| August 28, 2008 |
Vol 15, Issue
36 | |
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FAHSA
LINK | |
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| Welcome to
this week's edition of the FAHSA Link.
FAHSA Members Aid in
Tropical Storm Fay Evacuation Efforts - As Tropical
Storm Fay zigzagged its way from water to land across the
state last week, it became the first storm in recorded history
to make landfall in Florida four times. FAHSA members faired
exceptionally well except for extensive flooding that took
place in parts of Florida as a result of its slow
movement.
Many thanks to Marty Goetz, CEO,
River Garden Hebrew Home Wolfson Health and Aging Center and
several other area nursing home communities for assisting
DeWayne Harvey, CEO, Innovative Health Care Management with
relocating residents from Summer Brook Health Care Center, a
120-bed nursing home facility, located in Jacksonville.
Staff made the decision to evacuate when massive amounts of
rain began filling up culverts, trenches and drains around the
community. "I am so appreciative of what Marty and his staff
did to help me in my time of need," said DeWayne
Harvey.
The Tropical Storm Fay event in
the Agency for Health Care Administration's (AHCA) Emergency
Status System (ESS) has been closed. Facility information,
emergency contacts, power, utility, census, and available bed
information can continue to be updated in ESS. Please
verify that the information is updated in preparation for
Tropical Storms Gustav and Hanna. An email will be
distributed upon opening ESS in the event the storm paths move
toward Florida.
Tropical Storm Gustav
Gains Strength in Gulf - For a complete update,
please click here to read FAHSA's latest Hurricane
Alert. | |
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| Constitutional Amendment
5 |
Supreme Court Moves 'Tax Swap' Amendment
Hearing to September 3 -- In an order released
yesterday, the Florida Supreme Court moved a previously
scheduled hearing on the Amendment 5 lawsuit from September 8,
2008 to September 3, 2008. The change was made to ensure that
a decision is rendered before the September 5 deadline for
approving the content for the ballot that will be used for the
November election. Attorneys for both sides filed briefs this
week indicating that in the event that the Court rules after
the Florida Department of State's September 5, 2008 ballot
approval deadline, the Amendment appearing on the November
ballot would cause confusion and the votes would simply not be
counted.
New Poll Shows Slim Majority
Favor Amendment 5 -- According to a recent poll done
for The Tampa Tribune and other news agencies by Mason-Dixon
Polling & Research, 39 percent of Floridians favor
Amendment 5 (the tax swap), while 33 percent oppose it
and 28 percent are undecided. The poll, with 625 registered
voters, has a four-point error
margin.
Information on Amendment 5 Posted
on FAHSA Web Site -- If you are looking for
information on the tax swap constitutional amendment
(Amendment 5), please be sure to go to the FAHSA Web site and
click on the red box labeled "Amendment 5 A Bad Idea."
You will be linked to a page on Amendment 5 that includes a
FAHSA fact sheet on the proposal along with links to other Web
sites that contain valuable information on why the amendment
is not a good idea. Although the Supreme Court is scheduled to
rule on a legal appeal related to the wording of Amendment 5
on September 3, there is no guarantee that the amendment will
be removed from the November ballot. Therefore, it is
important for you to begin to educate your residents and staff
about why Amendment 5 will create more problems that it will
solve. If Amendment 5 passes, it will eliminate the property
tax related to schools, but the legislature will have to make
up the resulting $9.6 billion in lost revenues by increasing
the sales tax by one percent, eliminate sales tax exemptions
that do not serve a public purpose, and cut services. The
probability of a sales tax on services would be great. In
addition, cities and counties would not be prohibited from
increasing user fees and special assessments to make up their
losses. |
| CCRC /
Retirement Community News |
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Prepayment for "CCRC Without Walls" Not an
Option in Florida -- Last Thursday, AAHSA hosted a
Web seminar titled "The Next Step: Expanding Your CCRC into
the Community." A handful of states have defined
continuing care in such a way that providers may offer
continuing care contracts to people who do not live on campus.
Speakers described programs implemented in Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Connecticut and Tennessee that include a pre-paid
contract and monthly fees for continuing care services
provided to seniors living in the community-at-large. Ch. 651,
F.S., requires that a CCRC provide "shelter" as part of its
contractual obligation. Therefore, this option is not
permitted under current law. It's important to remember that
nothing prohibits a CCRC from providing services to
non-residents on a fee-for-service basis.
