The Lead April 4, 2024 - LeadingAge Illinois

With just under two months remaining in the spring session we continue to push forward our member-driven legislative priorities and battle burdensome legislation that threaten the field. Your participation in the legislative process and engaging in grassroots advocacy is paramount and a key part of our legislative strategy.

One of the ways you can get involved directly in advocacy efforts is in joining us at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield on Wednesday, April 10 for LeadingAge Illinois Advocacy Day 2024.

This is your opportunity to meet with your legislators to discuss issues and educate them on quality older adult care and services.

Registration is FREE and is open to LeadingAge Illinois provider members only. REGISTER NOW.

Kindest regards,

Angela

Contact Your State Representatives -Vote YES on HB5086

HB 5086, LeadingAge Illinois’ Nurse Staffing Agency Liability legislation, is now on the House floor after passing out of House Judiciary – Civil Committee recently. It allows health care facilities to be compensated by a nurse agency for expenses, fines, or damages incurred related to any liability for the nurse agency’s negligence.

Please send your State Representative a message now and urge them to vote YES on HB5086.

We have made is simple for you to contact your representatives. By clicking the link above and entering your address, you will be linked to your representative and we have drafted a message you can quickly send to them.

Thank you in advance for contacting your State Representative and urging their YES vote on HB5086.\

Advocacy Continues to Stop HB4276 (Life Plan Disclosures)

HB4276 would have a devastating and detrimental impact on life plan communities and LeadingAge Illinois is opposing this legislation with full force.

Angela Schnepf, president and CEO of LeadingAge Illinois testified before the House Health Care Licenses Committee on Wednesday to state our opposition and request more conversation on the issue.

This bill requires life plan communities to disclose entry refund information that is unrelated to what their experience could be, likely 10-15 years from now.

“Due life plan communities having to deny visitors, including prospects, during Covid, many communities have experienced a delay in returning entrance fee refunds – a trend that is already turning around,” said Angela. “To share such short term disclosures will only scare individuals interested in joining a community, thus deteriorating the rebound these communities are experiencing.”

The bill sponsor agreed to continuing discussions and will be bringing back an amendment to the committee for consideration. We are in close contact with the sponsor and key legislators as well as carefully following all activity surrounding this issue. We will keep members abreast of all relevant updates.

Special thanks to members whose representative sits on the health care licenses committee for making contact with them this week to urge their opposition. These actions make a big difference.

Assisted Living Catheter Care Bill Passes Unanimously out of House Committee

HB5000 , LeadingAge Illinois’ Assisted Living Catheter Care bill, passed unanimously out of the House Human Services Committee on Wednesday morning. The bill, sponsored by Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) and co-sponsored by Assistant Minority Leader, Rep. Jackie Haas, also picked up another co-sponsor after the passage in Assistant Minority Leader Charles Meier (R-Highland).

Jason Speaks, Director of Government relations for LeadingAge Illinois presented testimony on the bill urging legislators to approve the measure, which allows nurses on staff at assisted living communities to provide catheter care to residents. Nothing precludes a resident from hiring a private duty nurse to conduct the care, but this bill removes provisions that do not allow assisted living nurses to provide it.

“Moving forward this legislation provides for consistency and quality of care by allowing nurses who know the residents best the opportunity provide catheter care to residents,” said Jason in testimony before the committee. The bill is similar to last session’s initiative by LeadingAge Illinois, also sponsored by Hammond that passed unanimously, that allows assisted living nurses to administer sliding scale insulin.

The legislation now moves to the House floor.

IDPH Proposes Rules to Update Assisted Living Regulations on Sliding Scale Insulin
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has proposed rules to update the regulations to allow nurses working in assisted living to administer sliding scale insulin. This is the result of legislation LeadingAge Illinois pushed last year, which passed the Illinois General Assembly unanimously.

IDPH Advisory on Measles

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently released an advisory on Measles.

Key Items:

Long term care facility staff should have presumptive evidence of immunity to measles.
written documentation of adequate vaccination
laboratory evidence of immunity
birth before 1957
laboratory confirmation of disease
The facility should know the immune status of their residents and offer vaccination if their residents do not have presumptive evidence of immunity.
Suspect cases should be immediately masked and isolated, preferably in a negative pressure room, and airborne isolation precautions should be initiated.
Immediately report suspect cases to local health department
Review current vaccine and isolation/quarantine guidance
Exclude sick visitors and staff.
Staff who are not immune and become exposed to measles should be excluded from work from Day 5 of the first day of exposure to day 21 from the last day of exposure.
Residents and staff who are non immune should be considered for post exposure prophylaxis for measles with the vaccine (within 72 hrs) or the immunoglobulin (within 6 days) from the first (not last) day of exposure.

