Of Special Note
The 2023 Legislative Session in Oregon has begun! Oh so many interesting bills have been introduced for consideration ranging from HB 2665 - establishing maximum annual rates a temporary staffing agency may charge a health care provider; to HB 2408 - enacting interstate nurse licensure compact. We anticipate the Governor’s recommended budget will be released early February. We’ll share the bills we are tracking along the way, and the LeadingAge Oregon legislative committee will assist in establishing our bill priorities.
From a national advocacy standpoint, we need your help opposing CMS Staffing Mandates. Please see the action request further below in this newsletter or click here to take action.
Housing providers: Remember to take advantage of the FREE monthly trainings for affordable housing professionals #HousingHappenings. Learn more here.
Lastly, there is a Background Check Unit (BCU) workgroup that is trying to resolve ongoing issues with backlogs and delays in processing new hires. Please let me know if delays are continuing to be an issue at your community.
State News
Funds Depleted for COVID Testing Costs
Via provider alert, the state announced that funds to reimburse providers for staff COVID-19 testing are now depleted. Many providers have been relying on these funds and I suspect many providers have submitted requests for reimbursement prior to this notice and wondering if they’ll be reimbursed. We’ve asked the state to provide guidance on this.
Top 10 Citations Report
ODHS has released the top 10 citation reports for CBCs and NFs for 2022. CBCs: the #1 citation for this past year was 0240 - Resident Services Meals, Food Sanitation Rule; and coming in at #2 was 0260 – Service Plan. NFs: the #1 tag this year was 0884 – Reporting; and coming in at #2 was 0684 – Quality of Care.
LIVEWELL Training Cohort Starts 1/25/23
LiveWell helps retain staff and build community. Care communities that train with LiveWell have a 60% decrease in staff turnover. LiveWell also improves the quality of life for staff and residents. Residents have fewer falls and fewer medication errors, while staff experiences fewer workplace injuries. Learn more here.
Paid Leave Oregon Webinar – Thursday 1/26/23 at 11:00
LeadingAge Oregon is hosting a free webinar led by the Paid Leave Oregon team. Paid Leave Oregon is a new program that ensures individuals, employers, and families — of every kind — have the time and support they need to care for themselves and their loved ones when life's important moments affect their health and safety. Join us and learn how this new program impacts you and the individuals you serve.
Date: 1/26/23
Time: 11:00am
Register here
DHS Provider Alerts You May Have Missed:
*Please note the State frequently modifies the alerts and it breaks the links provided below. If you have any issues, this link should always take you to all of the alerts.
- ODHS-23-001-NF-CBC – New Provider Alert Naming Convention
- ODHS-23-002-NF – 2023 CNA Staff Report Template
- ODHS-23-002-01-NF – 2023 CNA Staff Report Template with Bariatric
- ODHS-23-003-CBC-NF – LTC 2023 Respiratory Season Toolkit
- ODHS-23-004-NF – RAI Basic Training
- ODHS-23-004-01-NF – Basic RAI Enrollment Form
- ODHS-23-005-NF-CBC – COVID Testing Funds Depleted
Featured Business Partner: Pence Construction
National News
CMS is expected to issue a proposed rule to establish national minimum staffing levels for nursing homes. The long-term care sector is already facing dire workforce shortages that are limiting new admissions and forcing organizations to close. Please join LeadingAge in sending an email to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure opposing the adoption of a minimum staffing ratios mandate without the necessary workforce investments and reimbursement levels. Click here to take action now!
New House Chairs, Rules to Impact Housing
This article looks at the new House of Representatives for the 118th Session of Congress and how the organizing of the House could impact affordable senior housing funding and policy. The article has three parts: how new House rules could impact spending; the new Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on HUD funding; and, first steps by the new Chair of the House Committee on Financial Services, which has jurisdiction over housing policy.
Public Health Emergency Extended
The Public Health Emergency (PHE), first declared in January 2020 and extended continually for 90 day periods since then, has been extended for another 90 days. It would have expired January 11th without the extension. The Administration has promised to give at least 60 days’ notice if it is going to end the PHE; many observers believe this could be the final extension. The unwinding of the PHE has many implications for health care financing and delivery, including the ending of some waivers that have been in place since 2020, private insurance and government health plans taking on COVID costs for most Americans, and loss of Medicaid coverage for millions of Medicaid beneficiaries.
PHI’s New Online Tool: The Direct Care Workforce State Index
PHI released a new online tool, “The Direct Care Workforce State Index” which offers an interactive, data-driven picture of how states’ public policies support direct care workers and how these workers are faring financially. It also aims to help state policymakers, advocates and other leaders understand how they’re supporting direct care workers and where they can improve. The index enables users to rank and compare states based on two composite measures: the range of policies that states have enacted to support these and other workers, and the economic status of direct care workers. Additionally, you can access data on key state characteristics, which includes: the number of direct care workers, 2021; direct care workforce growth, 2020-2030; direct care workforce total job openings; the percentage of immigrants, people of color and women. You can access PHI’s state index here.
Improving COVID-19 Outcomes in Nursing Homes
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an audio series called Quality Improvement (QI) Voices: Improving COVID-19 Outcomes in Nursing Homes Across America. The brief conversations include detailed insights into the process behind health care quality improvement and how you might adapt these to your own organization. Learn more and listen to the sessions here.
In the News
Save The Date: 2023 Annual Conference & Expo
2023 Annual Conference & Expo
Eagle Crest Resort
May 9-12, 2023
Business Partners: Are you interested in participating in the Trade Show? Contact Rob West [email protected]
Hosted by Dan McKinney from Precision Life Sciences
When: January 31 | Time: 11:00 am
Meeting Link: Join on Teams
Please join LeadingAge Oregon and Precision Life Sciences for a special webinar to discuss the innovative diagnostic tool of PCR testing and its valuable and vast applications in the Long Term Care Industry.
Resources & Education
Paid Leave Oregon Webinar
January 26, 2023
Time: 11:00am
Navigating MDS 3.0 RAI Training for Nursing Facility Staff (MDS)
3 Day Webinar | February 1-3, 2023
Time: 9-1pm
Register Here
Care Area Assessment Review (CAA)
March 9, 2023
Time: 9-1pm
Register Here
Nursing Practice in Community Based Care (CBC)
3 Day Webinar | March 14-16, 2023
Time: 9-2pm
Register Here
Visit our Education Page to discover more classes and webinars
