News
Category: Federal News
Welcome to the Federal News category. These news items pertain to aging services national policies and programs.
OSCAR Data: Top 10 Citations for Nation, Minnesota
On May 15, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
LeadingAge has provided Aging Services of Minnesota with survey data from the federal OSCAR data system. The data include the most recent survey data entered into the system for each facility in the 12 months ending with March 2013. The national average during this period of time was 5.8 deficiencies per survey. Minnesota’s average was 6.3.
OIG: Updated Special Advisory Bulletin on Federal Exclusions
On May 15, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released an updated special advisory bulletin on May 2 regarding the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) and their consequences. There are serious penalties for employing an individual who is on the exclusion list -- up to $10,000 for each service or item provided by the excluded individual or entity.
CMS: ICD-10 Resources
On May 15, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
The deadline for ICD-10 transition is Oct. 1, 2014. The CMS website offers advice and resources for providers and vendors on how to plan and execute their transition to ICD-10, including timelines, checklists and fact sheets.
CMS: May 2 SNF Open Door Forum Summary
On May 15, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
LeadingAge provided Aging Services of Minnesota with the following summary of the May 2 SNF Open Door Forum.
Resources for Employers on Responsibilities Under the Affordable Care Act
On May 8, 2013 by Guest Contributor
by Cory Kallheim, LeadingAge
Starting in 2014, employers with at least a certain number of employees will be subject to the Employer Shared Responsibility provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Appeals Court: NLRB Posting Notice Rule Struck Down
On May 8, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
On May 7, the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia struck down a federal rule that would have required businesses to post notices about the rights of employees to unionize. The Court said that the rule by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) violated employers’ free speech rights.
HUD: EIV System 9.5 Released
On May 8, 2013 by Mary Youle
HUD reports that the Multifamily Housing EIV system update 9.5 was successfully released on May 6 and all reports are current as of May 7. Below is a summary of the new functionalities that have been added to Multifamily EIV.
CMS: MDS Policy Changes—Modification vs. Inactivation
On May 8, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced some improvements in their policies regarding the correction of mistakes in the MDS. The changes, which were announced during the April 2 SNF Open Door Forum, will permit facilities to correct certain mistakes by modifying the existing record rather than inactivating a record.
VA Releases Final Rule on Payment for Home Health Services, Hospice Care to Non-VA Providers
On May 8, 2013 by Mary Youle
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has issued a final rule, Payment for Home Health Services and Hospice Care to Non-VA Providers, in the May 6 Federal Register that amends its regulations concerning the billing methodology for non-VA providers of home health services and hospice care.
HUD, DOJ Release New Guidance on Construction Requirements
On May 8, 2013 by Mary Youle
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have released new guidance on design and construction requirements under the Fair Housing Act.
CMS Releases FY14 Hospice Wage Index Proposed Rule
On May 8, 2013 by Mary Youle
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in late April released the proposed rule for the FY2014 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update. The rule includes information on CMS' plans for Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements and Updates on Payment Reform as well as information on reporting of multiple diagnoses on claims and a caregiver satisfaction survey.
Fair Housing Notice Issued on Service Animals, Assistance Animals
On May 8, 2013 by Mary Youle
The Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity office within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued notice FHE0-2013-01 on Service Animals and Assistance Animals for People with Disabilities in Housing and HUD-Funded Programs.
Minnesota Among Best States on Anti-Psychotic Use in Care Centers
On May 1, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
Minnesota ranks among the states with the lowest utilization rates of anti-psychotic medications in certified care centers based on data released by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for Q2 through Q4 2012.
Registration Open for e-Health Summit & Pre-Summit
On May 1, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
Registration is now open for the 9th Annual e-Health Summit and Pre-Summit. The eHealth summit, “e-Health: Connecting, Optimizing, Transforming,” will be held on June 13 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bloomington. The Pre-Summit will held be in the same location on June 12.
National Background Check Program Report Released
On May 1, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
Section 6201 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) established the National Background Check Program to identify efficient, effective, and economical procedures for facilities or providers to conduct background checks on prospective employees on a national basis. The Long Term Care Criminal Convictions Work Group, consisting of CMS staff and individuals from 11 state survey agencies, has released a new report entitled the “National Background Check Program.”
May 16 Webinar: Downloading Data from CMS Compare Websites
On May 1, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that in July 2013 the platform for the downloadable data on the Medicare.gov Compare websites (Dialysis Facility Compare, Home Health Compare, Hospital Compare, and Nursing Home Compare) would be Data.Medicare.Gov.
CMS: SNF Open Door Forum May 2
On May 1, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
The next CMS Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF)/Long Term Care Open Door Forum is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 2. Participants are encouraged to call in at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the Open Forum. The agenda features:
CMS: Medicare Enrollment Fact Sheet
On May 1, 2013 by Darrell Shreve
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a summary of the enrollment requirements for institutional providers called “The Basics of Medicare Enrollment for Institutional Providers.” For existing skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies, the most relevant information concerns the revalidation of enrollment information. The entire document is worthwhile for members that may be planning a new facility.
LeadingAge Capitol Hill Update
On May 1, 2013 by Guest Contributor
By Barbara Gay, LeadingAge
With the U.S. House and Senate headed out of town for a district work period, it seemed like a good time to summarize where we are with our issues on the Hill. The following summary of federal legislative activity is provided by Barbara Gay, Director of Governmental Affairs, LeadingAge.
HUD: What Obama’s 2014 Budget Means for Housing
On May 1, 2013 by Mary Youle
President Obama unveiled a 2014 budget proposal on April 10 that would achieve $1.8 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade with a balanced approach to funding critical federal programs so that seniors and people with disabilities can remain independent and receive the services they need in their communities.
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