IDPH Proposes Rules on Essential Support Persons

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has proposed rules requiring assisted living establishments, supportive living providers and nursing homes to comply with the Essential Support Person Act, which gives residents the right to designate primary and secondary essential support persons who may continue to visit them when general restrictions on visitors are in effect.

Managed Care Solutions Task Force

We invite interested members to join the LeadingAge Illinois Managed Care Task Force. The purpose of the Task Force is to monitor, examine, and evaluate how Illinois approaches and manages the managed care and alternative payment models. The Task Force will gather information and make policy recommendations related to the managed care program. Members will analyze existing Medicaid managed care programs in Illinois and other states to determine the most successful and cost effective means of providing care. The Task Force’s aim is to optimize healthcare delivery, control costs, and enhance resident outcomes by coordinating and managing various aspects of healthcare services.

If you are interested in joining the Task Force, contact Jason Speaks.

Send us your MCO Issues

LeadingAge Illinois is working with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) and the MCOs to resolve MCO billing issues. If you have a pattern of claims issues (not single claims) that you have not been able to resolve using the normal channels, such as working with your provider relations representative or through the use of the complaint portal, we can help by raising attention to these issues.

If you have issues, please contact Jason Speaks.

Impending Deadlines

May 23:

HUD Postpones Service Coordinator Funding Deadline to May 23

HUD again postponed the application deadline for the agency’s current Service Coordinator funding opportunity. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) materials have been updated on grants.gov to reflect the new deadline of May 23, 2024 (postponed from the most recent deadline of April 9).

Member Announcements – What’s happening at your Organization?
For our LeadingAge Illinois member providers, we’ve created a new feature highlighting members’ updates such as: promotions, retirements, announcements, and any changes you’d like to share with the member network. We will be including these shout-outs each week in The Lead and on our social media channels. Please send your announcements to info@leadingageil.org. If you have any questions, please contact Sloane Grubb, Director of Membership.

Elijah Heyboer Named Executive Director at Greenfields of Geneva
Elijah Heyboer was recently promoted into the role of Executive Director at GreenFields of Geneva. Elijah has spent the past 11 years committed to serving in the senior living industry. He began his career in senior living at the age of 16 as a dining room server. Since then he has served in many other roles; most recently he served as a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator. Elijah is passionate about delivering the highest possible quality of care while ensuring that his residents can continue to thrive and live out their individual aspirations. He is very excited to be serving in this new capacity with Lifespace Communities.

Member Spotlight: Augusta Hillman, Executive Director, Covenant Home of Chicago

Augusta Hillman is the executive director at Covenant Home of Chicago. She has served in the field for six years (2 years as a Social Service Director, 2 years as a Healthcare Administrator, 2 years as an Executive Director). Augusta is a proud Loyola University-Chicago Rambler, with an undergraduate degree in sociology and healthcare management. She is also striving for her healthcare law degree and is closing in on one month away from that degree.

She is very engaged in LeadingAge Illinois, serving as a member of the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Cabinet and taking part in advocacy on behalf of fellow providers and residents. She held the most recent Partners in Quality visit at her community with State Representative Hoan Huynh (D-13th District; Chicago), where she shared her story of passion of “working on behalf of disenfranchised individuals suffering from healthcare and educational disparities.” Her passion and love for residents is evident in hearing her speak of them. One of the great things her community can do for seniors is provide structure for those in need of placement on a limited or fixed income. She says she is rewarded every day in “becoming a safety net and anchor for my residents.”

Covenant Home has existed for 27 years in the current building, but 138 years in the neighborhood. The denomination of Mercy started in 1886 which was the birthplace of Covenant Home and Covenant Living. Residents at the community currently range from ages 65 up to 100.

IDPH Proposes Rules on Ombudsman Notification of Involuntary Discharges

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has proposed rules for skilled nursing and sheltered care which provides that the State Long Term Care Ombudsman shall be notified when a resident is involuntarily transferred or discharged from a facility.

