The two models for additional testing include a:
Hospice
Payment Update
The proposed payment update for FY 2020 is 2.7% based on the estimated inpatient hospital market basket update of 3.2% minus the multifactor productivity adjustment estimated at 0.5%. CMS indicates this to be a $540 million increase in payments. However, that is a simplistic overview of the payment adjustment for this rule as it affects hospice rates.
As it relates to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans offering supplemental benefits, CMS made two key changes in the final Call Letter.
In early April, HUD sent out over TRACS a message to all multifamily housing providers stating that “If your property employs or contracts a social service staff person to support the needs of elderly or disabled residents, you MUST report.”
HUD’s Standards for Success is the new performance reporting framework for ALL properties that receive funding for either grant funded or budget-based Service Coordinators. Noncompliance may jeopardize your funding.
NOFA: The Section 202 funds now available are the first new construction money for Section 202 housing since 2010, something for which LeadingAge strongly advocated. From the funds made available through this NOFA, HUD expects to make approximately 30 awards. The deadline to apply for the funds under FR-6200-N-52 is August 28, 2019. For the 2020 fiscal year, we are urging Congress to appropriate $600 million for new Section 202 construction, in line with demographic trends and past funding levels.
Topic areas included in the newsletter will include interpretive guidance, changes to regulations and tools as well as resources to help providers of skilled nursing care become and stay compliant. The first issue was distributed to members via the nursing home list serv last week. To receive upcoming newsletters, please sign up to the nursing home list serv via my.leadingage.org .
We are pleased to partner with Russell Phillips and Associations, a Jensen Hughes Company as our experts in the field.
A new rule from EPA establishes regulations for disposing of hazardous waste pharmaceuticals. The rule applies to nursing and skilled nursing portions of life plan communities, but not to assisted living communities.
On March 22, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new guidance to states on how to implement the HCBS Settings Rule with respect to heightened scrutiny. States and providers have been waiting for this guidance for some time to help inform their efforts to comply with the rule.
During the LeadingAge Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, last week, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was on hand to meet with nursing home providers and present a Skilled Nursing Regulatory Update. Topics included survey trends, a brief overview of the analysis that heralded the reinstatement of the health inspection star rating to the 5-Star Quality Rating System, changes to the 5-Star Quality Rating System, and the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM).
CMS has revised Appendix Q of the State Operations Manual (SOM), used by surveyors for guidance in citing immediate jeopardy (IJ). This revision, known as Core Appendix Q, will provide a template for surveyors to identify the citation and notify providers in a clear, consistent and timely manner.
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