Latest News
01/22/2020
HUD Guidance Forthcoming on PRAC Rent Increases
LeadingAge Ohio has learned that, given the number of Section 202 communities with Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACs) that requested larger rent increases to prepare for recapitalization in fiscal year 2019 (FY19), HUD plans to develop new guidance for HUD staff to evaluate these requests and prioritize those properties with the greatest need.
01/22/2020
ODM Overpayment Responses Due Within 30 days
At its monthly meeting with LeadingAge Ohio, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) provided an update that the 2017 and 2018 overpayment reports are anticipated to go out in May.
01/22/2020
Ohio Department of Health Issues Draft Amendments to Certificate of Need Rules
LeadingAge Ohio extends its thanks to Christine Kenney of partner firm Bricker & Eckler, who drafted the following article:
01/22/2020
Study: Only 57% of Falls with Injury Reported
A study conducted by Prachi Sanghavi, PhD and other colleagues at the University of Chicago found that falls with injury are underreported.
01/22/2020
CMS Shares NF Policies with LeadingAge
LeadingAge shared the results of their January call with the nursing home policy staff from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), where they discussed updates on interpretive guidance, anticipated survey focus areas for 2020, and the phase-out of Section G, among other topics.
01/22/2020
LeadingAge Ohio Committees Convene for Full Day Advocacy Retreat
On Friday, January 17, members of four LeadingAge Ohio Committees, as well as the LeadingAge Ohio PAC Committee, convened in Columbus for a full-day retreat dedicated to developing LeadingAge Ohio’s policy agenda for 2020 and 2021.
01/15/2020
ODM Rule to Increase ALW, PASSPORT Rates
On Wednesday, January 8, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) filed rules which would increase rates among long-term services and supports waivers, according to funding set forth in HB 166, Ohio’s biennial budget bill.
01/15/2020
Significant Federal Audit Findings Among Inherited Medicaid 'Mess,' Director Says
LeadingAge Ohio members have long been sounding the alarm on problems with Ohio’s Medicaid eligibility determination processes.
01/15/2020
2020 LeadingAge Ohio Compensation Survey Set to Launch on February 10
Recruiting and retaining today’s top employees is a focus and constant challenge in this competitive marketplace.
01/08/2020
Mark Your Calendars for the 2020 Housing Happenings Webinar Series
With such a large number of affordable housing members within LeadingAge Ohio, LeadingAge Ohio chose to partner with LeadingAge Maryland to offer an educational teleconference series designed specifically for affordable housing professionals.
01/08/2020
ODM Shares Plans for January 1 NF Rates
As reported last week in a LeadingAge Ohio Action Alert, Ohio nursing facilities should be receiving rate packages from the Ohio Department of MEdicaid (ODM) this week detailing their reimbursement rates effective January 1.
01/08/2020
LeadingAge Ohio Names 2020 Leadership Academy Fellows
LeadingAge Ohio is pleased to announce the class of 2020 LeadingAge Ohio Leadership Academy fellows.
12/30/2019
Review Choice Demonstration: Guidance on Submitting Pre-Claim Review
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released long-awaited guidance confirming that home health agencies (HHAs) will need to submit a pre-claim review (PCR) for each 30-day billing period.
12/30/2019
ODM Releases Authorized Representative Tool at LeadingAge Ohio’s Urging
LeadingAge Ohio approached the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) about developing a tool for providers to share with residents about authorized representatives (AR) for Medicaid purposes and the role that nursing homes can play in assisting families through the Medicaid eligibility process.
12/18/2019
Deadline for Alpha Testing of HOPE Extended
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and contractor Abt Associates announced that the deadline for application to be part of the alpha testing for Hospice Outcomes & Patient Evaluation (HOPE) has been extended.
12/18/2019
PAS/RR Transition on December 30
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) shared a reminder that effective December 30, 2019, all Preadmission Screening and Resident Review form (PASRR/ODM 3622) must be submitted electronically through the Healthcare Electronic Notification System (HENS).
12/12/2019
Home- and Community-based Services Rates Released, Fall Short of State Budget Numbers
On Tuesday of this week, the Ohio Department of Medicaid released proposed revisions to rules governing the reimbursement policy for the Ohio PASSPORT and Assisted Living waivers.
12/11/2019
Act Now: Some NFs to be Excluded from Quality Payment
In mid-July, the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill that would boost payments to Ohio nursing homes by 2.4 percent in January 2020 via a quality incentive payment, and by an estimated 5 percent in July 2020.
12/11/2019
‘Aging 101’ Presentation Gives Members a Valuable Tool
Ohio is home to the sixth-largest population of older adults in the country.
12/04/2019
CMS Issues Two New Articles on PDGM
There are two new Medicare Learning Network (MLN) articles pertaining to the Patient Driven Grouping Model (PDGM).
12/04/2019
OIG Posts New Report on Hospice Aides
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has posted a new hospice report which examines RN supervision of hospice aides.
11/25/2019
PASRR Rule Affects Submission of the ODM 3622; ODM Announces Webinars
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM), the Ohio Department of Developmental Disability (DODD) and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) will be conducting three (3) webinars in December that will focus on the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) rule changes that will be effective December 30, 2019.