IDFPR Proposes Rules on Nursing Home Administrators Licenses

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has proposed amendments to the Nursing Home Administrators Licensing and Disciplinary Act that allow the statement of sound mental and physical health required for licensure, and documentation of illness or disability required to obtain a waiver of continuing education requirements, to be signed by a physician assistant, an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), or a full practice authority APRN (currently, only a physician may sign these statements).

Home Health Updates

Home Health Quality and Star Rating Preview Reports for July 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the preview reports for the next Care Compare update scheduled for July 2024. For this refresh, Home Health (HH) Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) measures have been updated.

Home Health CAHPS Quarterly Newsletter Now Available
The April 2024 issue of the Home Health CAHPS (HHCAHPS) Coordination Team Quarterly Review (CTQR) newsletter includes: 1) Information for Home Health Agencies about participating in the current calendar year (CY) 2026 annual payment update (APU) period, which began on April 1, 2024 and runs through March 31, 2025; and 2) Responses to common questions the HHCAHPS Survey Coordination Team receives from HHAs related to their publicly reported survey data and Preview Reports. CTQR newsletters are posted on the HHCAHPS website and updated quarterly.

CMS to Host OASIS Vendor Call on April 30
On April 30, 12 p.m. CT, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host an OASIS technical informational call for Software Vendors and Developers. During the call, CMS will discuss the OASIS Data Specifications V3.01.0 effective January 1, 2025. These include OASIS-E1 Guidance Manual changes, OASIS-E1 Data Specifications (V3.01.0), System and Validation Utility Tool (VUT) updates. Interested individuals can join using the following information: Zoom: 1-833-568-8864, Meeting ID: 161 Meeting ID: 161 428 3061

New FAQ on Home Health Agency Responsibilities for CAHPS
A new resource published on the Home Health CAHPS (HHCAPHS) website reviews the responsibilities of home health agencies participating in the survey process. The document describes HHA responsibilities once their participation in HHCAHPS has begun; lists the steps that HHAs must take before beginning their participation in the HHCAHPS Survey; and explains the calendar year (CY) 2026 Annual Payment Update (APU) requirements.

IDPH Proposes Updates to Home Care Licensure Rules

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) proposed rules recently to the Home Health, Home Services, and Home Nursing Agency Code. The rules require IDPH to issue a provisional

license valid for 240 days to a new home health, home services or home nursing agency within 90 days after receiving a completed license application. Information to be included on an initial licensure application now includes job descriptions for all positions used by the agency; copies of applicable client

service and worker contracts; the agency’s criteria for accepting patients/clients; copies of the agency’s policies and procedures regarding employee health and safety, employee training, background checks, infection control, complaint resolution, records management, and supervisory visits; and documentation that the agency has access to IDPH Health Care Worker Registry.

Within the last 30 days before the provisional license for a new agency expires, IDPH will inspect the agency and if the agency meets all requirements for licensure, issue a full license. This provisional license may be extended for up to 90 days if the agency has not yet met all licensure requirements but is making progress toward doing so.

For an agency already in operation that has fallen out of compliance with this Part, the 120-day provisional license currently established in rule may be extended another 120 days if the agency is making progress toward full compliance. The initial and renewal license fee for regulated agencies under this Part is $1,500 annually for home services, home nursing or home services/home nursing placement agencies and $1,500 every 2 years (currently, $25 per year) for home health agencies.

Finally, IDPH may request an agency to submit a plan of correction for less serious violations before issuing a notice of violation.

Housing Happenings 2024

Who: Affordable housing professionals

What: Practical learning sessions for service coordinators, property managers, and other individuals who work with older adults

When: The third Wednesday of every month from 11A-12P CST

How do I join? Register Here >

April

The Active Shooter / Armed Intruder: Planning For…Responding To…Recovering From The Unthinkable

Steve Wilder, BA, CHSP, STS, President and CEO, Sorensen, Wilder & Associates

May

Communicating with Someone Who Has a Cognitive Disorder

Stacey Young, Director, Center of Excellence in Dementia Care, Broadmead

June

Fostering Mental Well-Being with Aging

Susan W. Lehmann, M.D., Director of Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital

July

Confronting Loneliness with a Culture of Connections

Belinda Degboe, Director of Well-being Asbury Methodist Village

August

Having the Difficult Conversations – What to Say to a Bully

Dr. Kathleen Weissberg, National Director of Education, Select Rehabilitation

September

Building and Sustaining Diversity Efforts

Dr. Jennifer Marana, PhD, Marana Consulting

October

TBD

November

TBD

December

TBD

Value First Update

Every Dollar Matters:

Don’t miss out on great savings by linking your MROs (Maintenance, Repair and Operations) Direct Supply, Grainger, HD Supply and Sherwin Williams the Value First-HPSI pricing and many more. All MROs can now be submitted electronically and no longer require letters of participation. You can easily enroll by clicking on the links below.

