Last Chance for the 2021 Live Safety Code
September 27-28, 2021
In-person at NMHCA/NMCAL Training Center
Register Here

HRSA Extends PRF Application Window and Provides Phase 4 and Rural CHOW Guidance    Today, the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) announced that providers have additional time to complete their Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 and Rural Application. The new FAQ states: All applicants must complete the first step of the application process (i.e., submitting their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and associated information for Internal Revenue Service (IRS) validation) no later than October 26, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST.  The required IRS validation that occurs after completion of the first step may take a few days.  If an applicant submits their TIN for validation by the October 26, 2021, deadline and that TIN is subsequently validated by the IRS, the applicant will have until November 3, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST to complete and submit their application. Additionally, last week, HRSA provided AHCA/NCAL with guidance on changes of ownership. Based upon the guidance, between the seller and the buyer, the eligible applicant depends on: The filing TIN that is associated with the application.  If the “seller” no longer has a filing TIN, they would not be eligible.  If the “buyer” has a new filing TIN and the sale has been approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by the date the organization initiates its Phase 4 application, the buyer is the entity eligible to apply.   Providers may contact HRSA’s Provider Support Line for assistance with challenging issues, such as TIN validation, at (866) 569-3522.

VIEW THE CHOW APPLICATION GUIDANCE

Now Available: White Paper about CMS Innovation Center Strategy

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center) is pleased to release our white paper detailing the vision for the Center over the next 10 years titled, “Driving Health System Transformation – A Strategy for the CMS Innovation Center’s Second Decade.”

The goal of this bold, new strategy is to achieve equitable outcomes through high-quality, affordable, person-centered care, carried out through five strategic objectives: Drive Accountable Care, Advance Health Equity, Support Innovation, Address Affordability, and Partner to Achieve System Transformation. These strategic objectives will guide the CMS Innovation Center’s models and priorities, and progress for each goal will be measured periodically to assess the CMS Innovation Center’s work and impact.

For additional information about the strategy, visit  https://innovation.cms.gov/strategic-direction.

NHSN Office Hours 
Comagine Health will host ongoing open office hours sessions for nursing home staff.  These sessions are designed to answer questions, offer opportunities for discussion, and provide on the spot technical support pertaining to NHSN reporting or vaccinations for residents and healthcare personnel (HCP).
Register for any of the sessions HERE.
 

• Friday, October 22 at 10:30AM MT
• Friday, November 5 at Noon MT
• Tuesday, November 16 at 1:30PM MT
• Friday, December 3 at 11:30AM MT
• Tuesday December 14 at 1:30PM MT

 
Free COVID-19 Training and Resources for Nursing Homes
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Targeted COVID-19 Training for Frontline Nursing Home Staff and Management is a great resource for nursing home staff to put the latest information regarding infection control, COVID-19 preparedness, resident-centered care, vaccine distribution, and other important topics into practice.   
  
These resources were designed to help nursing home teams access the free, on-demand trainings and celebrate the staff who complete them. Materials include:   

• A one-stop-shop User Guide (also available in Spanish) contains everything your nursing home needs to access and complete the training. The User Guide walks you through a pre-training checklist, registration, course selection, contacts and more.  
• A Kudos Kit contains social media messages and graphics, a press release template, printable graphics and more to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of staff who take the critical step to complete the trainings. These items will help your teams celebrate their accomplishments internally, while also promoting them to families and community members, social media followers and local media.   

  
Access the materials here: https://bit.ly/NHfrontline. 
 
We strongly encourage centers to make this a required training for current staff and management and incorporate the training as part of a required onboarding process. 

 Got Text? 
NMHCA/NMCAL rolled out our newest member service—text notifications--earlier this year. This allows us to send you a text to let you know when something important is released, such as new guidance, a data collection request, etc. While this information is typically sent out in the Bulletin, we understand that you may not always have time to read through them to determine what is important for you or sometimes, you might simply forget it came out when you have time to go through your emails. A text will serve as a reminder that there is something that may need your attention. Save the number, (833) 589-0341, in your phone as NMHCA/NMCAL so you don't miss a thing! 

Members need to opt in to be included, so if you or anyone in your facility would like to receive text notices, please email cell phone numbers, names, and titles to NMHCA/NMCAL at nmhca@nmhca.org.  Long-term Care Poster
NMHCA/NMCAL developed the attached poster to assist facilities in communicating the differences in guidance and direction for assisted living and nursing facilities from the general public. We invite you to print as many copies as you'd like and post them around the areas or send them to families, so they have a clear understanding of the guidance you are required to follow.