11/20/2019
CMS Issues Manual Updates Related to PDGM
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued Change Request (CR) 11527, which includes further updates to the Claims Processing Manual, chapter 10, related to the Patient Driven Grouper Model (PDGM).
11/20/2019
Hospice Care Improvement Act Introduced in the U.S. Senate by Ohio’s Rob Portman
U.S. Senators Rob Portman and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) introduced the “Hospice Care Improvement Act of 2019” last Thursday, November 14.
11/20/2019
RFI on Rural and Underserved Community Health: Comments needed
Last week’s House Ways & Means Committee solicited input for the recently-formed Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force.
11/20/2019
U.S. House Ways & Means Committee Holds Hearing on Aging & Caregiver Issues
Last week, the House Ways & Means Committee held a hearing specifically focused on the issues faced by aging Americans and their families.
11/20/2019
Medicaid Block Grant Guidance Announced, Withdrawn
Last week, Administrator Seema Verma of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the imminent release of highly-anticipated guidance allowing states to receive their federal share of Medicaid via block grants or per-capita caps.
11/13/2019
Phase 3 Guidance Included in Emergency Preparedness Rule
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Long Term Care Requirements CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule document.
11/13/2019
ODM Shares Quality Measure Changes
Several changes included in HB 166, Ohio’s budget bill, modified the existing quality measures used to calculate the portion of the Medicaid base rate.
11/13/2019
New Alzheimer’s Task Force to Examine Assisted Living
Last week, Governor Dewine signed SB 24 into law, which would create the Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Task Force, which would be charged with developing a state plan for dementia, to be submitted to the General Assembly no later than 18 months following the bill’s effective date.
11/13/2019
PASRR Rule Affects Submission of the ODM 3622
Attached is a memorandum from the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) advising PASSPORT Administrative Agencies, Hospital Discharge Planners, Nursing Facilities, and the Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities who are involved in receiving and processing Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) form (ODM 3622) of the upcoming PASRR rule changes affecting the submission of the ODM 3622.
11/13/2019
Next Week is Final Deadline for UNC Economic Impact Study
As noted previously in The Source, LeadingAge Ohio has partnered with the University of North Carolina, with assistance from Scripps Gerontology Center, to complete an Economic Impact Study.
11/06/2019
Hospice Timely Filing Update
The following message has been posted to the MITS portal and will also display on the remittance advice for all hospice providers:
11/06/2019
PCHETA Passes House: Thank Your Congressman
Last week, the PCHETA (Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (H.R. 647)) was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the US House of Representatives.
11/06/2019
ODH Shares Plans for Hospice Choice, Pseudo-patients
LeadingAge Ohio met with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) on October 30 and reviewed a number of updates related to non-long-term care, including:
11/06/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Leadership Academy Application Deadline Tomorrow, November 8
LeadingAge Ohio is committed to investing in our next generation of leaders through the LeadingAge Ohio Leadership Academy program.
10/31/2019
Emergency Preparedness: Important Steps for Preparation
LeadingAge Ohio hosted the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) for an emergency preparedness meeting on October 22.
10/31/2019
CMS Addresses Hand Icon, Phase III at LeadingAge Annual Meeting
Providers shouldn’t be focusing on the new Nursing Home Compare consumer alert icon, but rather should be concentrating on stopping abuse in long-term care facilities, said Evan Shulman, director of the division of nursing homes at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) at a session focused on nursing facility regulatory issues at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting in San Diego.
10/31/2019
Reminder: Special Instructions for October Billing
As previously reported in The Source, the Department of Medicaid (ODM) has shared special instructions for October billing, which will require providers to bill two different rates on October claims: those for October 1-16, and another for October 17-31.
10/31/2019
No Guidance Forthcoming on Hospice Choice
In a meeting with Non-Long-term Care provider associations, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) shared its approach to a new resident right which was codified in HB 166, Ohio’s biennial budget bill.
10/23/2019
Home Health Agencies Reminded to Create Account, Credentials for New System
Staff from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) staff recently asked LeadingAge for assistance in reminding home health agencies to create an account and establish credentials for the new system.
10/16/2019
October Rates Anticipated from ODM
As reported in last week’s edition of The Source, in October, billers will need to include two items for nursing facility care on their monthly claims, reflecting two different rates for the month of October.
10/16/2019
Abuse Icon to Affect 46 Ohio Nursing Homes: Call To Action
In last week’s newsletter, LeadingAge Ohio alerted providers that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) had announced that Nursing Home Compare would be updated in October to identify nursing homes with a history of abuse citations.
10/16/2019
CDC Updates Enhanced Barrier Precautions
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has updated guidance on precautions for residents with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO).
10/16/2019
LeadingAge Ohio to Host ODH for Emergency Preparedness and LSC
On October 22 from 10am-12:30pm, LeadingAge Ohio is hosting the Ohio Department of Health and other stakeholders for a meeting focused on emergency preparedness.
10/16/2019
Speaker Names Chairs For Health, Aging Committees
Last week, Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) appointed three new committee chairs following a series of member departures in recent months.
10/16/2019
The Source To Be Delayed One Day During Week of LeadingAge Annual Meeting
The LeadingAge Annual Conference will be held October 27-30, 2019 in San Diego, California.