This is a comprehensive quick-read report of forecasting trends across all industries, food, textiles and MRO’s that our members use:

2024 Forecast

Food Flash Trends – January 2024

Direct Supply – January 2024 Promo’s

New Partner – CalTek:

CalTek is an exclusive partner with Value First – HPSI. They provide all I.T. Internet, T.V. Cable and security services, please click for more information.

Food Distributors:

Through its partnership with HPSI, Value First is pleased to announce it has expanded its selection of Food Distributors. If you would like to conduct a cost study to determine the best pricing with your trusted vendor, please contact Terry Romin. To view a list of our food distributors, click here.

Who is Value First:

Value First is owned by LeadingAge and its 25 state affiliates. Value First is a free service for our LeadingAge members. Our Participation Agreement is non-exclusive, with no minimum purchases or fees to participate AND gives you access to over 900+ vendors. To make sure you have a current Value First Purchasing Agreement please contact Terry Romin at 224.230.7265.

Ask the Expert

A number of member questions come in daily to the association. In this article we will feature unique or recent questions of interest to members.

Q. Will IDPH cite for giving meds to residents in the dining room?

A. The regs do not delineate where meds can be given and that is acceptable.

Have a regulatory question? As the expert.

Become a 2024 LeadingAge Illinois PAC Partner

Special thanks to the following individuals for their recent generous contributions to the PAC!

Dave Blunier (Chair’s Circle)
Colleen Bottens (Chair’s Circle)
David Guthridge (Chair’s Circle)
Sherry Hamlin
Elizabeth McLaren (Chair’s Circle)
Brian Reinhold (Chair’s Circle)

As we embark on another crucial year in the realm of the Illinois legislature, your continued support of the LeadingAge Illinois PAC is paramount to our success.

With your help, we can amplify our voice, advance our 2024 public policy priorities, and shape the future of older adult care and services in Illinois. Collectively, we can make a difference and propel our priorities through the legislative process and fight off burdensome proposals that threaten the field of older adult care and services.

We must continue to leverage our PAC to educate legislators, to reduce burdens, and implement solutions that impact YOU.

Each contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference. Like our voices, our contributions collectively make a significant difference in providing the ability to influence public policy related to aging services.

Last year, the PAC was instrumental in helping move forward our public policy priorities to unanimous passage in the Illinois General Assembly. This work included:

Unanimously passing legislation to create a Continuing Care at Home program. We are now working with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) on the regulations and will need the support of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) to put the regulations into place.
Unanimously passing a bill that removed language from the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act prohibiting a person from being accepted for residency to an assisted living establishment if the person requires sliding scale insulin administration.
Securing rate increase for Adult Day Services.
Unanimously passing legislation to require the Governor to establish an Assisted Living and Shared Housing Advisory Board to include provider representatives, advocates, and other stakeholders to discuss assisted living issues and rules. We are now working with the Governor’s Office to get the Board members appointed and meeting.
Defeating a proposal from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) that would have tripled fines and fees for Assisted Living.
Defeating legislation that would change entrance fee contracts for life plan communities.

We are now working to advocate for our 2024 Public Policy Priorities:

HB 5000 allows nurses on staff at assisted living communities (instead of externally) to provide catheter care.
HB 5086 allows health care facilities to be compensated by a nurse agency for expenses, fines, or damages incurred related to any liability for the nurse agency’s negligence.
SB 3465 removes the requirement of posting a notice of violation due to a staffing requirement if staffing was at 90% of the minimum requirement or the facility corrected the violation before the posting deadline.
SB 3759 allows for certified medication aides in assisted living.
Ratify and approve the Nurse Licensure Compact in Illinois, which allows for multistate licenses and for out-of-state nurses to help fill the nursing shortage gap. It is estimated that by 2025, Illinois will have 15,000 fewer nurses. Now is the time to pass the Compact legislation.

