STATE UPDATES
SPARK Task Force Receives Funding Recommendations from State Agencies
On Monday the SPARK TASK Force met, during which they heard from various state agencies to go over their funding requests. Health-related requests starts on page 22 of this document. Highlights include funds for: 1) increased contact tracing, 2) significantly increasing state lab capacity, 3) statewide test/state lab courier to reduce shipping time, 4) increased support for KDEM to provide PPE sourcing help, 5) supplemental funding for LHDs, 6) testing equipment for LHDs, 7) 3 mobile test collection units to help LHDs, 8) COVID-19 Health Fund for Essential Workers who contracted the virus in the line of duty, 9) grants for community mental health centers, AAAs and substance abuse disorder programs.
- The nursing home-specific recommendations begin on page 45 of the handout. It includes: Total $23.6M extra funding (about $12 prd) for NF, NFMH and ICF residents for 120 days (retroactive from March – July 2020) based on total residents days (not just Medicaid.) Note: This falls far short of what the LTC associations will continue to lobby for ($20prd through the end of the calendar year.)
- 5% increase for PACE (also retroactive for March-July timeframe.)
- 5% increase for HCBS providers, retroactive for March – July. Note: The LTC associations are lobbying for $20 prd for all adult care homes (all payor sources.)
If you want to watch the health-related agency reports, they are first up at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghXdw_WRLqs. KDADS report starts at 17:20.
P.S. Great News. After a lot of hard advocacy work by LeadingAge Kansas and Kansas Health Care Association, the Executive Committee of the SPARK Task Force met today and unanimously approved an amendment to the recommendations they received from KDADS. (See second bullet above.) The amendment adds another $15M so that nursing homes would get $20 per all residents per day. Next up: The SPARK funding recommendations go to the State Finance Council next week for they review. They must accept the recommendations. Stay tuned.
LEADINGAGE KANSAS UPDATES
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Join us for Our Friday Weekly Webinar About All Things COVID-19
We will feature the latest state and federal updates as well as important issues that come up during the week. Webinars are free for members and held every Friday at 10 AM. If you haven’t already,register for next week’s webinar.
More Members Receive Zero Deficiency Infection Control Surveys
Congrats to the teams of the following members who have received zero deficiencies in their recent IC survey:
- Clay Center Presbyterian Manor
- Homestead Health Center
- Emporia Presbyterian Manor
- Lawrence Presbyterian Manor
- Moundridge Manor
- Phillips County Retirement Center
FEDERAL UPDATE
LEADINGAGE NATIONAL UPDATE
The Campaign Continues: Act For Older Adults
Congress is back in DC and negotiations on the next COVID-19 relief package have already begun. That means we need to ramp our collective advocacy efforts more than ever.
Last night, our president and CEO, Katie Smith Sloan told NBC Nightly News that aging services providers are getting hit by COVID-19 like a category-5 hurricane. The national news story was an outcome of coverage driven by our national-local press conference Monday and is part of our urgent effort to break-through with our messages right now, as Congress works on the next COVID-19 relief legislation.
Starting tomorrow, look for a new series of social media posts, asking you and all of our social media networks to take an action to show your support for aging services providers and older adults. Every day, we’ll post another way to get involved–from taking an #Act4OlderAdults Mask Selfie (download your printable mask template here) to sending an email to your representatives. Follow LeadingAge on social to re-share our posts, and post your own using samples provided on LeadingAge.org/act.
Yesterday, LeadingAge held a virtual Hill Briefing to share the harsh realities on the ground during the pandemic and to detail our legislatives asks. Over 40 people attended this closed session, and you can check out presentation slides and the recording of the briefing.
Other important information from LeadingAge National
- July 21 Act for Older Adults Hill Briefing Presentation.
- Hill Briefing on LeadingAge’s Act for Older Adults Campaign.
- LeadingAge Need to Know for 7-22-2020.
- Coronavirus Daily Update Webinar for 7-21-2020.
- View the latest info, news, and tools from LeadingAge.