10/09/2019
ODM Shares Special Instructions for October Nursing Facility (NF) Room and Board Services Billing
The Ohio Department of Medicaid shared a memo on October 4, which describes the anticipated rate-setting for Nursing Facility Room and Board services to take effect on October 17.
10/09/2019
MedPAC Contemplates Reform of Hospice Aggregate Cap
The original federal statute authorizing the Medicare Hospice Benefit created two caps on payments designed to control overall spending and increase the likelihood of savings through the use of hospice over curative care at the end of life.
10/09/2019
Hospice Choice Effective October 17
On October 17, the majority of policies contained in HB 166, Ohio’s biennial budget bill, will take effect.
10/09/2019
LeadingAge President/CEO Katie Smith Sloan Responds to Trump Administration Release on Nursing Home Transparency
LeadingAge President/CEO Katie Smith Sloan responded to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) release on nursing home transparency with the following statement:
10/09/2019
Trump Administration to Enhance Transparency about NF Abuse and Neglect
Earlier this week, the Trump Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a major enhancement of the information available to nursing home residents, families, and caregivers on the Agency’s Nursing Home Compare website.
10/02/2019
ODA, ODM Announce PASSPORT, Assisted Living Waiver Rates
On a September 24 conference call, Ohio Director of Aging Ursel McElroy and Director of Medicaid Maureen Corcoran announced their intent to increase rates for Ohio’s Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) and PASSPORT personal care services rates by 3.25%.
09/30/2019
Press Release: LeadingAge Ohio Honors Members Receiving Employer of Choice Designation for Workforce Excellence
LeadingAge Ohio is proud to announce its members who have received an Employer of Choice designation through the 2019-2020 LeadingAge Ohio Employer of Choice program. 23 organizations statewide within LeadingAge Ohio’s over 400 members received a gold, silver, or bronze designation in this third year of the Employer of Choice program.
09/25/2019
CMS Open Door Forum Discusses PDGM, Authority to Sanction Providers, and More
The Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment Open Door Forum held by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on September 18 covered a variety of issues pertaining to the home health and hospice industry.
09/25/2019
Physicians Should Still Sign DNR Orders Until Legislative Fix Complete
LeadingAge Ohio staff has been fielding multiple calls related to the September 1 update to Ohio’s Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) form and rules.
09/25/2019
In-Demand Jobs Survey Offers Chance to Elevate Aging Services, Survey Closes September 30
The Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation has launched an In-Demand Jobs Survey so that businesses can provide more insight to Ohio’s workforce needs.
09/25/2019
Town Hall Offered LeadingAge Ohio Members Unique Opportunity to Interact with ODM
Over 40 LeadingAge Ohio members joined the LeadingAge Ohio Town Hall conversation held on September 29 in conjunction with the Annual Trade Show and Conference.
09/18/2019
ODM Reports on Eligibility Backlog at Monthly Meeting
At its September meeting with the Ohio Department of Medicaid, representatives from ODM reported that the Medicaid pending numbers had shrunk to 20,000 pending cases beyond 45 days, down from nearly quadruple that number one year ago.
09/18/2019
Efforts to Educate Providers on Weapons Policy Underway
The LeadingAge Learning Hub is offering a webinar which will outline relevant 2nd Amendment, federal and state requirements that may impact a senior living community’s ability to restrict or ban weapons on campus.
09/18/2019
Free Training: Creating a Culture of Person-Directed Dementia Care
The Ohio Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman and The Eden Alternative have collaborated on a grant project allowing Ohio nursing home providers, state surveyors and ombudsman to create well-being for those living with dementia and hone leadership skills.
09/18/2019
BFCC-QIO Memorandum of Agreement Compliance Audit
At the beginning of each BFCC-QIO contract cycle, healthcare providers that participate in Medicare are required to sign a MOA with Livanta.
09/18/2019
Updated Roadmap to Behavioral Health
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have updated the Roadmap to Behavioral Health.
09/18/2019
Pain Management: CDC Conversation Starters
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new fact sheets for patients and physicians to encourage conversation around pain management options and risks of opioid medication use.
09/18/2019
ODH Meeting at LeadingAge Ohio October 22 - Members Encouraged to Attend!
LeadingAge Ohio will be hosting a meeting with the Ohio Department of Health on October 22 to focus on emergency preparedness and life safety code topics.
09/18/2019
Ohio Department of Health Releases 2019 State Health Assessment
This month, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) officially released its 2019 State Health Assessment.
09/18/2019
LeadingAge Ohio 2020 Membership Renewal to Launch Next Week
As you review your 2020 budget, don’t forget to include your membership dues with LeadingAge Ohio.
09/11/2019
CMS Releases Revised and Additional Instructions for Billing Under PDGM
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released Transmittal 4378/Change Request (CR) – Home Health (HH) Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) – Revised and Additional Manual Instructions.
09/11/2019
Hospice Room and Board Clarification – Working with Medicaid Managed Care Plans
Due to guidance Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) received from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), effective July 1, 2019 Medicaid Managed Care and MyCare Ohio plans were required to make room and board payments to hospice providers directly for individuals residing in a nursing facility.
