The Lead September 9, 2021 - LeadingAge Illinois

Life Plan Communities/CCRCs:
Recording and Notes from LPC Advisory Call

Other:
Visit the LeadingAge Illinois Website for Resources and More
TANs and Pendings Update
Downstate DHS Moves to Facility-Based Assignments Effective September 1, 2021
LeadingAge’s National Vision for a 21st Century Aging Services System
Snyder Village Hosts Senator for a Visit

From the Desk of Angela Schnepf, President and CEO
I encourage you and your staff to register for our webinar, “Vaccine Mandate: Tips for Navigating Requests for Religious and Medical Accommodations.” This session will take place from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. tomorrow.

As you know, Governor Pritzker mandated that all healthcare workers healthcare workers are required to receive the initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by September 19. This mandate has raised many questions for employers regarding what constitutes a legitimate medical and religious exemption in regards to the COVID-19 vaccine. In this webinar, Aimee Delaney, partner from Hinshaw and Culbertson, reviews the executive order and answers questions regarding the exemptions. We are offering 1.0 CEs for this webinar.

Kindest regards,

Angela

Top Stories:

Governor Extends Vaccination Deadline for Healthcare Workers
Governor Pritzker and Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director announced that through a new executive order, they are giving a two-week extension to the vaccination requirement for healthcare workers. As a result, healthcare workers are now required to receive the initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by September 19. The second dose must be received by 30 days after the first dose. See Section 2 for the full information on the vaccine requirement for healthcare workers and 2d for the testing requirement for those unvaccinated. The State of Illinois has also released an FAQ on the Face Covering and Vaccination Requirements.

LeadingAge National Action Alerts for Vaccine Mandate and Historic Investment Needed in the Care Economy Workforce
LeadingAge National requests member participation in their recent alerts to contact Congress.

The Vaccine Mandate Alert asks you to contact Congress to urge support for LeadingAge’s position that all health care providers should be included in the Administration’s expected vaccine mandate for nursing home staff.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the strain on America’s long-term care workers. LeadingAge members report astounding scenarios in which they are unable to hire enough front line workers to deliver older adults and families the care they need. Ask your members of Congress to cosponsor the legislative proposals that will make historic investments and provide much-needed funding to help care professionals receive a living wage and benefits. They also address the home and community-based services (HCBS) and long-term care staffing shortages, and implement strategies to recruit and retain these jobs.

Tell members of Congress they must prioritize and pass:

Better Care Better Jobs Act to designate more than $100 million to states to develop “HCBS infrastructure improvement plans.”
Elder Justice Act Reauthorization and Modernization Act to support adult protective services and reauthorize programs addressing elder abuse, neglect, exploitation and social isolation.
Nursing Home Workforce Support and Expansion Act of 2021 to improve nursing home care by strengthening wages and benefits for long-term care workers.
Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act and the Direct Creation, Advancement and Retention of Employment (CARE) Opportunity Act to invest more than $1 billion in workforce interventions funds.

Required Connection of Electronic Health Record to the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program – PMPnow
The Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program collects information on controlled substance prescriptions dispensed in Illinois. Prescribers and dispensers can view patient’s prescription history here.

The PMPnow provides seamless integration of PMP data into the Electronic Health Record (EHR); eliminating the additional sign on to the PMP to search for patient prescription history. This tool gives prescribers advanced knowledge of controlled substance prescriptions, increasing patient safety and decreasing drug-drug interactions, overdose, and other drug reactions.

EHR connection is required under the Illinois Controlled Substance Act, Public Act 100-0564. 720 ILCS 570/316 amended in January 2018. It states “…all Electronic Health Records Systems to interface with the Prescription Monitoring Program application program on or before January 1, 2021 to ensure that all providers have access to specific patient records during the treatment of their patients.” Fines may be assessed beginning January 1, 2022 if not connected to the interface, please reference the rules published by JCAR, July 9, 2021 which states that civil penalties could be levied at $50 per user per month for willful non-compliance.

To connect to the ILPMP, or for more information, reach out to Jacqueline DeNardo with the subject: ILPMP Connection – “facility/organization name”.

Help with BinaxNOW Questions
LeadingAge National understands that it is to still be the case that nursing homes and assisted living communities in yellow and red positivity areas are receiving BinaxNOW test kits from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). CDC staff shared the text of an email that should have gone to all provider recipients of the tests on August 23.

Recipients are asked to save and carry over unused tests. In the past the HHS BinaxNOW Team allocated tests in boxes of 40 and routinely sent extras. The email provides instructions on how to reinstate shipments if the provider asked that HHS stop sending them. It also offers two contact points. Email questions related to shipment deliveries. For questions related to the HHS BinaxNOW Distribution Program, use the Binax Team Inbox.

Impending Deadlines
We want to keep you updated on items that have deadlines coming up. Check here each newsletter for updates.

September 19: Governor Pritzker mandated that all healthcare workers are required to receive the initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by September 19.

Life Plan Communities/CCRCs:

Recording and Notes from LPC Advisory Call
In case you missed it, here’s the full recording and notes from the LeadingAge National Life Plan Community Advisory Group call on Monday, August 30. The dynamic panel of Dan Hermann and Lisa McCracken (Ziegler), Nicole Fallon (LeadingAge), Brad Paulis (Continuing Care Actuaries), and Joanne Handy gave an overview on the topic, Market Growth and Opportunities. Mark your calendars for the next call: Wednesday, September 29 at 1 p.m., “Middle Market.”

Other:

Visit the LeadingAge Illinois Website for Resources and More
Be sure to frequently visit the LeadingAge Illinois website for the latest resources and information to assist you and your staff. Our website resource include:

View these resources and much more at our website.

TANs and Pendings Update
LeadingAge Illinois Consultant, Matt Werner, has provided the latest update on Transaction Audit Numbers (TANs) and Medicaid pendings.

Downstate DHS Moves to Facility-Based Assignments Effective September 1, 2021
According to a September 1 notice from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) Medical Field Operations (MFO) – Downstate #163 office caseworkers will be moving from “task-based” to “facility-based” assignments. This change is intended to increase productivity and more evenly distribute workflow. Workflow for the MFO Downstate #163 office will be based upon the DHS Region of the county in which the facility is located.

LeadingAge’s National Vision for a 21^st Century Aging Services System
LeadingAge National has released their Policy Vision: An Aging Services System for the 21^st Century that is Bold, Equitable, Sustainable, and Transformative. The paper outlines six elements including: financing long-term care; making communities a good place to grow old; home and community based services; affordable, accessible, service-connected housing; 24/7 models of care that are places people want to live; and workforce. These are mostly long range policy goals that are built around trends in population aging, consumer preferences, and service use. The package of reforms described in this long range vision is based on equity for people who use and those who provide care and services.

Snyder Village Hosts Senator for a Visit
Snyder Village in Metamora hosted Senator Win Stoller (R-37^th District; Peoria) for a visit last week. It was the first visit the Senator has made to the community since taking office in January. He is a member of the Senate Appropriations-Health Committee, a key committee LeadingAge Illinois monitors.

Keith Swartzentruber, executive director of Snyder Village provided the Senator with a safe tour of the community and educated him on the settings within. Jason Speaks, director of government relations, represented LeadingAge Illinois during the visit. Keith is a longtime leader in the Partners in Quality campaign, annually hosting his legislators and reaching out on alerts and issues. He is a former LeadingAge Illinois Member Legislative Leader Award recipient. Over the course of the pandemic, Keith has had in-person and virtual meetings with his state representative, senator, and member of U.S. Congress on issues impacting providers and residents.