LeadingAge NY and Provider Associations Meet with DOH
(Oct. 1, 2024) LeadingAge NY staff met with Department of Health (DOH) representatives last week to discuss top-of-mind issues.
The Department provided attendees with some COVID case data for long term care settings. It identified the North Country and the Mohawk Valley as areas with higher resident COVID infection rates, with an estimated 3-4 percent of residents impacted. Mohawk Valley adult care facilities (ACFs) are also reporting relatively high cases.
The Department shared that COVID vaccination and other COVID data will be shared with providers via the Integrated Health Alerting and Notification System (IHANS), rather than through Dear Administrator Letters (DALs) as in the past.
A meeting with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), DOH, and provider associations representing nursing homes is scheduled for tomorrow, Oct. 2nd, relating to CMS contractors visiting nursing homes to verify their continued participation in the Medicare program. A number of nursing homes have recently experienced unannounced visits by CMS contractors. LeadingAge NY members should make sure that staff, including any front desk or concierge staff, are aware of these visits by CMS contractors (in NYS, primarily Palmetto and possible subcontractors) and are comfortable on how to handle them. Providers are advised to request that the visitors present their badge and CMS letter. More information on these visits is available here. LeadingAge NY will report back after the meeting.
Michael Chittenden, Director of the Division of Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), reported that statistical reporting for certified home health agencies (CHHAs) and hospices will be posted in mid-October. The Licensed Home Care Services Agency (LHCSA) Statistical Report will be posted shortly thereafter.
Kara Travis of the Department’s Center for Hospice and Palliative Care shared that the Center has a draft workplan in place. Staff will be scheduling visits to hospice providers in late October and hope to partner with agencies to obtain feedback on their initiatives. They also will be carrying out a public education and awareness campaign for hospice services. Currently, they are fielding calls from providers on complex care and related issues.
Other work items in process include the public comment process on proposed Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) regulations, ACF licensure streamlining, and the Assisted Living Program (ALP) need methodology.
Heidi Hayes stated that the Department will work to clarify telehealth flexibilities for ACF, ALP, and adult day health care (ADHC) providers post issuance of a revised DAL which addresses telehealth for only home care and hospice providers.
DOH indicated that the federal portion of “safe staffing” funding for nursing homes remains on target for an October release.
Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871