Upcoming 2015 Events

• The National Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Conference - Aug 31- Sept 3, 2015
• AHCA’s ID/DD Day - Oct 4, 2015
• AHCA/NCAL’s Annual Convention & Expo - Oct 4 - 7, 2015
• Pediatric Complex Care Association Annual Conference - Nov 4 - 6, 2015

2015 Health Care Observances

The 2015 AHCA/NCAL Health Care Observances Calendar can be found here.  September marks, among other observances, National Cholesterol Education Month, National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and National Preparedness Month.  

Our New “Hero”

We are pleased to announce that the 2015 ID/DD Hero of the Year award will be presented to Ms. Kara Larsen, a 15-year veteran at the Mission at West Jordan Care Center, West Jordan, Utah. She will receive her award as a guest of AHCA at the Annual AHCA/NCAL Convention in San Antonio, TX, October 4 to 7, 2015. More details will follow in the next edition of ID/DD Digest. 

AHCA’s ID/DD Committee Member, John Lair, Featured in American Airlines American Way Magazine

Earlier this year, Special Olympics North America announced the selection of John Lair of Pittsburg, Kansas as Special Olympics North America's 2014 Coach of the Year.  According to the April 27, 2015, press release from Special Olympics, “the Coach of the Year Award was established in the late 1980’s and is given annually to an active, certified Special Olympics coach who has met several criteria, particularly their having made a significant and demonstrable impact on local Special Olympics Programs and their communities.  There are over 120,000 coaches within Special Olympics North America, providing instruction and competition in more than 32 sports. The impressive scope and contributions of all those coaches, puts the momentousness of this award into perspective.”  Learn more about John and this prestigious award on the Special Olympics website.

John was featured in the July 2015 edition of the American Airlines American Way Magazine in an article written by Todd Aaron Jensen entitled, Triumph of the Spirit.  You can read the full article here.

Regulations Published for Implementation of ABLE Act

The Internal Revenue Service published proposed regulations concerning the implementation of the Stephen Beck, Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act) of 2014.  The proposed regulations are titled Guidance Under Section 529A: Qualified ABLE Programs and were published on June 22, 2015.  The regulations address an explanation of provisions, the qualifications of an ABLE program, the standard for disability determination, limits on contributions to the account, and various other issues.  Public comments are due by September 21, 2015.  A public hearing to address these regulations is scheduled for October 14, 2015.  For the full version of the regulations, click here. 

A Day for ID/DD Providers at AHCA/NCAL Convention is Sunday, October 4, 2015

A Day for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Residential Services Providers will be held on Sunday, October 4, 2015, at the 66th AHCA/NCAL Annual Convention & Expo.  The theme for this year's session is called, “Leading the Charge for Compassionate Care: A Day for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Residential Services Providers.”  This constituency education program for ID/DD providers is packed with motivational and educational speakers. Charles Bloom, Chief Strategic Officer for the Marquis Companies/Consonus Healthcare in Milwaukie, OR, is the keynote speaker, and will explore and examine with attendees the background of intentional culture and how it can create meaning and purpose in our work. Intentional culture allows us to keep the meaning and purpose in our work, without it, nothing else matters. Participants will also have the opportunity to hear from other educational and top-notch speakers, including CMS.  Learn more about ID/DD Day.  Register today and earn 7.0 CEUs.

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 new 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.