Long Term Care Sector Addresses Caregiver Shortage with Innovative Workforce Resource Center

Finding a qualified workforce is one of the largest challenges facing long term care providers. The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently unveiled new resources to help members attract and retain qualified caregivers in the more than 13,500 member centers nationwide. 
The online Workforce Resource Center includes resources and tools for AHCA/NCAL members to learn more about effective strategies for recruiting, retention and staff development.  The association also announced a partnership with PHI, a leading provider of workforce training programs.  PHI offers a range of services that help providers attract quality workers, promote excellent care, reduce turnover and achieve cost efficiencies. AHCA/NCAL and PHI will provide coaching, training and consulting to help long term care providers deliver quality care. 
“Our members have been clear that staffing is one of their biggest challenges,” said Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “The tools we’ve developed, and our partnership with the premier organization in long term care training and development, will provide valuable resources for our members.” 

The health care system has experienced a shortage of trained caregivers for critical roles for some time. The federal government estimates nearly 27 million people will need some kind of long term care by 2050, magnifying the workforce shortage that already exists. 

“AHCA/NCAL will continue to develop workforce resources that help our members maintain the high quality of care they provide for America’s seniors and people with disabilities,” said Parkinson.  

AHCA/NCAL Supports HEADs UP Act

AHCA/NCAL has added its name in support of the Healthcare Extension and Accessibility for Developmentally disabled and Underserved Population Act (HEADs UP Act) of 2018 (H.R. 6611), which was introduced by Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-6) and Rep. Greg Harper (R-MS-3). This bipartisan legislation would designate people with intellectual and developmental disability (ID/DD) as a Medically Underserved Population (MUP). Many feel this designation is needed as people with ID/DD experience poorer health outcomes, shortened life expectancies, and lack access to even the most basic forms of care when compared to the non-disabled population. A designation as a MUP would help to close these gaps and achieve better health outcomes for the entire ID/DD population.

Despite the large and growing size of the population with ID/DD, there are few primary care providers and even fewer specialists who are trained to treat the ID/DD population.  The MUP designation would open up over 25 government programs within the Health Resources & Services Administration and other federal agencies for the ID/DD population.These programs include, among other things, incentives for physicians to treat this population in the form of higher Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement rates for physician services delivered in Health Professional Shortage Areas, a designation closely related to MUP.  More information on the bill can be found here.

AHCA Honors 2018 Award Recipients

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) honored the recipients for the 2018 AHCA Awards program last week in San Diego at the AHCA/NCAL 69th Annual Convention.  Each year, AHCA recognizes the men and women who selflessly care for individuals in long term and post-acute care centers, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) residences.  Honorees demonstrate selflessness, compassion, and strive to enhance the lives of seniors and individuals with disabilities in their communities.  The 2018 AHCA Awards recipients can be found here. 

Coalition Fights to Keep Medical Expense Deductions in Place

An AARP-led coalition that includes the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) delivered a letter on Sept. 6 to leading U.S. Senators asking them to continue their fight to maintain the medical expense deduction, which was temporarily extended through 2018 in last year’s tax cut law.  The coalition sent their message to Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), thanking the trio for their leadership in preserving the medical expense deduction last year and urging their continued assistance in keeping it in place after this year.  Pointing to the long history of the deduction, the letter said for the past 75 years Americans with high health care costs have been able to deduct medical expenses from their taxes.  AHCA/NCAL has said that many of these individuals are in long term care, thus making it a significant issue for our members.  Some of the other members of the coalition include the Alzheimer’s Association, American Heart Association, American Psychological Association, March of Dimes, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

ICF/IID Reports

AHCA's Research Department has released the following June 2018 updates for use by AHCA/NCAL members (Login Required):

• LTC Stats: Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID) Standard Health Survey Report, June 2018
• LTC Stats: Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID), Facility and Resident Characteristics, June 2018

The standard health survey report includes Emergency Preparedness (E-tags) this year for the first time.  If you have any questions relating to these reports, which include important ICF/IID state and national data, please contact AHCA’s Research Director, Kiran Sreenivas.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Grassroots Advocacy – Facility Visits Over Recess

Holly Jarek, AHCA's ID/DD Committee Chair, encourages AHCA's ID/DD providers to participate in our grassroots advocacy efforts in 2018.  AHCA would like to help you get facility tours and in-district meetings set up over future recess days.  Please provide your name, facility address, and email address and we will craft the invite and send it to you to send to the Congressional office.  The four brief steps for a successful facility tour visit can be found here.  Please feel free to contact Matthew Smyth and Dana Halvorson who can help you with all of the logistics.

AHCA’s ID/DD Committee members, Renee Naylor (pictured to the left) and Kelly Head-Halladay (pictured to the right), met with Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR-5), during AHCA’s ID/DD Residential Services Providers annual Hill Fly-In event. 

