What’s New
LeadingAge DC visits the Armed Forces Retirement Home
On, April 7th, LeadingAge Members visited the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Participants were able to learn about the small house design of the Scott Building and the unique history and services provided at the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Thank you Armed Forces Retirement Home!
LeadingAge Leadership Academy – Now Accepting Applications
The Leadership Academy is a year-long leadership development program designed to enhance the leadership skills and core competencies of not-for-profit leaders within the LeadingAge membership. More information and application
2015 LeadingAge Annual Awards -Call for Nominations
Entries are now being accepted for the 2015 national LeadingAge Awards. Please encourage your members to nominate deserving individuals or organizations in one or more of our 10 award categories. Entries must be submitted online by April 30 and will be judged by a committee of LeadingAge members. Each award winner will receive national recognition, a crystal pillar and a free registration to the 2015 LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Exposition in Boston, Nov. 1-4. See details and entry forms Direct any questions about the 2015 awards to Deborah Cloud, 202-508-9458, who will be happy to answer them.
National Update
President Obama Signs “Doc Fix” Legislation
On April 14, 2015, the United States Senate resoundingly passed H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, better known as the “doc fix” bill. The bill will be signed into law by President Barack Obama in the coming days.
Supported by LeadingAge, this important legislation will repeal Medicare’s sustainable growth rate and improve Medicare physician pay rates, extend the therapy caps exceptions process for two years, and eliminate the prospect of larger permanent cuts in Medicare post-acute care reimbursement to pay for further temporary patches. LeadingAge members and advocates played a critical role in pushing the “doc fix” bill over the finish line. We met with 270 Congressional offices during the PEAK Leadership Summit last month and sendt more than 2,000 letters to Capitol Hill, including 1,300 on April 14th alone. Our advocacy sent a clear message to lawmakers: take the “doc fix” bull by the horns and permanently solve the problem in a bipartisan way. And they did. How does this affect you? Transition to ICD-10
The transition to ICD-10, by October 1, 2015, marks an important step forward for our nation’s health care system.
- Stay Informed
- Visit the CMS ICD-10 website for the latest news and resources to help you prepare.
- Sign up for CMS ICD-10 Industry Email Updates
LeadingAge DC will be conducting Webinars to assist members during this transition. Please email Christy Kramer for more information.
SNFs can Volunteer to submit Payroll data to CMS
CMS has long identified staffing as one of the vital components of a nursing home’s ability to provide quality care. CMS posts staffing information on the CMS Nursing Home Compare website, and it is used in the Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System, however it is currently self-reported. As part of the ACA CMS will begin to VOLUNTARILY ask for people to submit their payroll data electronically beginning 10/1/15. As of night mandatory reporting of Payroll Data is set for 7/1/16, but that date could change. Registration for voluntary submission will begin in August 2015, and CMS will communicate more information at that time. Training will also be provided on registration and for both voluntary and mandatory submissions.
Local Update
Budget Oversight Hearings
The Council of the District of Columbia Budget Oversight Hearings are well underway. LeadingAge DC submitted testimony to the Committee on Health and Human Services as well as testified at the Budget Oversight Hearing conducted by the Committee on Housing and Community Development. Two major areas of concern include:
- The reprogramming of the $4.9 million dollars of the Nursing Home Quality Fund. LeadingAge DC’s testimony strongly opposed the reprogramming of these dollars that should be used only for improving the care, safety and health of residents in Medicaid certified nursing facilities.
- On April 20, 2015, LeadingAge DC urged the committee to support baseline funding of $100 million for the Housing Production Trust Fund, at least $2 million for the local rent supplement program, and stronger oversight and reform of the Single Family Residential Rehabilitation Program (SFRRP) and the Handicapped Accessibility Improvement Program (HAIP).
Member Opportunities and Resources
Governing for Strategic Success
A new governance program led by renowned governance speaker and author Jamie Orlikoff will roll out this summer. The retreat will prepare boards for strategic planning discussions to help move forward in the rapidly changing aging services environment. Three two-day retreats will be offered in June, July and August in Denver, Philadelphia and Chicago. These retreats are for board chairs, chairs-elect and CEOs as well as full boards and leadership teams. Members can get more information and register on the LeadingAge Website.
Insights/Quality Metrics Update
LeadingAge Quality Metrics is a set of interactive data tools that assists nursing homes in analyzing how they measure up to their peers, demonstrate value, and improve performance. Leveraging Nursing Home Compare data, Quality Metrics allows nursing homes to compare themselves against nearby or comparably sized nursing homes. It also offers a tool to help predict Five-Star status and provide guidance on where to focus to increase their rating. Read More
New Home Health Tool: Upcoming Webinars on Accessing Using
Home Health Quality Metrics is the latest addition to LeadingAge Insights and complements Nursing Home Quality Metrics, an interactive data tool that provides skilled nursing homes with the ability to analyze their 5-star ratings, staffing, quality measures and deficiencies.
Beginning this month, LeadingAge members now have access to Home Health Quality Metrics, an interactive benchmarking tool that uses Home Health Compare data to analyze process and outcome quality measures reported on the Home Health Compare website.
Upcoming Events
OSHA Compliance: Preventing Costly Citation – Webinar
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
2-3 p.m. Eastern
Working Together: Community Based Villages and Other Aging Services Organizations
Learn how aging services providers and community based villages are working together from a national and local perspective.
- Date: Thursday, May 28, 2015, 2:00 – 4:00pm
- Location: Forest Hills of DC
- Speakers: Bruce Rosenthal, LeadingAge, Gail Kohn, Age Friendly DC, Sandy Douglass, Forest Hills of DC, Marianna Blagburn, Northwest Neighbors Village
- CEUS: This program has been submitted (but not yet approved) for Continuing Education for 2.0 total clock hours from NAB/NCERS. Email Christy Kramer for further information
- Fee: $30 members, $60 non-members
- Register Here
On the Horizon in Washington, DC
Learn about the intergenerational solutions being implemented in Washington, DC from Dr. John M. Thompson, Executive Director of the District of Columbia Office on Aging (DCOA). This session will also provide a federal housing update.
- Date: Wednesday, June 10, 10:00 am – 12:00pm
- Location: LeadingAge DC Offices, 2519 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Speakers: Dr. John Thompson, DCOA, Alayna Waldrum, LeadingAge, Colleen Bloom, LeadingAge
- CEUS: This program has been submitted (but not yet approved) for Continuing Education for 2.0 total clock hours from NAB/NCERS. Email Christy Kramer for further information
- Fee: Fee only for those earning NAB CEUs, $30 members, $60 non-members
- Registration will be available soon.
HIPAA Security Rule: Implementing the Necessary Safeguards – Webinar
Wednesday, June 23, 2015
2-3 p.m. Eastern
Stay Tuned for:
- LeadingAge DC Policy Update and Planning Session, July, 2015
- DC Preceptor Training, Hosted by LeadingAge DC and DCHCA
- Developing future Leaders through collaborative relationships with Washington DC Universities, August, 2015
- LeadingAge DC Annual Meeting
- LeadingAge DC and Maryland Leadership Academy
In the News
Did You Miss It?
LeadingAge puts out several newsletters related to specific provider news, weekly advocacy updates, technology and research. If you’d like to find out the latest on housing, nursing home, home & community-based services, assisted living, continuing care retirement communities or anything else related to the field, visit the LeadingAge newsletter archive today.