A
couple of years ago, FAHSA asked the staff of the Office of
Insurance Regulation to consider a change in Ch. 651, F.S., to
allow for in-home CCRC contracts (a CCRC without walls). Based
on the limited information that was available through
regulators in other states, OIR was reluctant to move in that
direction. Obviously, when prepayment is involved, the
provider assumes a risk related to the delivery of promised
care, and little was known at the time about how this could be
done without affecting traditional CCRC contract holders
associated with the same organization. Although speakers from
the AAHSA web seminar indicated that the in-home CCRC model is
profitable after a three year start up period, an independent
evaluation is not available to show that such programs are
actuarially sound. We will discuss this option again at our
October public policy meetings and with OIR staff to see if
there is any interest. |
| District and Membership News |
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Vicar's Landing and Penney Retirement Community Hold
Voter Education Events -- Over the past two
weeks, two more FAHSA member organizations held candidates
forums. The resident council at Penney Retirement Community,
which has its own voting district, hosted an event for
candidates vying for State House seat 21. All four candidates
attended along with 150 residents. Another 75 viewed the forum
on closed circuit television. Vicar's Landing, a Ponte
Vedra Beach continuing care community, held a forum for
candidates for State House seat 18. Two of four
candidates participated. Seventy-five people attended. None of
the contenders for either race are
incumbents. |
|
Education
News |
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Nationally
Recognized Designer, Dr. Lorraine Hiatt to Speak during
Physical Plant Workshop on September 4 - Dr. Lorraine
Hiatt, a nationally-recognized designer who has worked on
several projects in Florida including: River Garden Hebrew
Home Wolfson Health and Aging Center; Moosehaven, Inc.;
Moorings Park; Abbey Delray and, most recently, The
Mayflower Retirement Community, that have, over the years,
pioneered culture change, will speak during the Physical Plant
Workshop on September 4. Her presentation, "Design
Choices and Culture Changes in Residents, Staff and Systems",
will track a series of examples illustrating design choices
and the impact on staff and resident activities, as well as
help participants evaluate the potential for design to
support, mitigate or impede values of person-centered care.
Specific data will be used to address basic physical functions
and to illustrate how time may be released to achieve more
engaging and natural approaches to other activities. Roles of
management, designers and regulators in marshalling design
potential will be highlighted. Participants will take home
tools to be used in evaluating their own
options.
You can still register online and plan
to join us on September 4, 2008 at the Hotel Royal Plaza in
Orlando.
- September 4, 2008 --AHCA's Skip Gregory
Examines Physical Plant and Life-Safety Requirements for
Nursing Homes: Learn about State-of-the-Art Design Models
that Promote Resident-Centered Care
- September 15 - Administrator and Boards of Directors
Training for HUD Communities, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville
Riverfront, Jacksonville
- September 15 -- Home and Community
Based Workshop, Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront,
Jacksonville
- September 15-17 - FAHSA's 25th Annual
Affordable Housing, Service Coordinator and Home and
Community-Based Services Workshop, Hyatt Regency
Jacksonville Riverfront, Jacksonville September 26,
2008 - iMAX / TRACs Audio Call featuring Bonnie Wilpon
- October 13-16, 2008 - AAHSA's Annual Meeting,
Pennsylvania Conference Center, Philadelphia, PA
- October 21 -Webinar: Risk Management, NeverEvents
featuring Susan Bugg and Jan Ferguson
- October 29-30 - FAHSA's Board of Trustees Meeting, The
Tradewinds, St. Petersburg
- November 13 - Webinar: Bridging the Gap:
Understanding New Wireless Technology
FAHSA Calendar of
Events |
| General News |
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Workers' Compensation Rates Could Decrease for
Sixth Year -- Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin
McCarty announced this week that he has received the latest
rate filing from the National Council on Compensation
Insurance (NCCI) for workers' compensation insurance rates due
to become effective next year. The filing calls for an overall
average rate decrease of 14.1 percent statewide, which would
produce a savings of more than $465 million for Florida
employers.
If approved, the rate decrease would be the sixth
consecutive drop since the Legislature passed sweeping reforms
to the state's workers' compensation system in 2003. The
cumulative overall statewide average rate decrease since 2003
would total 58.3 percent.
"These lower workers' compensation rates will have a
positive impact on every segment of our marketplace," said
Commissioner McCarty. "It is great news for business owners
and their employees, because Florida employers are paying
lower rates, and benefits are being delivered fairly and
effectively. The reduction of fraud and abuse in the system is
certainly paying off."
Prior to the legislative reforms, the state of
Florida consistently ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the country for
the highest workers' compensation rates; however, post-reform,
Florida has dropped out of the top 10 rankings.
NCCI, which produces and files rates for insurers in
many states, said the rate decline was primarily due to a
significant drop in claims frequency and a reduction in the
costs of claims.
A rate hearing on the filing will be scheduled by the
Office of Insurance Regulation in October, and the rate change
would be effective for new and renewal business as of Jan. 1,
2009.
For more information, please contact Ed
Domansky, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Edward.Domansky@floir.com Medicare
Providers Remain Satisfied with Fee-for-Service
Contractors -- The Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) recently reported that Medicare health
care providers continue to be satisfied with services provided
by Medicare fee-for-service contractors showing a relatively
smooth transition to the new Medicare Administrative
Contractors (MACs). The average score
based on a satisfaction survey across all contractors was 4.51
on a scale of 1 to 6. This year's average score was comparable
to last year's average score of 4.56. The
Medicare Contractor Provider Satisfaction Survey (MCPSS),
conducted by CMS for the third year, is designed to gather and
report objective, quantifiable data on provider satisfaction
with the fee-for-service contractors who process and pay
Medicare claims. In 2007, more than one billion claims were
processed and paid to approximately one million health care
providers who provided medically necessary items and services
to 44 million beneficiaries. The survey is mandated by
the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement,
and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003. Specifically, the
law calls for CMS to develop contract performance
requirements, including measuring provider satisfaction with
Medicare contractors. The MCPSS enables CMS to make valid
comparisons of provider satisfaction between contractors and,
over time, improvements to Medicare.