U.S. Congressional Calendars

As you are planning your visits with members of Congress and their staff in Washington, D.C., or in your district, the Congressional calendars will be of assistance to you.  The U.S. House of Representatives calendar for the 115^th Congress, second session, can be found here.  The U.S. Senate schedule for 2018 can be found here​.

AHCA/NCAL Advocacy App

If you haven’t already heard about it, then we wanted to alert you to a great app that allows you to keep abreast of AHCA advocacy efforts.  Among other things, it provides important talking points, issue briefs and features that allow you to take action.  It will be useful not only to you, but serves as a great way for providers to weigh in.  You can get the app by clicking on the appropriate black box below.

 

Download our advocacy app!

   

VOR Corner

VOR is a national nonprofit organization advocating for high quality care and human rights for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). VOR empowers its members to make and protect quality of life choices for individuals with developmental disabilities.  Founded in 1983, VOR is a national 501(c)(3) organization governed by a volunteer board of directors and funded solely by dues and donations.  VOR represents primarily individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families/guardians.  VOR advocates that the final determination of what is appropriate depends on the unique abilities and needs of the individual and desires of the family and guardians.  More information about VOR can be found here.  For more information, contact info@vor.net or call them toll-free at 877-399-4867.

Pediatric Complex Care Association 2018 Educational Conference Next Week!

The Pediatric Complex Care Association conference will be held October 24^th – October 26^th, 2018 in Portland Oregon.  The conference brings together providers of care for children with medical complexity that may include Physicians, Nurse Practitioners & Nurses, Pediatric Nursing Home Administrators, Occupational, Physical, Recreation & Respiratory Therapists, Social Workers, Speech Pathologists and Special Educators for two and a half days filled with excellent learning opportunities and valuable time to network with peers and learn from key vendors.  Conference information can be found here: https://conta.cc/2P7e2yG

Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA) and 2019 Annual Conference

As the premier resource for practicing I/DD nurses, DDNA is committed to providing quality education programs that include cutting edge content with practical application.  The DDNA 27^th Annual Education Conference will be held in New Orleans, LA, from June 7 – 10, 2019.  For more information about the DDNA conference or to become a member, visit their website at: DDNA.org.

We’ve Got You Covered! AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions Website

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) now offers a variety of comprehensive insurance programs to meet your business needs. Backed by the strength of our membership, AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions programs are designed with exclusive member savings and discounts for both the fully-insured or self-insured members.

The program offers health insurance options, group and voluntary benefit packages, an aggressive Stop-Loss insurance program as well as cloud based HR platforms that will help members achieve savings and greater efficiencies on HR services within your company, while also tracking and reporting on key Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements.  For more information, please contact AHCA’s Dave Kyllo at dkyllo@AHCA.org and visit the AHCA/NCAL Insurance Solutions website.  

AHCA’s State of the States Clearinghouse

AHCA members have access to key Medicaid and Medicare information through the State of the States Clearinghouse.  The AHCA State of the States Clearinghouse is a one stop shop for key Medicaid and Medicare information impacting the long term care profession.

This resource provides valuable data, including:

• Overview of the demographic landscape;
• State-specific nursing center occupancy and ownership breakouts; 
• Certificate of Need requirements for nursing centers and state licensure requirements; 
• State data on the cost of care for long term services and supports;  
• State data on the total number of Medicare enrollees; 
• Data on state Medicare Advantage plan enrollees and comparisons to the national average; 
• State and national Medicaid expenditure data;
• State Medicaid rates, costs and shortfalls;
• And other significant state-specific data related to payment structure, managed long term services and home and community based services coverage.

AHCA will continue to provide the most up-to-date information through the Clearinghouse and share new data/resources as they become available.  Also be sure to visit the AHCA Medicaid Page to learn more about the program and to access additional AHCA members-only Medicaid resources.

Articles and Resources of Interest

• AHCA/NCAL Elects Board of Governors, Directors at Annual Convention in San Diego – ahcancal.org
• AHCA/NCAL Annual Convention Kicks Off in San Diego – ahcancal.org
• Ideas to Strengthen Your Recruitment Program – longtermcareleader.com
• National Quality Award Program Update – longtermcareleader.com
• Delivering the Distinct Feeling of Fall with Mood Media – longtermcareleader.com
• Be Seen Like Never Before: Our $250 Sale Price Gets Your Job Posting Connected Nationwide to Nearly 300 Health Care Associations and Professional Societies – longtermcareleader.com
• Ranking Names Best Cities For People With Special Needs – wallethub.com
• Not just a feel-good step: Businesses are increasingly hiring people with disabilities, and it’s helping the bottom line – chicagotribune.com

Legislative and Agency Corner

• New CMS Data Show Greater Antipsychotic Percent Reduction Rate Among AHCA Members – ahcancal.org  
• New DOL Websites for Employees and Companies – longtermcareleader.com
• Social Security Checks To Get Big Increase In 2019 – forbes.com
• New Law Will Create Bill of Rights for Airline Passengers With Disabilities – themighty.com
• Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Reintroduce The ACE Kids Act – joebarton.house.gov
• ABLE Accounts - Tax Benefit for People with Disabilities – irs.gov
• New supplemental awards boost NIH funding for research on Down syndrome – nih.gov

AHCA/NCAL Learning Management Website

AHCA/NCAL has a comprehensive online Learning Management System to support the training needs of its members. The website, known as ahcancalED, contains a wealth of information including educational programs, webinars, instructional videos, training courses, and other tools. It is available free to AHCA/NCAL members.

