Congressman Horsford to Speak at AHCA/NCAL’s ID/DD Hill Fly-in Event Next Week!

AHCA/NCAL’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) Residential Services Providers will be in Washington, D.C., for AHCA/NCAL’s annual Hill Fly-In event on Wednesday, March 6, 2019. Participants will hear from Congressional speakers and others, including Congressman Steven Horsford of Nevada.  The event runs from 8 am – 10:15 am ET.  After the morning event is over, the ID/DD providers will head to Capitol Hill to discuss critical issues, including Medicaid.  If you have any questions relating to this event or would like to attend (it is free to attend, and breakfast and lunch are provided), please don’t hesitate to contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit & Constituent Services, Dana Halvorson.

We Need You for Our New Social Media Initiative

AHCA/NCAL is beginning a new social media advocacy initiative this year and is encouraging all members to get involved.  The effort focuses on improving the overall image of the post-acute and long term care profession by sharing positive stories and pushing back on pieces that attempt to tie all providers to isolated negative events.

AHCA/NCAL will be sending interested members tips for getting more involved on social media, best practices for posting content, sample posts, and a roundup of positive stories about the profession on a regular basis. Individuals who want to get involved should email socialmedia@ahca.org to get on the mailing list. AHCA/NCAL is encouraging all members to get involved.

The campaign also will include a rapid response to stories that are unfairly negative about the profession or do not accurately portray the reality of post-acute and long term care.  AHCA/NCAL hopes to build on these successes as the year continues. With thousands of buildings nationwide who touch the lives of millions of people, there is the chance to seriously affect the way the profession is viewed and treated by lawmakers and the media.

Medicaid and Quality: An AHCA/NCAL Study

The Research team at AHCA/NCAL has been working on a research project to describe the relationship between the proportion of Medicaid beneficiaries in a nursing home and the quality of care, adjusted for facility characteristics. AHCA/NCAL looked at a national sample (n=13,625) of non-hospital based skilled nursing facilities with 25 beds or more who were Medicaid and Medicare certified between November 28, 2015 to November 28, 2017, that are still actively providing care.

The primary independent variable was the proportion of Medicaid beneficiaries, defined as the census of Medicaid beneficiaries over the total resident count at the time of the annual recertification inspection. AHCA/NCAL compared the difference in average percentage of Medicaid beneficiaries by facility bed size, ownership status, location, and chain membership and the overall and each component of Five-Star rating. The team controlled for facility characteristics using logistic regression to estimate the effect of increasing Medicaid prevalence on the odds of achieving average or above average Five-Star ratings (i.e. greater than or equal to 3 stars).

The study showed that, on average, for-profit facilities took care of a significantly higher percentage of Medicaid beneficiaries as compared to not-for-profit (62.5% vs. 48.2%) as did rural facilities compared to urban facilities (63.5% vs. 57.8%). Similarly, larger facilities with more than 120 beds had more Medicaid beneficiaries than smaller facilities with fewer than 50 beds (64.5% vs. 45.9%).

Moreover, in this study, AHCA/NCAL found that Medicaid census and quality are inversely related. More specifically, for facilities with a higher Medicaid beneficiary population, the team observed poorer quality, as compared to facilities with a lower Medicaid beneficiary population. This relationship held even when the team adjusted for facility characteristics.

These preliminary findings were accepted for presentation at the 2019 National Health Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. and were presented by Marsida Domi, AHCA/NCAL’s Senior Research Analyst, on February 05, 2019. The team is currently working on expanding the study to understand the mechanisms of action in the relationship between Medicaid and quality.

‘Live Soulfully’ Announced as 2019 Theme for National Skilled Nursing Care Week

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) recently announced “Live Soulfully” as the 2019 theme for National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW), which will be held May 12-18.  The theme “Live Soulfully” will celebrate skilled nursing centers, and their residents and staff, by showcasing how they achieve happy minds and healthy souls.  Whether it’s planting, cooking, reading or listening to music, these centers pay it forward by helping individuals find happiness to improve quality of life.  Centers will be encouraged to participate by hosting activities that display how they “Live Soulfully” and share their stories and experiences on social media. 

“Each and every person in our profession makes an impact on the lives of our residents,” said AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark Parkinson. “National Skilled Nursing Care Week celebrates our centers and caregivers for their tireless everyday work caring for others.”

Established by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) in 1967, NSNCW, formerly known as National Nursing Home Week, recognizes the essential role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for America’s frail, elderly, and disabled.  Skilled nursing care centers and members of the public can download NSNCW promotional materials at www.ahcancal.org/NSNCW and are encouraged to share activities, ideas, and experiences for the observance on social media using the hashtag, #NSNCW.  AHCA will issue a planning guide and product catalog in late February.  For more information on National Skilled Nursing Care Week, visit www.ahcancal.org/NSNCW​.

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.

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. 

VOR’s Annual Meeting will be held June 8th and 9th, followed by their Legislative Initiative and Hill Visits from June 10th - 12th.  The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill.  More information about VOR can be found here or by emailing VOR at info@vor.net.

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.

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.

Articles and Resources of Interest

• We Want Your Feedback About LTC Trend Tracker – longtermcareleader.com
• Independent Owner Leadership Conference Takes Place Next Month – longtermcareleader.com
• Long Term Care and the Law Conference February 27-March 1, 2019 – longtermcareleader.com
• Participate in the Behavioral Health Salary & Benefits Study – longtermcareleader.com
• Take Advantage of Your “AHCA/NCAL Member Only” Discounts on FedEx Express® Services through PartnerShip® – longtermcareleader.com
• Take Advantage of Your Exclusive AHCA Member Benefits – longtermcareleader.com

Legislative and Agency Corner

• CMS Emergency Preparedness Update – longtermcareleader.com
• CMS Final Rule Adjusting CMPs for Inflation – longtermcareleader.com
• OSHA Finalizes Rule Eliminating Some Reporting Requirements for Large Employers – longtermcareleader.com
• Nursing Home Compare Quarterly Refresh with SNF QRP Data Now Available – longtermcareleader.com

Mark Your Calendar

• Long Term Care and the Law Conference – February 27 – March 1, 2019
• 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    
• AHCA/NCAL 70th Annual Convention & Expo – October 13-16, 2019

2019 Health Care Observances

March 2019 marks, among other observances, National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, Brain Injury Awareness Month, National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and National Nutrition Month.  The 2019 Healthcare Observances Calendar can be found here.