Lead June 2 2022 - LeadingAge Illinois

Life Plan Communities/CCRCs:
Presbyterian Homes-Moorings of Arlington Heights Host Key Senator

Supportive Living:
New HFS SLP Staff Member
SLP Waiver Renewal

Assisted Living:
Assisted Living Open Forum- June 15, 2022 11:00 a.m.-Noon

Nursing and Rehabilitation:
Update on Exercise Exemption for Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Nursing Homes
Nursing Facilities Provider Assessment Rates Effective July 1

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS):
Home Health and Hospice Updated Blanket Waiver Charts
LeadingAge Comments on FY 2023 Hospice Wage Index Proposed Rule
Update on Exercise Exemption for Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Nursing Homes

Technology:
Introduction of the Connecting Rural Telehealth to the Future Act

Top Stories:

Governor Signs Nursing Home Rate Reform Bill
LeadingAge Illinois was in attendance for the ceremonial signing of HB246, the Nursing Home Medicaid Rate Reform bill. It was the culmination of about two years of negotiations, stakeholder meetings, lobbying, and advocacy. Angela Schnepf, president and CEO of LeadingAge Illinois was seated behind the Governor during the ceremony. Jason Speaks, director of government relations, was also in attendance.

“Our goal here was to improve the care of the residents of Illinois by having a Medicaid system that incentivizes staffing and outcomes while strengthening our workforce,” said Schnepf in a media interview following the signing. “This does that. This maximizes the amount of federal funding to the state in Medicaid dollars and these are dollars that communities are in desperate need of to better serve the Medicaid population. ”

Now that reform is in law, how will it impact you?
Join us on Wednesday, June 16 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. CST as Deb Emerson and Jillian Martin discuss Illinois Medicaid Nursing Home rate reform, changes to PDPM case mix and the implication of Quality Metrics for Quality-Based Payment.

This webinar is free for LeadingAge Illinois members thanks to the generous sponsorship of CLA. You will get up to 1.0 CE for attending. Register today.

Collection of Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Employee Information
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has posted a new Provider Notice regarding Collection of Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Employee Information. HFS will be utilizing it to collect data on CNAs to assist with calculating the CNA tenure/promotion portion of the provider rates for July 1. If a provider already has contacts, then they will not need to send new ones. If the provider didn’t access the Sharepoint site or changed ownership, then new contacts should be sent. In addition, the notice details some information HFS will be collecting on a prepopulated spreadsheet that will be made available to each facility, so they can start preparing that information.

Peace Village Hosts Senate President Pro Tempore
Roger Ellens, CEO of Peace Village in Palos Park, and residents and staff had an important visitor this week. Senate President Pro Tempore and Assistant Majority Leader Bill Cunningham (D-18^th District; Chicago) was a visitor to speak to residents and staff. He is no stranger to the community as he has made several Partners in Quality visits to Peace Village. Sen. Cunningham is also the co-chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR).

LeadingAge Illinois was represented by Angela Schnepf, president and CEO of LeadingAge Illinois and Jason Speaks, director of government relations. Cunningham is a former LeadingAge Illinois Legislator of the Year and has been open and accessible to staff and members even in his leadership role. We met with him during the infection control rules process to discuss member concerns and JCAR, although they moved the rules through, recommended the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) re-examine the issue in six months. He also sponsored the LeadingAge Illinois “grocery tax” initiative in 2021, which lowered the CCRC and assisted living “grocery taxes” (tax on food prepared for resident meals).

During his recent visit, he spoke to a gathering of staff and residents on a broad range of topics, which not only impact seniors but all Illinoisians. From taxes to crime and nursing home rate reform to issues impacting independent living residents, he covered several topics and took questions. He also pledged to visit other members in his district this summer.

If you would like to host your federal or state legislators this summer, contact Jason Speaks.

Extension on Out of State Workers in Effect
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has announced the extension of the out-of-state workers program.