09/11/2019
LeadingAge Ohio and Lorain County Community College Host Lt. Governor Husted, Chancellor Gardner, and Public Officials to Celebrate Apprenticeships
Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner, and other public officials joined LeadingAge Ohio and Lorain County Community College (LCCC) at LCCC to unveil an apprenticeship pathway for STNAs and healthcare.
09/06/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Special E-Bulletin: 2019 Annual Conference Recap
LeadingAge Ohio welcomed over 600 attendees from across the state of Ohio last week for the 2019 LeadingAge Ohio Annual Conference and Trade Show. This year’s theme, “What If”, sought to spark our imagination about what’s possible when we open our minds to dream big, without limits.
09/04/2019
‘Housing Happenings’ Calls Available to LeadingAge Ohio Members
LeadingAge Maryland and LeadingAge DC have created a series of ‘Housing Happenings’ calls for housing operators across the country.
09/04/2019
HUD Releases 2020 Fair Market Rents
The US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) recently released the 2020 Fair Market Rents (FMRs), which will become effective October 1, 2019 unless HUD receives a valid request for reevaluation of specific area FMRs.
09/04/2019
Good Shepherd Home’s Chris Widman Appointed to BELTSS
On August 27, 2019, Governor Mike DeWine appointed LeadingAge Ohio Member and newly elected LeadingAge Ohio Board member, Chris Widman, Executive Director of Good Shepherd Home in Fostoria, to the Board of Executives of Long-Term Services and Supports (BELTSS).
09/04/2019
LeadingAge Congressional Update to Relaunch
The LeadingAge Member Congressional Update call was cancelled for August due to the Congressional recess and will be relaunched in September on Thursday, 9/26.
09/04/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Invites Members to “Advocacy in Action”
Beginning Monday, September 11, LeadingAge Ohio members are encouraged to join a monthly call to learn the latest updates on emerging legislation, policy changes, and how they can get more involved in advancing LeadingAge Ohio’s advocacy agenda.
09/04/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Welcomes Two New Members to Board of Directors, Honors Two Outgoing Board Members
At its Annual Meeting on August 27, LeadingAge Ohio recognized the service of two long-term Board members as their terms on the LeadingAge Ohio Board of Directors ended.
08/29/2019
CMS to Issue Corrected SNF VBP Performance Score Reports by Aug. 31
CMS notified SNFs on Aug 22 that they made an error in calculating the baseline period performance (FY2016 data) used to determine their readmission performance scores.
08/29/2019
MyCare Ohio Demonstration: Early Successes and Stakeholder Insights on Integrating Care for Dually Eligible Beneficiaries
To provide more integrated, coordinated care for its residents who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, Ohio is operating a demonstration under the Financial Alignment Initiative offered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
08/21/2019
Bricker & Eckler Prepares CON Summary
One of the many changes included for nursing homes in the FY 2020-2021 biennial budget was significant reforms to Ohio’s certificate of need (CON) process.
08/21/2019
New SNF PDPM Videos Released
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have released two videos to help facilities prepare for the change to Patient-driven Payment Model (PDPM) on October 1.
08/21/2019
SNF QRP Two-Day Training Materials Available
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have released the training materials from the SNF QRP in-person training that was held in Baltimore, Maryland on August 13 and 14.
08/21/2019
Provider Preview Reports Available
The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been released.
08/21/2019
BELTSS Rules Up for Public Review
The Ohio Board of Executives of Long-Term Services and Supports (BELTSS) is reminding LeadingAge Ohio members that the public comment period to review several rules is open.
08/21/2019
Make Your Voice Heard at Town Hall
At next week’s LeadingAge Ohio Annual Conference and Trade Show, Ohio Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran will join LeadingAge Ohio President/CEO Kathryn Brod to hear your most pressing concerns at the annual Town Hall on Thursday, August 29 from 8:30-9:45am.
08/21/2019
Keynote Speakers at Annual Conference to Share Story of Hope Overcoming Disability
Next week, the LeadingAge Ohio Annual Conference kicks off on Tuesday, August 27 with Justin Skeesuck & Patrick Gray’s “I’ll Push You” presentation during the General Session from 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
08/14/2019
Review Choice Demonstration to Begin in Ohio on September 30
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) recently announced that the next state to participate in the Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) is Ohio and it will begin on September 30.
08/14/2019
CMS Proposes Expanded Role for Physician Assistants in Hospice CoP
The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) released this article this week discussing Physician Assistants in the Hospice Conditions of Participation (CoPs).
08/14/2019
Update on the OIG Report on Potential Abuse or Neglect of Patients
Earlier in July, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report, CMS Could Use Medicare Data to Identify Instances of Potential Abuse or Neglect, discussing how the OIG identified potential cases of abuse or neglect utilizing diagnosis codes on claims for beneficiaries treated in emergency rooms.
08/14/2019
Episocal Retirement Services Megan Bradford Joins 2020 LeadingAge Leadership Academy
Megan Bradford, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Episcopal Retirement Services in Cincinnati, is joining the class of 2020 LeadingAge (National) Leadership Academy.
