Ohio SNFs Designated for POC testing machines. After Ohio was shut out of the initial list of SNFs receiving point-of-care (POC) testing machines for COVID-19, the second round of allocations ended up including 51 in-state centers out a total of 2,425. The Ohio buildings are listed on an Excel sheet that you may download from this link. While many of these facilities are located in relative hot spot counties (e.g., Franklin, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Montgomery), there is a fairly wide geographic dispersion. We do not know when the devices will be shipped to the Ohio centers. If your SNF is listed, we recommend reviewing this AHCA document with tips for using the POC machines before yours arrives.
Householder Out, Cupp In. A week after he was charged with and subsequently indicated on racketeering charges, Speaker of the House Larry Householder (R-Glenford) was removed from that position by a unanimous vote of House members who voted. Several hours later, the House elected Robert Cupp (R-Lima) as Speaker by a 55-38 vote. A long-time legislator and former member of the Ohio Supreme Court, Speaker Cupp pledged to restore transparency and public trust to the lower chamber. His leadership team is yet to be determined.
Member Assistance Needed to Line Up PRF Tranche for CHOWs. AHCA made the information request below of members affected by problems with changes of ownership and the PRF. As those who are affected know, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made payments to previous operators, but then required the previous operator to return the payment instead of transferring it to the current operator. AHCA has been working with HHS to try to rectify this situation. AHCA wrote:
We have heard your frustrations with changes in ownership (CHOW) impeding receipt of Provider Relief Funds. In discussions with HHS officials, we have learned fraud is their key concern and this has served as the roadblock. AHCA/NCAL would like to be able to serve as a conduit of CHOW information to attempt to appease the fraud concerns of HHS. We hope that by AHCA/NCAL providing data from members about their recent CHOWs, HHS will be willing to provide funding to the appropriate entities.
In order to make this as simple as possible for the membership, please ask them to send two pieces of information to us at CHOW@ahca.org:
- Medicare Provider Enrollment Form (form CMS 855a) for the CHOW; and
- A brief explanation of the Provider Relief Fund situation – such as “Funds sent to previous owner and have seen been returned to CMS”
If the form was completed through the electronic provider enrollment web portal, Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS), please ask the member to provide the information using the attached spreadsheet format. This should also be sent to CHOW@ahca.org.
Any questions or concerns should be addressed to the special email account we have created for this effort, CHOW@ahca.org.
Twenty-Three Module Infection Control Training. Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that a new, $5 billion tranche of the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) would be opened for SNFs based at least in part on completion of a 23-module infection control program. Since then, the agency released no further details on the tranche or training program. As a result, there has been considerable speculation about the training, often pointing to the weekly CMS/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) COVID-19 training for SNFs. We heard from several sources that the announcement did not refer either to this training series or any other extant program. The QIOs currently are developing that training, which reportedly will focus on front-line staff. Director McElroy Makes It Official. On Tuesday, we wrote that Director of Aging Ursel McElroy discussed with the provider associations the planned roll-out of saliva testing for assisted living residents and staff. Today, in a joint letter with Acting Health Director Lance Himes, Director McElroy formalized the announcement. The letter describes in fairly broad strokes the testing program, without giving a specific start date. Director McElroy previously said testing would start the week after next. The letter does not confirm repeat testing of staff, suggesting there may be subsequent rounds after the initial baseline. Directors McElroy and Himes did state that the first round of testing will be at no cost to the provider. The Department of Aging scheduled two separate webinars for next Wednesday, August 5, one for executive directors and one for individuals supervising the testing.
Assisted Living Portal Open. In an effort to facilitate a private-pay assisted living tranche of the PRF, NCAL and other national organizations representing assisted living developed a private portal for providers across the country to enter information about their communities. The purpose of collecting data via the portal is to allow HHS to match payments under a potential future assisted living tranche to qualified recipients. The tranche has not been announced officially yet. Please enter your communities' information by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 3, so you can help ensure that if eligible, your communities will receive payments from this anticipated tranche.