News

While we advocate for a legislative appropriation to support the moratorium exceptions program in the current special session, we want to remind members that there is currently a round open with close to a million in Medicaid funding available.

With Assisted Living Licensure taking effect on Aug. 1 of this year, those settings that provide customized living services under the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) waiver programs need to take action to ensure continued waiver payment.

Featuring Dawn Nickleson, Passion for Dining and Nutrition, and Jennifer Anderson, EduCare

As you begin to navigate dining and culinary services requirements in the assisted living regulation, it is essential to recognize that both the Minnesota Assisted Living License Rules and the Food Code play a role in oversight, training, and compliance.

The transition to Assisted Living Licensure (ALL) also brings a transition to a new Assisted Living Bill of Rights. You should provide the Bill of Rights to both new and existing residents of the facility.

This week, lawmakers mainly met in private to debate the specific spending details for each budget area. The first of two self-imposed deadlines passed on Friday, May 28, without any public notice of the finalized details of the budget. The second deadline, June 4, is quickly approaching; lawmakers to agree on what policy provisions will be included in the final deal when Governor Walz calls a special session on June 14. Here is what you need to know about what is happening at the capitol this week:

Beginning this year, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is now conducting two surveys on the cost of providing services in Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) settings. Both surveys are being conducted this summer and are based on random samples of providers.

The Minnesota State Fire Marshal (SFM) Healthcare Inspections team has posted several forms that nursing facilities can use to document required inspection of certain life safety features in your buildings. During our Institute last week, SFM inspector Roy Kingsley presented a session on commonly-cited life safety code deficiencies. As part of that, he emphasized the importance of thorough documentation.

With Assisted Living Licensure taking effect on Aug. 1, those settings that provide customized living services under the DHS waiver programs need to take action to ensure continued waiver payment. This document from the Long-term Care Imperative covers various scenarios and how to proceed with updating provider enrollment. Note that we have updated this document based on some DHS comments since the version in Advantage last week.

Care centers are asked to make an annual Case Mix Election to determine the rate for Medical Assistance and private pay residents who stay 14 days or less. Providers choose either to do a Minimum Data Set (MDS) for all such residents and bill based on that case mix or decide not to do MDS and bill at the default (DDF case mix) rate.

The annual recalculation of the Housing Support, formerly Group Residential Housing (GRH), which covers rent and raw food for eligible participants, has increased by $20 per month. The new rate of $954 will be effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.

Earlier this week, the Board of Executives for Long-term Services and Supports (BELTSS) requested patience from Licensed Assisted Living Director (LALD) applicants, provided an update on the licensing of Assisted Living Directors, and communicated a delay in the opening of applications for AL Directors in Residence.

This week, lawmakers are approaching a May 28, self-imposed deadline to decide how to allocate the money announced in the recent budget deal by legislative leaders last Monday. Throughout the week, only one legislative committee met publicly. There have yet to be any specific spending details released by budget area. With a looming special session presumed to happen on or before June 14, here is what you need to know about what is happening at the capitol this week.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has posted flow charts to assist settings in determining what, if any, notices must be issued to current residents and clients related to the transition to assisted living licensure. Notices, if needed, must be sent by May 31.

The Minnesota Legislature has adjourned the 2021 regular session, hours before the constitutionally required midnight adjournment, without passing a biennial budget. Lawmakers will need a special session to finish the job. For senior care providers, there are several key priorities left unresolved at this time. We are hopeful that legislators will address these in the special session.

With assisted living licensure taking effect on Aug. 1, settings that provide customized living services under the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) waiver programs wonder what steps they need to take to maintain continued waiver payment. This document from the Long-Term Care Imperative covers various scenarios and how to proceed with updating provider enrollment. Based on information from DHS, here is what needs to be done for provider enrollment after licensure:

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has posted materials related to applying for the Performance Incentive Payment Projects (PIPP) program on the nursing facility provider portal (see the links posted about halfway down the main page). Proposals are due by July 1, with rate increases starting on Jan. 1, 2022.

This week, lawmakers enter the final stretch of the legislative session before adjourning on May 17 at midnight, regardless of the status of the budget. Most at the Capitol view the Monday deadline as irrelevant given several circumstances that almost guarantee that lawmakers will leave their work unfinished at the end of their constitutionally allotted time.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), through the Nursing Facility Rates and Policy (NFRP) Division and the State Civil Monetary Penalties (CMP) Initiative, is seeking applications from qualified Minnesota Medicaid-Certified Nursing Facilities that are interested in applying for grant funds for several project opportunities.

This week, lawmakers are starting to reconcile the differences in significant budget bills passed off the House and Senate floors in conference committees. Conference committees mark one of the final steps in the budget-making process before the bills are sent to the Governor for his approval. We expect our most important issues to be debated in conference committees in the upcoming days.

This week, lawmakers are debating the Health and Human Services (HHS) omnibus budget bills on the House and Senate floor. The proposals contain most of the policy priorities affecting the senior services sector. Here is what you need to know about each version of the bills and what the next few weeks ahead look like as we approach the end of the legislative session: