FAHSA President/CEO Addresses Finance & Tax Committee of TBRC - On January 10, FAHSA President/CEO Janegale Boyd addressed the Finance and Tax Committee of the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission. Ms. Boyd urged caution when proceeding with sales tax exemption reform.  She noted that the proposed excluded goods and services from automatic repeal do not include long-term care or personal care services, which are as important to frail elders and disabled persons as traditional health care services. Ms. Boyd said, "The proposed Constitutional Amendment, as currently drafted, could have unintended consequences that will increase the financial burden for elder Floridians who live in assisted living facilities, continuing care facilities and government-financed affordable senior housing communities.  The reforms could also adversely affect purchasers of adult day care and in-home long-term care services, such as housekeeping, transportation and escort services, since they do not fall within the definition of 'health care.'  These services would fall, however, under the category of 'life's necessities', the broad exempt category suggested to the Commission by Florida TaxWatch." Ms. Boyd suggested that if the Commission pursues a Constitutional Amendment on sales tax reform, the automatic exclusions from an automatic repeal should include prepared meals served to residents of retirement communities; long-term care services provided by a licensed entity; and entrance fees, monthly fees and fees for services provided in a continuing care facility licensed under Ch. 651, F.S., or a fee for service retirement community that includes a skilled nursing or assisted living facility. Ms. Boyd also spoke about the importance of continuing the current tax-exemption to nonprofit organizations that have IRS 501 (c) (3) status, particularly in light of the current economic downturn and increased dependence on such organizations by people who need help. 

Order Your Copy of the Assisted Living Salary & Benefits Report - The national median hourly rate of Assisted Living LPNs is $20.00 according to the tenth annual Assisted Living Salary & Benefits Report, just published by Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service (HCS). The national percent increase for LPNs in facilities reporting data from both the 2006 and 2007 Reports was 3.54%. LPNs in assisted living facilities (ALFs) again earned higher hourly rates than nursing home and continuing care retirement community (CCRC) LPNs. The national median rate for LPNs in nursing homes was $18.74 compared with $19.17 in CCRCs.

Five hundred thirty-two (471 for-profit and 61 nonprofit) assisted living facilities participated in the study and provided compensation data on more than 26,800 employees nationwide. The Report covers 16 management and 23 non-management positions. Data are reported according to for-profit and not-for-profit status, revenue size, unit-size, state, county, and geographic region. Also covered are 22 fringe benefits, turnover rates by department, and projected salary increases for 2008. Data are effective as of October 2007.

The Report is published by HCS in cooperation with the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) and is available to AAHSA members at a reduced price of $225.00. The price for nonmembers is $295.00. To order call HCS at 201-405-0075 or go to www.hhcsinc.com.

Florida Senior Care Public Forum - The Agency for Health Care Administration, in conjunction with the Department of Elder Affairs will hold a public hearing during which state officials will provide an update of the current status of Florida Senior Care and will entertain questions and comments from interested parties. If your organization is in the Orlando area and you serve Medicaid recipients, plan to attend.

DATE AND TIME:

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. (Eastern)

PLACE:

Eastmonte Civic Center

830 Magnolia Drive

Altamonte Springs, Florida 32701

 FAHSA General Membership Alert Page

Comments are due on the rule by Feb. 19, 2008. VIEW THE RULE

EIV Recertification Deadline Reminder - The next deadline to recertify on the Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) network is January 30, 2008.  All active users must request recertification using the User Access Request option.  Coordinators must certify each user for each property by using the User Certification Option under User Administration.   This will ensure that users do not experience an interruption to their EIV system access.  Coordinators must recertify annually. 

In December, an EIV 8.0 update was released and in January, a new software fix for any site with an expired contract now should not lose its EIV access inadvertently.  To read more information about the new features and the software fix, click here. 

Other Housing News

• More EIV Information
• HUD Releases New Multifamily Forms
• HUD Releases New Operating Cost Standards
• Florida Growth Rate Slows by One-Third in 2007
• Congress Asks for Answers on Late HAP
• REAC Update
• Question of the Week

FAHSA Housing Alert Page

Lawmakers Focus on Economy & Projected Budget Deficit -- Last week, the House and Senate held committee meetings during which they listened to 2008-09 budget proposals from various agency heads and staff. Discussions were tempered by news of a growing budget deficit which, according to the state's economist, is currently about $2 billion dollars. Speaker Marco Rubio (R-Miami) has added an additional committee week (February 11th - 15th) for the purpose of addressing the revenue shortfall. The Speaker has asked for a budget cutting bill that would be passed during the first week of the 2008 Legislative Session which convenes on March 4. The cuts would be immediate. Although specific programs were not mentioned as targets for the cuts, Medicaid is likely to be on the chopping block again since it is one of the state's biggest expenditures. Increased funding to construct affordable workforce housing, on the other hand, may receive more attention because it could be part of an economic stimulus package.

In response to the bleak economic picture, Associated Industries of Florida and 16 other business associations testified before the House Policy and Budget Council in support of an Economic Stimulus Package that would help the state's sagging economy. In addition, Governor Crist has come out with an economic package of his own. There is little doubt that jump-starting Florida's economy will be the over-riding priority of lawmakers during the upcoming session.

FAHSA Board Prepares for 2008 Legislative Session -- Last week, members of FAHSA's public policy committees met to discuss legislative and funding changes that are likely to be proposed during the 2008 Legislative Session, which begins on March 4.  The positions that were recommended by the committees and adopted by the Board of Trustees will guide FAHSA's public policy staff as they review bills and amendments and meet with legislators in the coming months.  The following are some of the positions adopted by the Board:

·         Oppose the expansion of Florida Senior Care beyond the two demonstration sites until the program is operational for two years and the results of an independent evaluation are known.

·         Oppose a moratorium for new home health agencies unless it is accompanied by an exception for agencies that are used exclusively to serve residents of retirement communities.

·         Support the continuation of a certificate of need for hospice.

·         Provide affordable housing members with the support, training and encouragement they need to continue their mission to serve low to moderate income elders. (Some nonprofit providers are being approached by developers who want to purchase the properties and convert them to condominiums or market rate rent apartments.)

·         Oppose additional regulation for adult congregate living facilities that could increase costs and detract from the social model of care.

·         Support background checks for all ALF and nursing home staff, but not for time-limited contractors such as plumbers and painters.

·         Encourage the Agency for Health Care Administration to amend the Nursing Home Consumer Guide to include a statewide comparison of nursing home regulatory performance in addition to the current regional comparison.

·         Oppose a change in the standards of proof for administrative appeals of nursing home deficiencies.

·         Oppose additional nursing home reimbursement cuts, particularly if they are not accompanied by a temporary roll back in regulatory mandates. (Effective January 1, 2008, the nursing home budget was cut by $75 million. More cuts could be proposed as part of efforts to reduce the current deficit of $2 billion.)

·         Engage in a dialogue with the Agency for Health Care Administration to identify regulatory barriers to implementing person-centered care and develop a plan to facilitate implementation in nursing homes and ALFs.

In addition, we will continue to follow past guidance from the FAHSA Board to:

·         Support increased funding for new affordable housing projects and the preservation of existing affordable housing.  Such funding could be part of an economic stimulus package.

·         Support a legislative review of each sales tax exemption to determine if any should be repealed. This makes more sense than an automatic repeal of all sales tax exemptions and exclusions which would create a de facto service tax. 

FAHSA Nursing Home Alert Page

Our relationship with FAHSA allows you to see MxManage Quality and Financial Stat first hand by offering you a FREE TRAIL using this online tool with your MDS data. We will galdly walk you through your own report access and review your specific outcomes and opportunities. You are lao entitled to the FAHSA-member discount for unlimited MxManage access. Contact Kelton Swartz (800) 791-6268, ext. 3067, to get started with your FREE TRIAL or visit the MxManage website at www.mxmanage.com to learn more!

Building a Healthy Culture: Write Your Own Bestseller -- Have you ever picked up a book when browsing through your local bookstore where the cover sold you on the purchase? Whether it was attractive graphics, compelling quotes, or a captivating passage that hooked you - all too often the end result is disappointment; the book doesn't live up to its promise.

The same thing happens frequently in corporations. Prospective employees are "sold" on the company mission; they buy in to the espoused values and expect they will be coming to work at a certain type of place. Sadly, disappointment reigns all too often in this circumstance as well. The result? Workplaces that are often not only unproductive, but downright counterproductive to the common good. The organization doesn't live up to its potential. To read the entire article click HERE.

FAHSA's Preferred Business Associates Program (PBAs) -- A list of PBAs can be found by on the FAHSA Web site www.fahsa.org and selecting Preferred Business Associates from the left side menu bar or clicking on the FAHSA Preferred Business Associates Page hyperlink. FAHSA members can also use the on-line directory to search for PBAs by specialty.

FAHSA members may use the Job Mart services at no charge. A nominal fee of $25 will be charged to nonmembers.

Your Job Mart advertisement will be displayed on our Web site for approximately three months. The FAHSA Link is published weekly and distributed to our membership which is comprised of nursing homes, CCRCs, HUD housing, assisted living facilities, independent living facilities and companies/firms.

To reserve advertisement space in our Job Mart program, please complete the application and fax it to FAHSA at (850) 671-3790 or E-mail Erin Steele at esteele@fahsa.org

FAHSA is pleased to tell you about the FAHSA Group Purchasing Organization (GPO).  The GPO program further enhances the value you receive from your membership and is required for us to be in compliance with Medicare Safe Harbor requirements The FAHSA GPO program, in conjunction with the AAHSA, Care Purchasing (CPSI), and FMS Purchasing and Services (FMS) GPOs offer you the opportunity to save daily purchases from over 200 vendor partners.  To view these vendor partners please click on the Preferred Business Associated Guide and go to pages 22-25.

FAHSA members participating in these programs are saving from seven to 50% off list prices.  In addition to these savings, your participation allows FAHSA to receive non-dues revenue based on your purchases.  This revenue assists FAHSA to provide the educational programs and advocacy you expect while keeping membership dues' to a minimum.

There is no obligation or commitment on your part to participate in the FAHSA GPO programs. This is simply a value added member benefit. Our program is also not exclusive; you can belong to one or all three GPOs.  We simply ask that you look at all of the FAHSA programs and decide the best savings for you. 

We have three (3) Enrollment Agreements and ask that you complete one or all and fax the completed enrollment to the GPO at the number listed on the form. Click below to obtain the enrollment form. 

1. AAHSA Enrollment Form
2. Care Purchasing Enrollment Form
3. FMS Purchasing & Services Enrollment Form

If you are already enrolled in one of the GPOs, you are still required to complete a new enrollment form in order to have the FAHSA GPO covered under the Medicare Safe Harbor Laws.

If you have any questions, please call Julie Copeland, Vendor Relations Coordinator or Janegale Boyd, President/CEO (850) 671-3700.  Thank you for your continued support of FAHSA.