On April 5, 2022 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released revisions to the interpretive guidance for the COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Interim Final Rule (IFR).
Read More
Join AHCA/NCAL for a four-part interactive workshop and get all of your questions answered by their Quality Award knowledge experts.
Read More
In April,
PHI released a
new resource for state policy leaders focused on the country's direct care workers. According to PHI, the new policy guide,
State Policy Strategies for Strengthening the Direct Care Workforce, describes “24 strategies that states have used to strengthen this essential workforce, improving access to long-term services and supports for everyone.”
Read More
On Thursday, April 7, CMS issued
QSO-22-15-NH & NLTC & LSC - Update to COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Waivers for Specific Providers. The memo announced that CMS is ending some (not all) COVID-related 1135 waivers, including federal waivers which allowed for the creation of Emergency and Temporary Nurse Aide Training Programs here in Wisconsin. These employment and training flexibilities will end 60 days from the publication of
QSO-22-15-NH & NLTC & LSC.
Read More
Wisconsin continues to receive allocations of the COVID-19 oral antivirals Paxlovid and Lagevrio (molnupiravir). Long-term care residents continue to be at risk of serious illness from COVID-19, it is strongly recommended that facilities connect them to one of these treatments authorized for use by the Food and Drug Administration. If prescribed and then taken within five days of symptom onset, these medications substantially decrease the likelihood of serious illness and death. In particular, in clinical trials, Paxlovid showed an 88% decrease in severe illness and death.
Read More
Yesterday, WisCaregiver Careers held an Employer Kick-Off Webinar for nursing home providers to learn about WisCaregiver Careers’ new and improved funding and programming, the upcoming statewide media campaign, and CNA recruitment resources.
Read More
On Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
issued the proposed rule for the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS) fiscal year (FY) 2023 update.
Read More
Last week, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced that it will launch a program to award approximately $4.5 million in matching funds to support nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other types of long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Nursing homes and other LTCFs can apply for matching funds up to 50% of the total project cost with a cap of $20,000 per license.
Read More
WHCA/WiCAL has designed this Leadership Academy for the unique needs and demands of health care professionals. Professionals at any stage of their career are invited to join this cohort-based model for an immersive experience unlike other training and development opportunities you may have experienced. You and your peers will engage in the exploration of fundamental leadership skills and behaviors, and then apply your learning in the workplace as “homework”. In addition to growing confidence, personal efficiency and effectiveness will emerge.
Read More
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 delineated the right for workers to have safe and healthful working conditions. OSHA’s purpose is to ensure that employers provide those working conditions. One method is to develop and enforce standards, but OSHA has a number of other methods to pursue that mission.
Read More
WHCA/WiCAL is pleased to once again present Emergency Preparedness: Tabletop Exercise Webinar for facilities to be ready for the requirements of the Emergency Preparedness Rule. Participants will receive a brief overview of the rule and then have the opportunity participate in and complete a tabletop exercise simulating the process necessary for emergency response as required under the Emergency Prep Testing Requirements (Tag 0039).
Read More
We are pleased to announce that WisCaregiver Careers has received an additional $6 million from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. This new funding will reimburse participating nursing home employers to train and certify an additional 3,000 CNAs. It will also reimburse employers for the $500 bonuses paid to WisCaregivers at 6-month retention.
Read More
AHCA/NCAL’s Congressional Briefing is back in 2022 and it’s time to
register! Mark your calendars for June 6-7 and join AHCA/NCAL at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill.
Read More
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is strongly encouraging nursing homes to report the number of skilled nursing facility (SNF) beds available in their location each day to EMResource as part of a bed tracking system. With the daily reports from nursing homes, DHS hopes the “SNF bed tracker” will provide a real time picture of bed availability across the state, which hospitals can use as they work to identify potential post-acute care placements for their patients.
Read More
