Reminder: SNF Staff Testing Webinar Tomorrow. The state is rolling out the second stage of mandated COVID-19 testing of staff in SNFs next week. Please don't miss their webinar describing the latest iteration of the testing program. You may register for "Testing in Nursing Homes w/CCURT" at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8324398544302206990. Please note that the webinar is at 11:00 a.m. There previously was some confusion over the time. Also, the Survey Monkey is not due until tomorrow at the close of business, not today, and the references to August 27 and 28 in the introduction to the survey should refer to July 27 and 28.
State Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) Portal Webinar. The Office of Budget and Management (OBM), together with representatives of several other state agencies, held a webinar today on the CRF portal through which certain Ohio providers (including ICFs/IID, licensed residential care facilities, home health agencies and private duty nursing providers, Aging waiver providers, and SNFs) may apply for grants the state is allocating from the Coronavirus Aide, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. OBM provided the slides from the webinar, but the recording is not yet available. The main focus of the webinar was how to apply for the grants, but OBM's Stacie Massey also emphasized that the CARES Act requires recipients to use all grant funding awarded under the Act, whether distributed by the federal or state government, to cover increased costs or reduced revenues resulting from COVID-19 that are not covered by other funding sources. These sources could include, for example, other CARES Act distributions or Paycheck Protection Program grants. The time period for the expenses and lost revenue is March 1-December 30, 2020. The state officials said they will update the existing frequently-asked questions to reflect more than 280 questions posed by webinar participants.
In related news, the Controlling Board today approved without incident the second half of the CRF allocations for SNFs and other long-term services and supports providers, along with behavioral health providers, bringing the total funding to $471 million.
Do Not Miss Your Chance to Apply for Federal Cares Funding! On the webinar discussed above, Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran pointed out that only 672 of 56,334 Ohio Medicaid providers (1.2%) had applied for funding under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Medicaid Targeted Distribution (MTD). She urged Medicaid-only providers such as ICFs/IID and Aging/MyCare waiver agencies to apply by the extended deadline of August 3. Receipt of funding under the MTD does not make a provider ineligible for the state CRF.
Assisted Living Providers: Your Help is Needed to Secure Federal CARES Funding. NCAL and other national organizations representing assisted living (AL) soon will circulate a link to a secure portal for AL providers to enter certain key information about their communities. This information is critically necessary to support a private-pay AL Provider Relief Fund tranche (which reportedly also will include Medicaid AL providers). The deadline for submitting the data will be July 31, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. While the portal is not yet available, please gather the following information so you can submit it quickly when the portal opens:
- Name of licensed residential care facility (RCF)
- Name of entity that holds the license
- Address
- RCF license number
- Corresponding Tax Identification Number (TIN)
- Taxpayer ID Number for the filing company
- Contact information for the person submitting data
- Include licensed RCF that is part of a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) - even if the SNF component of the CCRC already has received funding from the Provider Relief Fund.
MCO Collaborative COVID-19 SNF Discharge Planning Survey. For the past several months, OHCA has been working with the Managed Care Organization (MCO) Collaborative on ways MyCare Ohio plans can assist providers during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). In an effort the help the MCO Collaborative place COVID-positive patients and persons under investigation (PUIs), we developed a survey to populate their discharge planning tool with information about Ohio SNFs. Providers can designate whether they accept either COVID-positive or PUI patients, as well as whether they accept these patients at a skilled or intermediate level of care. Please complete the survey for each facility location you wish to have listed in the discharge planning tool. Similarly, you can indicate that you currently do not accept these patients.
Additionally, we included questions about MyCare plans' delivery of education and resources. We appreciate you taking a few moments to complete this important survey! If you have any questions about the use or purpose of this information, please contact Erin Begin.
SNF, Home Health QRP Tip Sheet Available. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today a new COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) Home Health Quality Reporting Program (QRP) tip sheet and a SNF QRP tip sheet. These documents are designed to help providers understand the status of the QRP during the PHE and the data submission requirements starting July 1, 2020. CMS exempted SNFs and home health agencies from reporting MDS and CAHPS Home Health Survey and OASIS data for QRP purposes for the following calendar quarters:
- October 1–December 31, 2019 (Q4 2019)
- January 1–March 31, 2020 (Q1 2020)
- April 1–June 30, 2020 (Q2 2020)
Starting on July 1, 2020, HHAs must resume timely quality data collection and submission of OASIS and CAHPS Home Health Survey data. SNFs must submit MDS records for admissions and discharges that occur on or after July 1, 2020.
DODD Encourages COVID-19 Testing. The Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) posted the following message to people in the field:
DODD has updated the corresponding forms referenced in the July 14 updated guidance for adult day services. The guidance and the Team Acknowledgement Form include references to COVID-19 testing.
COVID-19 testing is not required to return to day programs but should be a part of the team discussion when determining if the person is a good candidate to attend.
Though not required, DODD recommends that both staff and people with developmental disabilities utilize the availability of testing for COVID-19. Testing centers can be located here.
Enhanced Adult Day Reimbursement Continues. DODD reminded center-based adult day supports providers that they will continue to receive enhanced reimbursement through at least August 31, 2020. The reimbursement, for groups of 10 or fewer people including staff, is at the Level C rate per DODD guidance. DODD will review the situation each month to determine if the higher reimbursement should continue for another month.
CMS Telehealth Webinars This Week. This week, there are two opportunities for community-based providers to learn about the use of and outlook for telehealth.
- The first opportunity is a HHS webinar on current telehealth service, payment, and partnership provisions. This program is scheduled for July 29, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. and will feature representatives from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), CMS, the Administration for Community Living (ACL), and the Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC).
- The second webinar, hosted by CMS Chicago Local Engagement and Administration (LEA), also is scheduled for July 29, 2020, but at 10:00 a.m. In this webinar, LEA will discuss the early impact of CMS's expansion of Medicare telehealth during COVID-19 and the possible outlook for telehealth in the future. Participants can join here using password wpWXwJm42e7.
Latest Installment of CMS/CDC/QIO SNF Training. This week's training session, entitled "COVID-19 Knowledge for the Frontline Staff," is scheduled for Thursday, July 30, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. The announcement describes the topic: "Following today’s call, participants will possess the knowledge and understand approaches to supporting the health and well-being of older adults, their care partners, nursing home team members, and other stakeholders during COVID-19." Advance registration is required; you may register here.