08/07/2019
Adult Day Fact Sheets Available from LeadingAge
LeadingAge national has been working on a series of state-level fact sheets on adult day services. The purpose of these is to help raise the profile of adult day, help push out existing state data on adult day and provide a resource for state advocacy.
08/07/2019
New Disaster Preparedness Resources Released
ASPR TRACIE has released new disaster preparedness resources.
08/07/2019
SNF Payment and Policy Changes FY 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule for SNF Medicare payment rates and quality programs on July 30. The regulation will be effective on October 1, 2019. The projected aggregate payment for SNFs for FY 2020 is an increase of $851 million or 2.4% from FY 2019.
08/07/2019
SNF 3-Day Rule Billing Fact Sheet
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a fact sheet on the three-day prior hospitalization before skilled nursing facility (SNF) admission rule. This fact sheet reiterates that Medicare beneficiaries must meet the rule by staying three consecutive days in an inpatient hospital with the admission day counting toward the three days and the discharge day not counting toward the three days.
08/07/2019
CMS Proposes Rule Reducing Regulatory Burden for RoP, LeadingAge Provides Guidance
LeadingAge has provided a Q&A document developed to address the proposed rule published July 18 affecting the Requirements of Participation for nursing homes.
08/07/2019
ODM Clarifies July 1 Rates, Market Basket Increase Takes Effect July 18
Earlier this week, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) announced Medicaid payment rates for nursing facilities beginning July 1, 2019. The attached memo outlines how to bill the nursing facility claims with multiple details in order to ensure proper payment.
08/07/2019
LeadingAge Encourages Members to Participate in Workforce Calls
LeadingAge (national) has partnered with LeadingAge Maryland to offer a new, convenient way for members to explore practical ideas and solutions related to building engaged, healthy workforces within their organizations. A variety of topics, ideas, practices, and solutions will be discussed on a series of workforce-focused conference calls.
08/07/2019
House Passes Budget Bill, President Endorses Deal to Help Housing Programs
The House of Representatives passed a budget bill this week and raised the debt ceiling for two years. Despite some fears of a federal shutdown, a budget passed that should help housing programs nationwide.
07/31/2019
LeadingAge National Responds to OIG Reports on Hospice Deficiencies
Yesterday, Representatives Neal and Brady, the chair and ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee sent a letter to CMS asking how they are responding to recent Office of the Inspector General reports and recommendations that focus on hospice deficiencies.
07/31/2019
ODM Offers EVV Resources to Providers
Provider engagement with Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is growing rapidly as the Phase II implementation date of August 5, 2019 approaches.
07/31/2019
CMS Contracting with Abt Associates, Inc. to Recruit Focus Groups for the Hospice Patient Assessment Instrument
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has contracted with Abt Associates, Inc. to recruit experienced hospice providers and clinical staff to participate in virtual focus groups to provide input on the hospice patient assessment instrument.
07/31/2019
BELTSS Rules Up For Review
Section 119.032 of the Revised Code requires the Board of Executives of Long-Term Services and Supports (BELTSS) to review the rules of Chapter 4751 of the Ohio Administrative Code no later than the rules’ assigned review dates.
07/31/2019
ODM Holds EVV Stakeholder Meeting, PowerPoint Recap Available
The Ohio Department of Medicaid held an EVV Stakeholder Meeting on July 17, 2019.
07/31/2019
It’s That Important: Deadline Extended to August 16 for LeadingAge Member Survey
On June 6, LeadingAge launched its most inclusive member survey yet.
07/24/2019
LeadingAge Learning HUB Webinars
Live and recorded presentations on timely topics or issues of critical importance to aging services providers. (60-90 minutes).
07/24/2019
SNF Quality Reporting Program: Non-Compliance Letters
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are providing notifications to facilities that were determined to be out of compliance with the quality reporting requirements for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP), which will affect their FY 2020 Annual Payment Update (APU).
07/24/2019
ODH: Legionnaires’ Disease in Ohio, Citation Trends and Tips, Complaint Letters
LeadingAge Ohio participated in the Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) quarterly provider association meeting on July 10.
07/24/2019
RoP Phase 3 Information Released
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to delay Phase 3 of the Requirements of Participation (RoPs).
07/24/2019
ODH Required Postings
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has released a one-page tip sheet on the required postings for homes.
07/24/2019
Emergency Preparedness Workgroup
LeadingAge Ohio and many of its members attended the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Emergency Preparedness (EP) workgroup meeting on July 17, 2019.
07/24/2019
BELTSS Workforce Survey
The Ohio Board of Executives of Long-Term Services and Supports (BELTSS) would like to learn more about licensed nursing home administrators, their history, job satisfaction, career plan and more in order to better understand the perspective of licensees and provide better support to them.
07/24/2019
State Plans Future Workforce Efforts, Help Us Give Aging Services a Strong Voice
Ohio's In-Demand Jobs List helps drive state and federal investments in our workforce.
07/24/2019
Budget Details Emerge, Questions Remain
Last week, the Ohio Legislature passed a budget which included significant increases for long-term services and supports providers, including 5.1% increases for Ohio’s Assisted Living and PASSPORT waivers, as well as preservation of a 2.4% increase for nursing facilities, by way of a new quality incentive payment.