We are also working to defeat a number of proposals that would be detrimental to the field. These include, but are not limited to:

HB4276 requires life plan communities to provide residents with fee schedules, fee adjustment policies, the history of fee increases, reserve funding provisions, expected source of funding for the development of new facilities, and other items. It would also mandate financial disclosures to be posted in a conspicuous location in the community where residents must have access.
HB4765 says that when a resident vacates a life plan community, any entrance fee paid under the life care contract that is refundable shall be refunded when the vacated living unit is released or resold or within 150 days after the resident has vacated the community, whichever comes first.
HB4427 / SB2650 would change the composition of the Assisted Living Advisory Board. We passed legislation to create this Board last year and are working with the Governor’s Office on appointments now. We do not want to change the board makeup before the group has even been formed and had the opportunity to meet.

Become a PAC Partner and help us advance our public policy priorities and defeat harmful and burdensome legislation that would have a negative impact on member communities.

There are a number of ways to engage in the LeadingAge Illinois PAC.

Monthly Contribution (most popular). You can contribute smaller amounts each month, spreading your total contribution over the year. Select “make this a monthly donation” when processing your payment.
Make a one-time contribution – Visit our webpage online to make a one-time contribution.
Chair’s Circle. Along with maintaining a sound presence for the LeadingAge Illinois PAC, an annual contribution of $500 qualifies you for our Chair’s Circle!! Chair Circle members receive special recognition at LeadingAge Illinois events as well as making our PAC the strongest ever. You can make your chair’s circle contribution all at once or monthly by checking the box that says “make this a monthly donation.” Contribute online now.

*Nonprofit 501c(3) organizations cannot by law fund the PAC with a corporate check. Donations must come from individual contributions. We recommend sharing this communication with your staff to encourage personal contributions.

**Contributions to PAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for tax purposes.

***A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is available on the Board’s official website or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.

Get Connected! Join the Emerging Leaders Group

Save the date! For our upcoming Emerging Leaders Lunch & Learn on Thursday, April 18 from 12-1pm CT to discuss, ‘Managing vs. Leading & Coaches vs. Mentors’, with our guest speaker, Nadia Geigler, CEO, The Admiral at the Lake. In this interactive session, we will delve into the differences between management and leadership, exploring how to transcend the important work of management to step into your full leadership potential!

Watch the Lunch & Learn recording from the February session, ‘Senior Living Trends’ with guest speaker, Derek Dunham, Vice President Client Services, Varsity.

Not yet a member of the Emerging Leaders group? Join for 2024!

If you’re a LeadingAge Illinois member and are interested in growing your leadership skills and peer network, join the Emerging Leaders group, Join us for the bi-monthly Emerging Leaders Lunch & Learn on the third Thursday of the month from 12pm-1pm. See the full 2024 Lunch & Learn schedule.

The Emerging Leaders group is brought to you by LeadingAge Illinois in collaboration with Brit Vipham, Director of Project Management, The Admiral at the Lake, and Sara Hawkins, Director of Resident Membership, ClarkLindsey.

Submit Your Nomination to the 2024 Honoring Excellence Awards Program!

Nominations must be received by LeadingAge Illinois no later than midnight on Monday, May 6, 2024.

You asked, we listened! The Honoring Excellence award deadline has been extended to Monday, May 6th. Honoring Excellence is LeadingAge Illinois’ member award program that recognizes individuals and organizations that put quality first, deliver excellence and inspire others to do the same. If you are a LeadingAge Illinois member provider and have an exceptional staff person or are an organization with a stellar program deserving of recognition – we encourage you to consider submitting a nomination. Learn more about the awards program. Submit your nomination form today. Award Nomination form

View Award Nomination Guidelines

Membership Dues
For our LeadingAge Illinois provider members, the 2024 Membership Dues Invoices have all been sent out. If you haven’t received your invoice(s), please contact Member Services at info@leadingageil.org.

Value First – New IT Vendor for Members

Value First is the GPO that is owned by LeadingAge/LeadingAge IL. We are partnered with the larger GPO – HPSI to bring savings solutions to our members in all areas for your community.

We are pleased to announce that we now have a vendor for your IT services. Please see the attached flyer and contact me for any questions regarding CallTek or for any other saving solution inquiries.

Contact Terry Romin at 224.230.7365 and also visit the Value First Website or resource page for up-to-date information for your community.