additional information review the CMP Application for Communicative Technology Requests Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for State Medicaid Agencies.
Federal Provider Relief Funds—Action Needed
Our thanks to our friends at LeadingAge Iowa for sharing this summary document on the $175 billion in Provider Relief funds appropriated by Congress. The U.S. Department of HHS intends to issue $50 billion in general distribution to providers to help offset lost program service revenues. Some new highlights which are all covered in the summary document:
- Providers who received funds in the April 10 distribution must attest to the terms and conditions by May 10.
- Providers need to complete a separate attestation for each payment received. HHS has released a new set of terms and conditions for the second round of funds on April 24 which includes some additional items.
- HHS is encouraging all providers who received general distribution funds in the first or second waves in April to also complete a NEW application in a Provider Relief Application portal whereas HHS will determine within 10 days on whether to distribute more funds to that provider. This will not be first-come first serve, but rather measured on supplementing a certain percentage of program service revenue and COVID-19 losses. HHS has not released the exact target they are trying to reach for individual providers.
Please see this Provider Relief Fund Summary & FAQ for more details.
LEADINGAGE NATIONAL UPDATES
LeadingAge’s Response to Yesterday’s White House Event
Our president and CEO Katie Smith Sloan attended yesterday’s “Protecting America’s Seniors” White House event. Remarks at the event focused on:
- A new Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes
- Planned FEMA PPE Care Packages to Nursing Homes
- CARES Act Funding to State Survey Agencies to Increase Inspections
- New CMS Interim Rule and New Waivers
Our assessment is that the announcements of intended actions are wholly insufficient. For weeks and weeks, our members and the vulnerable older adults you serve have been living in fear as infections and death tolls climbed, not knowing whether the equipment, testing, and support they need to protect their lives would arrive in time. Yesterday’s announcements fell far short of what’s needed. Read our media response now and look for analysis from LeadingAge on all of this soon.
Other LeadingAge Information
- LeadingAge Need to Know: Coronavirus (5/1/20)
- Coronavirus Daily Member Update Recording (4/30/20) Please note that there will be no weekend calls going forward- just weekdays.
- COVID-19 Member Community – The Member Community is an online discussion forum between LeadingAge members about all things COVID-19. Join the COVID-19 group to ask questions, access resources, and share best practices for dealing with the coronavirus.
- Email COVID-19 Questions to: covid@leadingage.org .
- Read their webpage at www.leadingage.org/covid19