07/24/2019
The 2019 Art & Writing District Show People’s Choice Winners
Congratulations to all our 2019 Art & Writing District Show People’s Choice Winners!
07/19/2019
LTSS Budget Appropriations Remain Despite Vetoes
Once the official veto boxed text was made available late yesterday afternoon, we are pleased to confirm the increased funding appropriated for LTSS in HB 166 remains. The Administration is committed to working with stakeholders through the rate setting process to achieve the desired outcomes for HCBS as outlined in HB 166. We look forward to working with the Administration throughout the stakeholder process and will continue to advocate for the best outcome for those we serve.
07/17/2019
Home Health Cost Report Changes Coming
On April 16, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published notice in the Federal Register of plans to revise the existing home health freestanding cost reporting instructions and forms (1728-94) with revised forms and instructions (1728-19).
07/17/2019
New Home Health Agency PEPPER Available
The Q4CY18 release of the Home Health Agency (HHA) Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) with statistics through December 2018 is now available for download through the PEPPER Resources Portal.
07/17/2019
CMS Releases CY 2020 Home Health Proposed Rule
Yesterday afternoon, CMS released the CY 2020 home health proposed rule.
07/17/2019
Key Dates for Hospice Providers
The data shown on provider Preview Reports is the data that will be displayed on the next Hospice Compare refresh.
07/17/2019
CMS Responds To OIG Recommendations
CMS has given response to the July 9 OIG reports and recommendations, saying it will increase oversight of hospice facilities and work to make hospice quality information more accessible on Hospice Compare.
07/17/2019
Lieutenant Governor Husted, ODM Director Corcoran to Headline LeadingAge Ohio Events in Coming Months
Lieutenant Governor Husted, ODM Director Corcoran to Headline LeadingAge Ohio Events in Coming Months
07/17/2019
Scholarships and Student Program at LeadingAge Annual Meeting in San Diego
For the third year, LeadingAge is excited to offer a student program at the 2019 LeadingAge Annual Meeting & EXPO, held October 27–30 in San Diego.
07/10/2019
ODM Posts Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Rates
The Nursing Facility Ventilator Program – Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) rates were posted on the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) nursing facility webpage last week.
07/10/2019
Ohio Awaits Budget, Nursing Homes Await Rates
Last week, The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) announced that it would delay its release of new nursing facility rates until Ohio’s budget bill has passed.
07/10/2019
Workforce and Human Resources In The Spotlight
LeadingAge Ohio created a white paper to highlight the content of LeadingAge Ohio’s recent Human Resources workshop.
07/09/2019
Don't Miss It: The Need For The Full Continuum of Care
Each week, hundreds of stories relevant to aging services providers hit our inbox. Here are a few we wanted to make sure you saw:
07/02/2019
NAHC’s PDGM Workgroup Submits Recommendations to CMS
The Patient Driven Grouping Model (PDGM) Workgroup, convened by the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to address concerns with the diagnoses selection and assignment used to implement the PDGM for home health agencies.
07/02/2019
Senators Promote Palliative Care as NHSC-eligible Primary Care Service
Efforts are under way in Congress to help address the growing need for palliative-care trained medical practitioners.
07/02/2019
PAS/RR Transitioned to New Vendor on July 1
The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) has transitioned its Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review (PAS/RR) Level II - Serious Mental Illness (SMI) assessments to be provided by Ascend, a MAXIMUS Company on July 1.
07/02/2019
Complete the LeadingAge Member Survey Today!
On June 6, LeadingAge launched its most inclusive member survey yet.
07/01/2019
Ohio General Assembly Passes 17-day Interim Budget
On Sunday, June 30, the Ohio General Assembly passed SB 171, an interim operating budget that will extend Ohio’s biennial budget negotiations by 17 days.
06/26/2019
LeadingAge Ohio, ODM Meet to Discuss PASRR Changes
On Tuesday, July 25, LeadingAge Ohio met with staff from the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (MHAS) to discuss the overall functioning of Ohio’s Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PAS/RR) program, including proposed changes to the PAS/RR Rules.
06/26/2019
Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Introduced in Congress
On Tuesday, June 4, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Todd Young (R-IN), and Representatives Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Kenny Marchant (R-TX), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Jackie Walorski (R-IN), introduced the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (AHCIA) of 2019 (S. 1703 and H.R. 3077), bipartisan legislation to strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
06/26/2019
President Establishes White House Council on Affordable Housing, Names Secretary Carson Chair
On Tuesday, June 25, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the White House Council on Eliminating Barriers to Affordable Housing, and named Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson as its chairperson.
06/26/2019
ODM to Release Rates by Friday
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) previously announced that it would release updated rates by Friday, July 21.
06/26/2019
Disaster Preparedness: The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019
The US Department of Health and Human Services has released an article regarding the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019 which was signed into law on June 24, 2019.
06/26/2019
CMS Issues RFI Seeking New Ideas on Patients Over Paperwork Initiative
On Thursday, June 7, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking new ideas from the public on how to continue the progress of the Patients over Paperwork initiative.
06/19/2019
Mandatory EVV Beginning in August for Phase II Services, ODM Offers Their Assistance
Beginning August 5, Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) will be mandatory for Phase II services in Ohio.