Life Plan Communities/CCRCs:

Presbyterian Homes-Moorings of Arlington Heights Host Key Senator
Nadim AbiAntoun, chief operating officer for Presbyterian Homes, and the residents ands staff at the Moorings of Arlington Heights, hosted Senator Ann Gillespie (D-27^th District; Arlington Heights) this week. The Senator serves on key committees that include Appropriations- Health, Health, the Subcommittee on Medicaid, and the Medicaid Work Group. She also was the sponsor of the Medicaid Rate Reform legislation the Governor signed this week.

Angela Schnepf, president and CEO of LeadingAge Illinois was in attendance to meet with the Senator, in addition to meeting with her at the Governor’s signing ceremony. During the visit, she had the opportunity to address staff and residents on a wide range of topics and also take questions. The community intends to invite her back for another visit soon.

Supportive Living:

New HFS SLP Staff Member
Raymond Horn has joined the Bureau of Long Term Care at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) and will be assisting with the Supportive Living Program. Among other things, Raymond will be handling Preliminary Incident Reports, creating annual review record review samples and assisting with the HFS quality management plan. Raymond can be reached at 217.524.7290.

SLP Waiver Renewal
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is preparing to submit the HCBS waiver renewal application for the Supportive Living Program to federal CMS. The waiver is renewed every five years. A public comment notice is required. Below are links to the HFS website where you can view the public notice and a copy of the waiver renewal application. HFS asks that you print these documents and place in an area of the building accessible to residents and families.

Public Comment Notice for SLP Waiver Renewal: pdf (illinois.gov)
SLP Waiver Renewal Application: Application for 1915(c) HCBS Waiver: Draft IL.005.05.00 – Oct 01, 2022 (illinois.gov)

Assisted Living:

Assisted Living Open Forum- June 15, 2022 11:00 a.m.-Noon
LeadingAge Illinois is offering an open forum discussion with Assisted Living provider members and Assisted Living cabinet members to see how we can help each other. This month we have invited Jason Lundy, attorney from IceMiller to discuss the latest survey issues. Please e-mail Ruta Prasauskas questions you have for Jason about survey concerns. You must register to attend. Call in will not be an option, you will need to log in via zoom. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Nursing and Rehabilitation:

Update on Exercise Exemption for Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Nursing Homes
CMS updated previously-issued guidance to reconfirm that the actual natural or man-made emergency exemption continues to apply to COVID-19. More information on how this applies to nursing homes is available here.

Nursing Facilities Provider Assessment Rates Effective July 1
Here are the rates effective July 1, 2022.

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS):

Home Health and Hospice Updated Blanket Waiver Charts
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has continued to update waivers to support providers during the Public Health Emergency. LeadingAge has updated charts of what waivers have been made permanent, ended, or remain in place for both home health and hospice. Read the full article here.

LeadingAge Comments on FY 2023 Hospice Wage Index Proposed Rule
LeadingAge submitted comments on behalf of hospice members to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding hospice payment, regulation, and quality for Fiscal Year 2023. Read the full article here.

Technology:

Introduction of the Connecting Rural Telehealth to the Future Act
Bipartisan federal legislation has been introduced to enable rural health providers to continue operating and treating patients by extending telehealth flexibilities implemented during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). The legislation, the Connecting Rural Telehealth to the Future Act (H.R. 7876), would extend certain telehealth flexibilities for two years, giving patients and providers certainty while Congress works to make them permanent.

The Connecting Rural Telehealth to the Future Act would:

Extend all temporary telehealth provisions included in the FY22 omnibus through December 31, 2024;
Permanently allow the use of audio-only technologies when providers are evaluating or managing patient health or providing behavioral health services;
Restore Rural Health Clinic and Federally Qualified Health Clinic reimbursements for telehealth services to their normal reimbursement methods; and
Extend allowance for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) to directly bill for telehealth services.

The Alliance for Connected Care, of which LeadingAge is a member, strongly supports this legislation that would allow rural health providers to continue to provide telehealth services after the PHE ends and extends some of the most important flexibilities permitted during the PHE.