The summary report of the survey findings is
available on the CMS Web site in the MCPSS section at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MCPSS.
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| Home
and Community-Based Services News |
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FAHSA's Annual Home and Community-Based Workshop
Scheduled - This year, plan to attend FAHSA's HCBS
Workshop on Monday, September 15, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel in downtown
Jacksonville (will be held in conjunction with the Affordable
Housing and Service Coordinator Workshop September 16-17,
2008). Peter Notarstefano, AAHSA's Director of HCBS;
Mike Bell, The Hospice Foundation of the Florida Suncoast;
Shannon Martin, M.S.W., CMC, Aging Wisely; and Anne Menard,
Agency for Health Care Administration will present topics such
as Implementing a Comprehensive Aging in Place Strategy for
Independent Residents, Pushing the Limits of Support
Services: When Does it Become Too Much of a Good Thing?,
AHCA Issues New Rules Affecting HCBS/Home Health Providers,
and Operational Issues and Challenges for HCBS Providers.
Online registration and brochure are posted on the Calendar
Page of the FAHSA Web site.
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| Housing
News |
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Affordable Housing is Focus of Two Major Corporations --
TD Banknorth and Commerce Bank have teamed up
to support affordable housing by offering a new grant program,
made possible through the TD Charitable Foundation.
Applicants must develop and/or maintain affordable housing or
provide housing-related programs and services to low and
moderate income individuals or families. The grant offers
support for operational funding for fiscally responsible
organizations that have made and continue to make a meaningful
difference in the affordable housing market in their
respective community. Applications from 501(c)(3)
nonprofit housing organizations will be accepted until
September 12, 2008.
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| Legislative News |
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List of Candidates for November Election
Narrows -- Consider Holding a Voter
Education Event at Your Community -- The number
of candidates for open congressional and state legislative
seats has narrowed as a result of the primary election held
this week. Several FAHSA members held voter education events
in the weeks leading up to the primary with excellent results.
One event was video taped by the Orlando Sentinel and posted
on its voter education Web page for the general public to
view. The communities that held the events made contacts that
will pay off after the election. Please consider
holding a voter education event at your community in September
or October that includes, at a minimum, candidates for the
state legislature for your organization's voting
district. You can access an updated version of FAHSA's
Voter Education and Grassroots Advocacy Guide by clicking
here. It is also accessible by going to the FAHSA
Web site, click on Members Only/News, then Legislative Issues
and the document is listed on that page. The Guide
contains helpful tips for organizing and conducting voter
education activities as well as sample letters to candidates,
invitations to interested parties, questions for candidates,
and agendas. In addition, Mary Ellen Early is available
to help you tailor an agenda and questions for candidates that
are suitable for your organization. If you're unsure of the
name of candidates running for the state legislature in your
area, please go to the Web site of the
Florida Secretary of State or contact Beverly Gregory
at FAHSA; (850) 671-3700. |
| Nursing
Home News |
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CMS Draft Revised Guidance: Quality of Life
Revisions to Guidance for F-Tags - A draft
transmittal and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS)-proposed changes related to quality of life for several
F-tags are being proposed in response to discussions held at
the National Symposium on Culture Change and the Environment
Requirements, co-sponsored by CMS and the Pioneer Network last
April. Read more on this issue and those listed below in the
latest Nursing Home Alert, NH 08-30.
Other Nursing Home News:
- CMS Quality of Life Revisions
- AHCA Clarification On Demand Billing
- AHCA Survey Reports Online
- Draft Crosswalk Available for MDS 3.0 Comparison
- Additional Cultural Change Question from
AHCA
FAHSA Nursing Home
Alert Page
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| Preferred Business Associates
News |
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 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.
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| Job-Mart |
| FAHSA is pleased to provide an opportunity for
you to advertise your "position wanted" or "position
available" through the FAHSA Link newsletter and on our
Web Page.
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
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Copyright 2008 -- Publication of the
Florida Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
(FAHSA).
- FAHSA Chair: Alma Ballard
- FAHSA President/CEO: Janegale Boyd
- Managing Editor: Gail Matillo
Copyright
Information: Copies of the articles and other information in
this publication may be noncommercially reproduced for the
purpose of educational or scientific advancement. Otherwise,
no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in
any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including
photocopying, microfilm and recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without the written permission
of the editor.
Correspondence: Should be addressed to:
Editor, 1812 Riggins Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308. For
telephone inquiries, call (850) 671-3700. Or E-mail FAHSA at
info@fahsa.org. © 2008 FAHSA. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this
correspondence is not intended as a substitute for legal
advice. Please discuss any information gathered from this or
any other FAHSA publications with your legal counsel in the
context of your particular situation before implementing any
new policies or procedures.
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