06/19/2019
ODM Asking for Feedback on HCBS Statewide Transition Plan
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) is giving LeadingAge Ohio members the opportunity to comment on the Home- and Community-based Services (HCBS) Statewide Transition Plan being submitted to CMS for review for final approval.
06/19/2019
ODJFS Now Reporting Elder Abuse on Statewide System
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has launched a statewide system for reporting and tracking cases of elder abuse and neglect.
06/12/2019
Special Focus NFs Under Public Scrutiny
Last week, US Senators Pat Toomey and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania released a list of over 400 nursing facilities nationwide that were at risk of becoming Special Focus Facilities (SFFs) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a designation which denotes an extended pattern of quality and safety violations.
06/12/2019
Compliance Plan Template Available for LeadingAge Ohio members
An organization’s internal auditing should be consistent with the organization’s compliance plan.
06/12/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Offers Legionnaires Toolkit to Members
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) released information regarding the recent Legionella Outbreak at Mount Carmel Grove City Hospital as well as general information about Legionella.
06/12/2019
Connect with Public Officials Through the LeadingAge Ohio Action Center
Last week, LeadingAge Ohio sent out an alert to all members encouraging them to reach out to their Senators in support of LeadingAge Ohio’s issues, including boosting funding for assisted living waiver, nursing homes and PASSPORT services, as well as supporting the housing-based enhanced community living program in PASSPORT.
06/05/2019
CMS Clarification of 5-day Rule for Hospice Comprehensive Assessment
LeadingAge Ohio asked the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) if they would reach out to CMS regarding the 5-day timeframe for completion of the hospice comprehensive assessment since other deemed status surveyors have not counted the time frame the same as the ODH Survey Administrator had suggested to LeadingAge Ohio staff, as noted in the LeadingAge Ohio newsletter 2 week ago.
06/05/2019
Member execs join together to Drive Toward Workforce Solutions at 2019 LeadingAge Ohio Leadership Summit
LeadingAge Ohio member executives and guests joined together on Tuesday June 4 to attend the 2019 Leadership Summit in Dublin at The Conference Center.
05/29/2019
Overpayment Reports Total $14.8 Million, 30-Day Response Window to Close This Friday May 31
On May 1, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) mailed 1,258 active nursing facility overpayment reports for fiscal years 2015 & 2016.
05/29/2019
Northeast STARs Celebrate in Cleveland
This past Thursday, the LeadingAge Ohio STARs event season wrapped up at the Benjamin Rose Institute for Aging in Cleveland, Ohio.
05/28/2019
Senate Bill Boost LTSS Funding
On Tuesday, the pending Senate Sub Bill was shared in Senate Finance Committee, offering the first glimpse at how the Senate prioritizes state programs and spending. The bill is currently being considered by the Senate Finance Committee, and an omnibus amendment is expected early next week with a vote following. The bill will then move to the Senate floor for vote by the end of next week. A conference committee made of Senate and House leadership will then reconcile the differences between the two bills before a concurrence vote and delivery to the Governor for signature.
05/22/2019
ODM Clarifies MyCare and Pass-through
As of July 1, 2019, hospices should be billing room and board for all hospice patients residing in nursing facilities, including those individuals who are MyCare Ohio recipients with Molina, Aetna and United Healthcare Plans.
05/22/2019
Important Hospice F2F Updates from ODM
Two weeks ago in The Source, LeadingAge Ohio included a You Asked, We Answered question about needing a Face to Face (F2F) encounter for Medicaid primary recipients.
05/22/2019
“Careers that Love You Back” Website Launches, Showcases Careers in Aging Services
As part of LeadingAge Ohio’s focus on recruiting the workforce of tomorrow, a website has been created to promote awareness of careers in the aging services workforce sector geared towards younger students.
05/22/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Board Approves 2019-2021 Strategic Plan
Robert Kramer, Founder and Strategic Advisor of the National Investment Center, addressed the LeadingAge Ohio Board of Directors at its May 16 meeting, encouraging the board to consider and understand disruptive forces affecting aging services today and into the future.
05/15/2019
Details Emerge on House Quality Incentive Program
Last week, the Ohio House passed its Sub Bill, which made significant investments in aging services, including over $150 million in nursing facility reimbursement, channeled through a quality incentive program.
05/15/2019
LeadingAge Testifies at Senate Finance Subcommittee
This week, LeadingAge Ohio testified before the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health and Medicaid, sharing thoughts on the proposals that emerged from the House budget process, as well as hopes for additional reforms in the Senate.
05/15/2019
Onboarding Toolkit
05/08/2019
Corcoran Fields Senate Questions on Medicaid Backlog, Spending Growth
In testimony last week, Director of Medicaid Maureen Corcoran shared that the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) has been asked to take corrective action on its backlog in Medicaid applications statewide, which currently topped nearly 80,000.
05/08/2019
Budget in Detail: Summary Document
At press time, the House had not yet released its final biennium budget.
05/08/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Hosts Reps Reineke, Arndt and Director McElroy for In-Demand Jobs Week
This week is In-Demand Jobs Week in Ohio, and over 300 sites statewide are hosting events to call attention to those sectors where rewarding jobs are abundant, and qualified workers are in short supply.
