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Cover
Reminder: Time Running Out on EMA Appeals
By Patti Cullen, CAE
All EMA patients and residents currently receiving services covered by EMA should be told of their right to appeal the discontinuation of EMA services and/or eligibility. Appeal Deadline is December 30 read more...
Two Years Go Fast
From the Desk of Gail Sheridan, Board Chair
My role of Association spokesperson has made me much more aware of how each of us is a mini-ambassador of long-term care. The public does not differentiate between my organization and yours; all news reflects read more...
DHS to Issue New Nursing Facility Rates for January 1, 2012 RUG-IV Conversion
By Todd Bergstrom
DHS will revise the rates by computing the case-mix percentage based on the direct care cost category over total operating costs from the 2010 cost report. DHS will also show more detail, as some people could not read more...
Congressional Stalemate Continues on Key End-of-Year Issues
By Patti Cullen, CAE
After pressure from rank-and-file House members, the Speaker of the House announced that he was opposed to the two-month extension and the House would not pass it; they want to take action that would last a year read more...
HHS Announces 32 Pioneer ACO Initiatives — Minnesota Has Three
By Patti Cullen, CAE
Under this initiative, Medicare will reward groups of health care providers that have formed ACOs based on how well they are able to both improve the health of their Medicare patients and lower their health care costs read more...
Legislative/On the Hill
Vulnerable Adult Justice Project Ceremonial Bill Signing with Governor Dayton
By Heidi Holste
On Monday, December 19, 2011, Governor Dayton held a ceremonial bill signing to commemorate the passage and signature of the Vulnerable Adult Justice Project bill. The Association has participated in the read more...
New Laws Effective Jan. 1, 2012
By Toby Pearson
Here is a reminder of some of the new laws that take effect Jan. 1, 2012. Summaries of all laws passed by the 2011 Legislature are available online from the nonpartisan House Public Information Services read more...
National News
Congressman Walz Visits Laurels Peak During Holiday Break
By Patti Cullen, CAE
On December 21, 2011, Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN 1st Congressional district) visited with Care Providers of Minnesota representatives at Laurels Peak Rehabililitation Center in Mankato. discussing key issues read more...
MedPAC Panel Suggests Skilled Nursing Facilities Should Reduce their Margins
By Patti Cullen, CAE
SNFs can expect average margins of 14.6% in 2012, according to MedPAC documents. Based on this, commissioners said, Congress should recommend that CMS rebase the PPS starting in 2014, with read more...
CMS Has Financial Woes and Increased Workload Too!
By Doug Beardsley
CMS initiatives they have already implemented to reduce workload or expenses include increased use of targeted surveys based on performance data for dialysis facilities and nursing homes, and read more...
ICD-10-CM Codes Now Posted
By Doug Beardsley
CMS has posted the 2012 ICD-10-CM code updates to their website, including the 2012 ICD-10-CM index and tabular, code titles, addendum, general equivalence mappings, and reimbursement mappings read more...
Health Care Reform
Partnership for Patients and Hospital Engagement Networks — New Resources to Improve Hospital Care
By Patti Cullen, CAE
Hospital Engagement Networks will help identify solutions already working to reduce health care-acquired conditions, and work to spread them to other hospitals and health care providers. In Minnesota read more...
HHS to Give States More Flexibility to Implement Health Reform
By Patti Cullen, CAE
Under the Department’s intended approach, states would have the flexibility to select an existing health plan to set the “benchmark” for the items and services included in the essential health benefits package read more...
New Affordable Care Act Demonstration Tests Care at Home for Medicare Patients
By Patti Cullen, CAE
Participating practices will be accountable for providing comprehensive, coordinated, continuous, and accessible care to high-need populations at home and coordinate health care across settings read more...
Housing, Home and Community-Based Services
National Study of Residential Care Facilities Released
By Patti Cullen, CAE
The study found that 19 percent of residents in assisted living received Medicaid funding and 43 percent of facilities had at least one resident receiving Medicaid assistance. Key findings also include that read more...
Associate Member News
Last-Minute Shoppers Alert: 2012 Membership Directory Advertising Space Still Available
By Cyndi Spencer
Remember that the deadline for 2012 Membership Directory contracts and ads is December 30. This is a great way to start the new year by putting your company front and center with decision-makers! read more...
Member Resources
The 2011 Minnesota Senior Housing Compensation Report
By Todd Bergstrom
This state-of-the-art compensation and benefits report contains salary information on 36 senior housing staff positions, with salary data broken down by housing project size, the type of housing, and read more...
Rewards and Recognition
Lynch Recognized as Volunteer of the Year
By Lisa Foss Olson
Mary Lynch gets to know residents on an individual basis, demonstrating a unique ability to assess their needs and interests, and providing meaningful experiences for them. She will spend quiet time helping read more...
Regulatory Resources
OSHA Surveys in LTC
By Doug Beardsley
Inspectors from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration have been busy surveying nursing homes in Minnesota. These unannounced inspections have resulted in a wide range of findings, from read more...
Life Safety Code — Hints for Survey Compliance
By Doug Beardsley
The next ten issues of the Action newsletter will share the CMS Region V and provider hints for avoiding common K-Tag deficiencies. Failure to comply with the requirements for fire drills is the most read more...
Clinical Matters
Flu Begins to Arrive in LTC
By Doug Beardsley
The second week of December (week 49 of the year) brought with it the first reported case of influenza in a Minnesota nursing home this season. This is an unusually late start for the flu season read more...
MDS 3.0 Conference and Updated RAI Manual
By Doug Beardsley
The CMS 2012 national MDS 3.0 conference is a two-day conference that will be held twice, on March 6–7, 2012, and repeated on March 8–9, 2012. Both will be held at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis read more...
FYI Corner
No Newsletter Next Week; Office Closed for Holidays
By Rachel David
There will be no Action newsletter next week due to the holidays. Publication will resume with the Friday, January 6, 2012, issue. The Association office will be closed on the next two Mondays read more...
Education & Events Calendar
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Current Events | |
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Jan. 5 |
Legislative Forum |
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Jan. 12 |
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Managing Employee Performance Webinar |
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Jan. 25–26 |
Board of Directors Retreat |
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Jan. 26 |
Board of Directors Meeting |
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Mark Your Calendars | |
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Feb. 29 |
Leap into Action Webinar |
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May 13–19 |
National Nursing Home Week |
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Nov. 7–9 |
Care Providers of Minnesota Convention & Exposition |
For a full list of scheduled events and committee meetings, visit our online calendar.
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Care Providers of Minnesota 7851 Metro Parkway • Suite 200 • Bloomington, MN 55425 Phone: 952.854.2844 • Fax: 952.854.6214 • MN Toll-Free: 800.462.0024 • www.careproviders.org |