The Lead December 1, 2022
CDC Updates Guidance on Management of COVID-19 in Specific Congregate Community Settings
Nursing and Rehabilitation:
ARPA Payments Update
Housing:
Join the LeadingAge Illinois Regional HUD Member Monthly Meetings
Other:
Join the Emerging Leaders Group
Fiscal Year 2023 Long Term Care Provider Assessment Outstanding Balance Worksheets – Occupied Bed Assessment April-June 2022 Reporting Periods
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has released a notice on assessment balance worksheets. Long term care providers are to be assessed per occupied bed day in an amount varying with the number of paid Medicaid resident days per annum in the facility with the following schedule of occupied bed tax amounts. This assessment is due and payable each month. The tax shall follow the schedule below effective July 1, 2022, and be rebased by the Department at the beginning of each calendar year.
The purpose of this notice is to provide information on the payment of the outstanding balances for the reporting periods of April 2022, May 2022, and June 2022 (July, August, and September assessment periods) occupied bed assessments.
Rate Tier based on number of paid Medicaid resident days per annum 10/1/2020-9/30/2021
a.) $10.67 – 0-5,000 paid Medicaid resident days per annum
b.) $19.20 – 5,001-15,000 paid Medicaid resident days per annum
c.) $22.40 – 15,001-35,000 paid Medicaid resident days per annum
d.) $19.20 – 35,001-55,000 paid Medicaid resident days per annum
e.) $13.86 – 55,001-65,000 paid Medicaid resident days per annum
f.) $10.67 – 65,001+ paid Medicaid resident days per annum
g.) $ 7.00 – Any non-profit nursing facilities without Medicaid certified beds
The published Rate Tier by facility can be found at Long Term Care | HFS (illinois.gov).
An “occupied bed day” is defined as the sum of all beds multiplied by the number of days during the month on which each bed was occupied by a resident, other than a resident for whom Medicare Part A is the primary payer. By law, this assessment cannot be billed or passed on to any resident of a nursing home.
As a reminder, for a resident whose care is covered by the Medicare Medicaid Alignment Initiative (MMAI) demonstration, Medicare Part A is considered the primary payer. Enrollment of residents into MMAI are not expected to increase the tax burden on any nursing facility as these beds are counted as Medicare beds and will not be charged the per day assessment.
To reduce the burden on facilities during the transition to the new assessment rate schedule, the Department offered facilities the option to delay full payment of the April 2022, May 2022, and June 2022 reporting periods (July, August, and September assessment periods). Facilities were assessed the new tiered rates for these periods; however, only required to pay each non-Medicare A occupied bed day at the rate of $6.07 by the established due dates. This was offered with the understanding that the remaining assessment amounts were to be paid in December 2022, March 2023, and June 2023, respectively.
Department Clarifications:
- Beginning with the July 2022 reporting period (October 2022 assessment period), reports must be submitted with the new assigned rate and paid in full by the scheduled due date. If any reports have submitted for the reporting periods of July -September 2022 with the old rate of $6.07, they will need to be submitted with the correct rate and be accompanied by a check for the difference if applicable.
- Do not submit reports for the October 2022 reporting period (January 2023 assessment period) or any subsequent reporting period, as the rates will be rebased by the Department at the beginning of the calendar year and take effect beginning with the October 2022 reporting period (January 2023 assessment period) due February 15, 2023. Providers will receive packets with the new rates at least 30 days prior to the February 15, 2023, date.
- At this time, the HFS MEDI website should not be used for electronic submission of the Monthly Assessment Report. Once the system has been updated to allow the expanded primary payment source data now required, a Provider Notice will be posted to the website. Please use the HFS1446 (R-7-22) form to submit the Monthly Assessment Report. You may access the electronic PDF form.
- Medicare Advantage bed days are to be categorized as “Other,” and are NOT considered Medicare A bed days.
A copy of the signed worksheet must accompany the payment and must be postmarked on or before the due date for the payment to be considered as received on time.
If no payment is required, sign the worksheet and return via email to HFS.ProviderAssessmentUnit@illinois.gov.
Failure to pay the full balance of the monthly assessment on or before the due date will result in the assessment of a 5% penalty against the remaining assessment amount due.
Any dispute with or questions regarding the content of the worksheets, please contact the HFS Bureau of Rate Development and Analysis, Assessment Unit at 217.524.7110.
CDC Updates Guidance on Management of COVID-19 in Specific Congregate Community Settings
The CDC updated COVID-19 guidance for certain congregate community settings, including and assisted living communities (the guidance does not apply to healthcare settings; elements of the updated CDC recommendations might be helpful for independent senior living communities, like HUD Section 202).
During a call with agency leaders, CDC told LeadingAge and other stakeholders that the updates focus mainly on streamlining guidance for homeless shelters and correctional facilities; the guidance now incorporates “enhanced” prevention strategies for times of higher risk, as well as other updates that align with guidance for the general population. For example, a risk framework has been added based on community COVID levels and substantial structural or operational characteristics of the setting that could increase the spread of COVID. During the call, CDC noted that Assisted Living communities that are licensed by their state as health care facilities should reach out to their state and also review the health care setting guidance to see if they fall within the definition of health care setting provided by CDC. The updated guidance is available here. We have heard that the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) may release guidance specific to assisted living, but have not heard anything further on this. The current state guidance does not refer to assisted living as healthcare.
We want to keep you abreast of important deadlines. In each edition, we will have the most recent deadlines listed:
- December 1: Staffing Ratio Census data for the 4th quarter (July 1 – September 30, 2022) is due to the Department no later than the close of business on December 1, 2022.
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has informed us that the second quarter America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds began being distributed this week.
Join the LeadingAge Illinois Regional HUD Member Monthly Meetings
Please join us for the Monthly HUD Member Regional Meeting from 12-1 p.m. CST every third Thursday.
The HUD Member Regional Meeting occurs every third Thursday and features updates from:
- Linda Couch, Vice President of Housing Policy and Juliana Bilowich, Director, Housing Operations at LeadingAge National.
- Gail Burks from HUD
- LeadingAge affiliates in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio.
You and your staff are encouraged to join these meetings. For more information, contact Jason Speaks, director of government relations.
Join the Emerging Leaders Group
Due to the holidays, the Emerging Leaders group will not meet in December. We will resume our Lunch & Learn sessions in January 2023. We are working on the 2023 Lunch & Learn schedule now.
Not yet a member of the Emerging Leaders group? Join for 2023!
If you are a LeadingAge Illinois member, do you have an emerging leader or are interested in growing your leadership skills and network? Consider joining the Emerging Leaders group. This member’s only special interest group is designed for anyone who identifies as an “up-and-coming” leader in aging services! Participants may include but are not limited to those new to their organization and/or industry, in a new position, or interested in leadership development and networking opportunities with other members of LeadingAge Illinois.
Join us for a monthly Emerging Leaders Lunch & Learn on the “Final Friday” (last Friday of each month) from 12pm-1pm. Brought to you by LeadingAge Illinois in collaboration with Emma Imes, Director, Strategic Initiatives of Mather and Laura Edwards, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, ClarkLindsey.
If you’re are interested in joining or learning more about the Emerging Leaders group, please contact LeadingAge Illinois staff