05/07/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Celebrates In Demand Jobs Week
LeadingAge Ohio today hosted a panel discussion at Good Shepherd Home in Fostoria titled "The Power of Partnerships: Mobilizing the Next Generation for a Strong Workforce", where public officials, educators and aging services providers discussed how partnerships between aging services providers and schools are mobilizing our local communities to foster an interest in "Careers That Love You Back" - a name given to an array of careers within the aging field.
05/01/2019
Ohio Non-Profit 5-Star Ratings Reflect Current Workforce Crisis
Ohio non-profit skilled nursing facility 5-star ratings have taken a dip in recent weeks, a trend that mirrors current workforce challenges.
05/01/2019
Budget Sub Bill Due This Week
During a two-week recess, House leadership has been hard at work deliberating which of the hundreds of amendments submitted for HB 166, Ohio’s biennial budget bill, will be included in the substitute (“sub”) bill expected to be introduced in Finance Committee this week.
04/24/2019
South/Southwest STARs Celebrate in Cincinnati
On April 16, the South/Southwest LeadingAge Ohio STARs event was held at Maple Knoll Village in Cincinnati, Ohio.
04/24/2019
Hospice Veteran Partnership of Ohio
Last week LeadingAge Ohio was proud to host the Hospice Veteran Partnership of Ohio meeting as 40+ hospice providers, state officials and Veterans met to discuss their common goal of working together to ensure that excellent care at the end of life is available for our state’s Veterans and their families.
04/24/2019
Draft Hospice Wage Index Rule Released
Late last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed hospice wage index rule for comment, as well as a fact sheet on the rule.
04/17/2019
Long-Term Care, Direct Support Staff Rates In Focus For House Health Budget Panel Members
This year's budget hearings by the House Finance Subcommittee on Health & Human Services differed in one major way from the past two biennial processes, according to Chairman Representative Mark Romanchuk.
04/17/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Comments on ODM Telehealth Rule
This week, LeadingAge Ohio submitted comments on the proposed changes to ODM’s telehealth rule. The draft rule incorporated the majority of the recommendations LeadingAge Ohio made last summer during a stakeholder process on the anticipated rule revision.
04/17/2019
The 2019 STARs Season Starts off at Otterbein St. Marys
On April 11 the first of five LeadingAge Ohio STARs events was held at Otterbein St. Marys in St. Marys, Ohio. Thank you to Melissa Smalley and the entire staff for hosting this event and helping to make it a resounding success!
04/10/2019
Brod Testifies on HB 166 Budget Bill
This week, LeadingAge Ohio President and CEO Kathryn Brod testified before the House Subcommittee on Health and Human Services on HB 166, the biennial budget bill.
04/05/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Wraps Up Week Full of Legislative Visits in Anticipation of House Budget Bill
04/03/2019
ODM to Mail Overpayment Reports on May 1
Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) staff announced that on May 1, ODM will be mailing 1,258 active nursing facility overpayment reports
04/03/2019
LeadingAge Ohio, Members Testify Against SB 36
This week, LeadingAge Ohio members testified before the Senate Ways and Means committee, giving voice to profound concerns about the effect of Senate Bill 36, were it enacted.
03/20/2019
Nursing Home 5 Star Changes Coming April 2019
On March 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a press release detailing all the changes to Nursing Home Compare and the Five Star Rating System that will be occurring in April 2019. According to CMS, “The April 2019 changes include revisions to the calculation of the Health Inspection domain, enhancement of new staffing information, and implementation of new quality measures.”
03/13/2019
LeadingAge Ohio Meets with Directors Corcoran, Davis on EVV
LeadingAge Ohio was invited to meet with Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) Director, Maureen Corcoran, regarding the EVV (Electronic Visit Verification) system.
02/13/2019
ODM Delays EVV Claims Implementation
On Friday, Feb 8th, LeadingAge Ohio along with other provider associations were invited to meet at the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) with Director Maureen Corcoran and the EVV (Electronic Visit Verification) team to hear an update on the Phase 1 EVV implementation and express concerns providers are experiencing with the implementation.
Need Help?
Kathryn Brod, MBA
President/CEO
614-545-9014
kbrod@leadingageohio.org
- Is the association's primary spokesperson
- Oversees staff and daily operations
- Promotes LeadingAge Ohio's position and public policy goals to elected officials; staff liaison to Advocacy Committee
- Responsible for implementing LeadingAge Ohio's strategic direction
- Works with LeadingAge Ohio Board of Directors
- Staff liaison to Human Resources Committee
Patrick Schwartz
Director of Strategic Communications
614-545-9026
pschwartz@leadingageohio.org
- Serves as lead member communications and media strategist for key association initiatives
- Oversees digital strategy, including websites, newsletters and social media channels
- Provides strategic direction for communicating organizational goals and achievements to members, partners, policy makers and the media
- Serves as primary contact for media inquiries
Susan Wallace, MSW
Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs
614-545-9024
swallace@leadingageohio.org
- Primary contact for policy priority development, advocacy and legislative affairs
- Liaison to Advocacy Committee, Home Health, Hospice & HCBS Subcommittee
