Monday, October 1, 2007
» This Week's Top News
User Fees Authority Continued At Least Through Mid-November
Our efforts to end permanently the nursing home survey revisit user fees have met with a temporary setback, as a short-term fiscal year 2008 spending bill Congress passed last week continues the fees through mid-November. Although The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) just issued a final rule implementing the user fees, CMS says it is now required to issue an interim final notice in order for the fees to continue past Oct. 1. The final notice could be issued weeks from now with the application of the user fee possibly retroactive to Oct 1. We are working on getting further clarification from CMS on its intentions. In the meantime, Congress now is developing omnibus spending legislation to last through the rest of fiscal year 2008, and we are advocating heavily for this legislation to include provisions permanently ending the user fees. Your legislators need to hear from you that these fees must be terminated. Contact: Marsha Greenfield, (202) 508-9488.
| Sample letter and more information. |
Three Weeks Left Until AAHSA's 2007 Annual Meeting & Exposition: Register Today
The aging services event of the year kicks off with Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel sharing his perspectives on a life worth living. Learn innovative approaches to fundraising from Claire Gaudiani, New York University professor of Philanthropy and fundraising expert. Hear Academy Award Winner® Sidney Poitier tell his story of overcoming a childhood in oppressive poverty to pursue his dream while remaining true to himself despite pressures to do otherwise. Get a glimpse into the hearts and minds of the 62 oldest people on earth through the lens of award-winning photographer Jerry Friedman, from his powerful book, Earth's Elders. Bring your family to Orlando and enjoy an evening of entertainment with comedian Bill Cosby!
Sign up for more than 200 Education Sessions, earn CE credits and network with top aging professionals. Don't delay. Register today.
User Fees Authority Continued At Least Through Mid-November
Our efforts to end permanently the nursing home survey revisit user fees have met with a temporary setback, as a short-term fiscal year 2008 spending bill Congress passed last week continues the fees through mid-November. Although The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) just issued a final rule implementing the user fees, CMS says it is now required to issue an interim final notice in order for the fees to continue past Oct. 1. The final notice could be issued weeks from now with the application of the user fee possibly retroactive to Oct 1. We are working on getting further clarification from CMS on its intentions. In the meantime, Congress now is developing omnibus spending legislation to last through the rest of fiscal year 2008, and we are advocating heavily for this legislation to include provisions permanently ending the user fees. Your legislators need to hear from you that these fees must be terminated. Contact: Marsha Greenfield, (202) 508-9488.
| Sample letter and more information. |
Three Weeks Left Until AAHSA's 2007 Annual Meeting & Exposition: Register Today
The aging services event of the year kicks off with Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel sharing his perspectives on a life worth living. Learn innovative approaches to fundraising from Claire Gaudiani, New York University professor of Philanthropy and fundraising expert. Hear Academy Award Winner® Sidney Poitier tell his story of overcoming a childhood in oppressive poverty to pursue his dream while remaining true to himself despite pressures to do otherwise. Get a glimpse into the hearts and minds of the 62 oldest people on earth through the lens of award-winning photographer Jerry Friedman, from his powerful book, Earth's Elders. Bring your family to Orlando and enjoy an evening of entertainment with comedian Bill Cosby!
Sign up for more than 200 Education Sessions, earn CE credits and network with top aging professionals. Don't delay. Register today.
» Legislative Action Updates
House Committee Approves Our Housing Reform Bill
Our legislation to reform the Section 202 senior housing program moved closer to House passage last week when House Financial Services Committee approved the bill for consideration on the House floor. We anticipate that it will be scheduled soon and that the House will vote on it in a way that usually results in a speedy passage. We are also working to have similar legislation introduced in the Senate. Contact: Alayna Waldrum, (202) 508-9476 or Nancy Libson, (202) 508-9447.
| Learn more about our bill. |
AAHSA Tells Senators: Expand HCBS Programs
Last week, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing focused on expanding long-term care options. Our statement to them pointed out that the need for home- and community-based services (HCBS) already exceeds the resources available to most elderly or disabled Americans and their families, and that need will only continue to grow as our population ages. Contact: Peter Notarstefano, (202) 508-9406.
