News In Brief - December 18, 2014

Greetings of the season!
This is the final News in Brief of 2014, so we don't want to miss the opportunity to send warm holiday wishes to all of you from the LeadingAge Oregon staff! We look forward to serving and working with you in 2015!

Mark your calendars for ICD-10 training
Nursing facility staff will want to mark their 2015 calendars for the LeadingAge Oregon ICD-10 training, which will be held April 30 and May 1 at Sysco Food Services in Wilsonville. The training was cancelled last year when the ICD-10 implementation date was postponed one year, until October 1, 2015. At this point some physician groups are pushing for another postponement of the implementation date, but hospitals and other stakeholders are pushing just as hard to keep the October 1 date. Watch for the training brochure and registration after the first of the year. In the meantime, CMS has posted a new video on YouTube, Coding for ICD-10-CM: More of the Basics.

Sign up to receive scam alerts from the Department of Justice
With older adults often the targets of con artists, it makes sense for senior living providers to stay informed about the latest scams trending throughout Oregon. The Department of Justice Consumer Protection division has a Scam Alert page where you can sign up to receive alerts about emerging scams, fraud and consumer threats. Sign up for the Oregon Scam Alert Network. The Consumer Protection division also has a special page dedicated to elder care.

Nursing facility DONs to receive new, mandatory HAI survey next month
The Oregon Health Authority's Healthcare Associated Infections Program has developed a flier with contact information about a new, mandatory survey that must be completed by Oregon nursing homes next month. The purpose of the survey is to assist state infectious disease staff in better understanding how Oregon nursing homes and other healthcare facilities prevent and manage healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Directors of Nursing will receive an e-mail invitation to complete the survey online in January, and facilities will have 30 days to respond. Read more.

Home care workers gain minimum wage, overtime protections January 1
LeadingAge reminds members that as of January 1, home care workers employed by agencies are entitled to the minimum wage and overtime protections mandated by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Despite the effective date, the Department of Labor won't enforce the rule for the first six months, and will exercise "prosecutorial discretion" until the end of 2015, due to concerns about Medicaid recipient access to services under the new regulations. Read more about the rule.

Michigan "independent living" senior communities settle Fair Housing case
LeadingAge members across the country recently had an interesting discussion related to resident transitions of care in CCRCs. One member shared information about a Michigan case where five "independent" senior living communities were found to have violated the Fair Housing Act by collecting medical information on applicants and current residents, and not allowing residents to return to their apartments after hospital stays if they were not deemed "independent" enough. Read a summary of the case on HUD's website.

CMS issues proposed rule and guidance on same sex spouses
CMS has issued a proposed rule and guidance on recognition of same-sex spouses by providers that participate in Medicare and Medicaid. CMS clarifies that terms including "spouse," "marriage," "relative," "family," "next-of-kin," etc. include all marriages legal in the jurisdiction where the marriage occurred, no matter what state the provider is located in. Read more.

Webinars offer best practice tips for nursing facility business offices
LeadingAge Oregon has partnered with LeadingAge Iowa to offer three webinars in early 2015 targeted to business offices. The first two specifically focus on issues related to skilled nursing facility (SNF) Medicare billing: Consolidated Billing from A to X (Ambulance to X-ray) on January 14, and Medicare Accounts Receivable Management Strategies on February 4. The third webinar, HIPAA for the Business Office on March 4, is applicable to any setting that must comply with HIPAA requirements. Visit the LeadingAge Oregon Educational Opportunities page for more information or to register.

AgeTech West

AgeTech West releases white paper on safety & wellness systems
In addition to developing the white paper on WiFi in senior living mentioned in last week's News in Brief, AgeTech West has also released a white paper on Considerations for Implementing Safety & Wellness Systems in Senior Living and Long-term Care Communities. Both white papers were developed in response to providers' desire for practical, unbiased guidance as they consider the wide array of technology options available for senior living settings.