New Guidance and Additional Resources on COVID-19
AHCA/NCAL released new guidance and a press statement on notifying public health officials and stakeholders about confirmed cases of COVID-19 in long term care facilities. This guidance reinforces much of what long term care providers are already doing and are currently required to do in their states.
Our guidance suggests that long term care providers should also report to the state survey agency, if you are not already, so that CMS and other federal agencies have another way to gather national information. READ MORE…
COVID-19 UPDATES
COVID-19 Testing in Long Term Care
On April 7, AHCA/NCAL provided a summary of the challenges LTC providers are facing in gaining access to COVID-19 testing. AHCA/NCAL has been seeking companies who can provide testing for LTC providers with reasonable turnaround times, and have put together a list of credible vendors here.
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Update on Personal Protective Equipment
Obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE) continues to be a challenge for long term care providers in many parts of the country. FEMA is now playing a primary national role in determining how PPE is distributed across the country. State and local governments are also playing a role in the supply and distribution of PPE. Th
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OSHA Issues Memoranda on Respiratory Protection
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued two separate enforcement memoranda related to the use of respirators by healthcare and non-healthcare employers. This includes all long term care providers: skilled nursing, assisted living, and ID/DD providers. The memoranda address issues facing employers regarding the respirator shortage, giving employers limited relief from OSHA’s Respiratory Protection standard as a result from COVID-19.
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INTEGRITY
Updated List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) Database File
The US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released its updated List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) database file, which reflects all OIG exclusions and reinstatement actions up to, and including, those taken in March 2020. This new file replaces the updated LEIE database file available for download last month. Individuals and entities that have been reinstated to the federal health care programs are not included in this file.
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PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES
Affordable Online Dementia Care Training That’s Perfect for New Staff who Need to Learn the Basics Fast
AHCA/NCAL members receive 15% off the purchase of any Healthcare Interactive® CARES online training program by using promo code AHCA15 at checkout. CARES is the only online dementia training to be recognized by CMS. In addition, CARES online training is recommended by AHCA/NCAL to help reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics.
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Get 90-Day Nationwide Exposure for the 30-Day Price for Your Job Listings on the AHCA/NCAL LTC Career Center
The Long Term Care (LTC) Career Center gives unprecedented targeted national exposure because it connects with the Health Care Career Network by providing visibility on the network’s nearly 300 national and state health care organizations and societies. Serious health care candidates look for jobs on this national network built for health care employers to reach health care professionals.
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