| Read our statement to the committee. |
HUD Rental Subsidy Payments Still Falling Short – Tell Congress a Fix is Needed
Project-based Section 8 payments on in-effect contracts should be paid up through the end of September, and at least a few months more for most providers. However, payments for contracts expiring in August or September may be late if the contract was not executed in time. Renewals for October and beyond may be delayed for a couple weeks to a month, or until The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) financial systems can receive and process the subsidy amounts expected from The Office of Management and Budget under the current Continuing Resolution (CR). For the foreseeable future, most providers will receive funding in periodic increments. Providers will also receive "notification letters" from HUD telling how much funding is available and how many months it should cover each time money is added. In the meantime, please contact your legislators and urge them to implement a more acceptable solution to the payment delay problem. Contact: Colleen Bloom, (202) 508-9483.
| See the latest on new and phased installment contracts. |
HHS Announces $8.8 Million for New Nursing Home Diversion Programs
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced new grants to help seniors maintain independence, and help states provide more affordable choices to individuals struggling to remain in their homes and communities as they age. One of the key service elements for these grants is giving individuals the option to participate in cash and counseling programs, which gives individuals the option of directing their own care. Contact: Peter Notarstefano, (202) 508-9406. | Find out more about the grants. |
House Committee Examines Not-for-Profits' Service to Diverse Populations
Continuing its oversight as to whether tax-exempt organizations live up to their charitable missions, the Ways and Means Committee recently examined how well not-for-profits serve ethnically diverse communities. Witnesses discussed the extent to which charitable contributions are directed to these communities, what actions tax-exempt organizations take to identify and address diverse communities' needs and the partnership that is needed between charitable organizations and the government to serve these populations effectively. Contact: Cory Kallheim, (202) 558-5691.
| Learn more about the topic. |
| See our recently revised social accountability program. |
» Regulatory Updates
Wage Index Correction for SNF and Home Health Rule
CMS determined that in the process of developing the most recent hospital wage index, two inpatient hospital providers with wage data that belonged in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT core-based statistical area (CBSA) were inadvertently included in rural Connecticut. CMS is revising the wage index value for CBSA Code 25540 (Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT) from 1.0937 to the corrected value of 1.0930. CMS is also revising the wage index value for CBSA Code 7 (rural Connecticut) from 1.1283 to the corrected value of 1.1711. We have updated our calculation tools to reflect this correction. Contact: Iara Woody, (202) 508-9429.
| Updated SNF calculation tool. |
| Updated Home Health calculation tool. |
CMS Sends NPI Informational Edits to Providers
CMS is urging Medicare providers to pay attention to the informational edits they may receive on the remittance advice in electronic or paper form. These edits are generated to help providers identify problems that will cause claims to reject in the future. Contact: Iara Woody, (202) 508-9429.
| Read an article that lists the edits and their meanings. |
Clarification Regarding Provider Response Times to Contractor Inquiries
As stated in CR 5649, Transmittal number 1262 dated June 8, all Medicare providers could receive communications from their contractors in the event that a claim suspends because the contractor had difficulty mapping their NPI to a legacy provider identifier. If the provider does not respond within the timeframe the contractor specifies, the contractor will return an unprocessed claim. Contact: Iara Woody, (202) 508-9429.
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» Learning Opportunities
Have a Question for Your AAHSA Leaders?
You could find out the answer at our Annual Meeting & Exposition, Oct. 21-24 in Orlando during a special "State of the Association" conversation at one of our general sessions. There, you'll hear AAHSA President & CEO Larry Minnix, board chair Peggy Mullan, chair-elect Tom Slemmer and Wynn Marshall, who is set to be board chair in 2010, discuss how AAHSA can enhance and improve its work for you. To be considered, please submit your questions by Oct. 8. Contact: Sarah Mashburn, (202) 508-9492.
| Register for the conference. |
| Learn more about the benefits of AAHSA membership. |
» Quality First
 3,200 Covenant signers! Have you signed yet? |
Finding Help Has Never Been So Easy
Have you been looking for information about culture change? Or maybe you've been searching for the latest corporate compliance resources? Well look no further. The largest portal for aging-services resources on the Web is on AAHSA's Web site. There, you'll find hundreds of resources, organized conveniently by the 10 Elements of Quality, to meet your needs. Contact: Bruce Rosenthal, (202) 508-9499.
| Visit the AAHSA Quality First Resources Section. |
» Research and Resources
New Survey Show Changes in Adult Day Services and Home Care Costs
The MetLife Mature Market Institute released a market survey of home care and adult day care costs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Researchers found that the national average hourly rate for home health aides is $19 and the average daily rate for adult day centers is $61. Contact: Peter Notarstefano, (202) 508-9410.
| See the survey. |
Roll Up Your Sleeves: Flu Season is Coming!