"We created ahcancalED for our members who do not have the time or budget to develop the newest in-service training," said Dr. David Gifford, AHCA/NCAL Senior Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs. "Our objective also was to provide the best and latest educational tools, especially as CMS increases its regulatory requirements about staff training and competency in a number of areas. ahcancalED is designed to help individuals in our profession do a better job of caring for patients and residents and advance in their careers."

The information on ahcancalED is structured to make the online learning experience engaging, meaningful, and interactive for users. The fresh graphics and clearly defined sections within the site make it easy for users to navigate and find the information they need. The site also allows users to track their own learning progress.

Teams of experts from around the country working with AHCA/NCAL staff helped to create the content. "We will constantly be adding new programs and materials so that we can keep the site fresh and dynamic," said Gifford. "We'll continue to look for new ways the site can grow and serve our members. It's a great value-added benefit and a tangible example of our commitment to enhancing quality."

ahcancalED can be accessed at https://educate.ahcancal.org/. Suggestions for content or other site enhancements can be submitted to the ahcancalED team at educate@ahca.org. AHCA/NCAL welcomes ideas that will help improve quality and strengthen the knowledge, skills and attitudes of staff in the long term and post-acute care community.

Webinars of Interest

Stay informed and tune in to ahcancalED for several pre-recorded and live webinars on topics impacting the long-term care profession. Webinars that might be of interest are noted below.  

• 2019 Quality Award Examiners Overview Webinar
• Compliance Considerations for Assisted Living Communities
• Introducing the AL Cost Calculator
• Quality Award Portal - How To
• Are You Ready for the New Not-for-Profit Financial Statements Reporting and Revenue Recognition Standards?
• Patient-Driven Payment Model – An Overview, AHCA Priority Comments, and Outlook for the Final Rule
• International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI)
• Protecting your Tax Exempt Status....It's not just a legal issue
• The Value of Strong Relationships with the Medical Director and Medical Providers in Achieving Desired Clinical and Performance Outcomes

You also might be interested in an AADMD Virtual Grand Rounds Aging in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities webinar, which can be viewed here.  The ARC has also has webinars this year that might be of interest.  

From the Blog of Josh Linkner

Noted on the Josh Linkner blog, “To Josh Linkner, creativity and innovation are the lifeblood of all human progress. As such, he’s spent his career harnessing the power of creative disruption.  His journey has been non-traditional at every step. As the founder and CEO of four tech companies, Josh built his businesses from a blank page into a combined value of over $200 million. As a hyper-growth CEO of over 20 years, he’s used innovative approaches to topple competitors, fight through adversity, and achieve at the highest levels.”  The bio section of Linkner’s blog goes on to include that, “Josh is an internationally-recognized thought leader and top-rated keynote speaker on innovation, creativity, reinvention, and hyper-growth leadership. His keynotes are focused on not only inspiring audiences, but also sharing actionable strategies to drive meaningful outcomes.” 

Read some of Linkner’s blogs below.  In addition, you can view some of his keynote speaking addresses here.

• We’ve Been Banksy’d
• What Business Can Learn From Our (Nutty) Political Landscape
• The Honey Badger Mindset of Achievement
• Two Powerful (And Surprisingly Fun) Brainstorming Techniques
• Back to School
• Well-Rounded is Over-Rated
• The Beauty of Forest Fires
• How PepsiCo is Reinventing a Category with Bubly
• Why the Term “Entrepreneur” Should be Replaced

National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities

The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) holds a monthly call or webinar concerning topics of interest to those who work in the field of aging and disability.  One of the past calls focused on resources for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias and their caregivers.  Information about future calls, and audio recording of previous ones, can be found here.

Upcoming 2018/2019 Events

• AHCA’s ID/DD Hill Fly-In Event – March 6, 2019 (contact dhalvorson@ahca.org for further info)
• AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit (Tampa, FL) – March 18 – 20, 2019
• AHCA/NCAL Independent Owner Leadership Conference 2019 (Tampa, FL) – March 20 – 22, 2019    

2018 Health Care Observances

November 2018 marks, among other observances, National Family Caregivers Month, National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, American Diabetes Month, and National Hospice and Palliative Care Month.  The 2018 Healthcare Observances Calendar can be found here.