Flu season begins in October and can run until April or May. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that nursing homes and long-term care facilities residents as well as health care workers get a flu vaccination every year. Vaccinating employees helps reduce work time lost due to illness and vaccinating residents helps reduce the risk for serious health complications and hospitalizations. As you know, flu and pneumococcal vaccination rates are also recorded on the Minimum Data Set and reported nationally as quality measures on Nursing Home Compare. Karyn Downie, (202) 508-9410.
| See the QIO Immunization Toolkit. |
| Read the CMS Adult Immunizations Brochure. |
| See the CDC Immunization Information for Health Professionals.
How Can You Get a Copy of the New HUD Occupancy Handbook?
Order it from AAHSA Bookstore. We're offering the entire new Occupancy Handbook 4350.3 Rev-1; Change 2 for the cost of print. Although the Handbook is available as a free download online from HUDclips, the sheer volume of chapters can make the process time- and cost-prohibitive. That's why we did the work for you. To order your copy, visit the AAHSA Bookstore and request item number AH002.
Have a Computer Lab? Use it to Help Seniors in Your Community with Medicare
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) recently launched the "My Medicare Matters" Navigator pilot project to help people with Medicare to learn more about Medicare, Part D and computers at organizations like yours. Organizations that participate will receive training and technical assistance.
| Start your organization's application. |
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» Group Purchasing and Shared Services
AAHSA's Money-Saving Programs: Beyond Savings
Georgia Member Wins Free Trip to AAHSA's Annual Meeting
Congratulations to Laurie Rice, administrator of Briar Cliff Oaks in Atlanta. She recently won a free trip to our upcoming Annual Meeting & Exposition in Orlando. Her trip includes meeting registration, airfare a four-night hotel stay and two two-day free tickets to a Disney park. How did she win? All Laurie had to do was re-enroll her organization in AAHSA's Group Purchasing and & Shared Services program. These programs are designed to help providers like you and Laurie save on the products and services they need to provide high-quality care and services the people they serve. Contact: Kathleen Neeson, (202) 508-9432.
| Discover how these programs can help your organization. |
» JobMart
New Opportunities Available on AAHSA's JobMart
Several career opportunities in aging services are now available and listed on Job Mart. Take a look. Pass along the news. If you have a job to post, consider using AAHSA Job Mart. Contact: Phillip Blackmon, (202) 508-9404.
| Download the form to post a job. | Visit the AAHSA JobMart. |
Jobs posted in the past week (Sept. 21 - 27) are:
Administrator
Administrator - Hockessin, Del.
CEO/President/Executive Director
Executive Director - South Bend, In.
Executive Director - Bethesda, Md.
President/CEO - Clifton, Texas
Home Care Director - Chicago, Ill.
Finance
CFO - Stanwood, Wash.
Chief Financial Officer - Central Ohio
CFO - Dallas, Texas
Marketing/Sales/Business Office
Director of Sales & Marketing - Metro Nashville, Tenn.
Marketing Director - New Paltz, N.Y.
Marketing Director - Queens, N.Y.
Director of Sales & Marketing & Sales Staff Opportunities - Scottsdale, Ariz.
Marketing Coordinator - Ellicott City, Md.
Nursing/Health Care
Registered Nurse Assessment Coordinator (RNAC) - Pittsburgh, Pa.
Director of Education - West Palm Beach, Fla.
Health Care Coordinator - Middletown, N.J.
Other
Director of Hospitality - Memphis, Tenn.
Food & Beverage Director - Savannah, Ga.
Vice President of Project Development - Mt. Laurel, N.J.
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