The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Work Plan for fiscal year (FY) 2017 summarizes new and ongoing reviews and activities that the OIG plans to pursue with respect to HHS programs and operations during the current fiscal year and beyond. Work planning is an ongoing and evolving process, and the Work Plan is updated throughout the year. For nursing homes, the OIG plans to focus on: Nursing Home Complaint Investigation Data Brief

Our national affiliate, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) has developed several new resources to assist members with implementing the Requirements of Participation. The newly posted materials include: Action Briefs which provide highlights of regulatory sections along with implementation strategies and tips, timelines, and related resources. New topics posted include Infection Prevention & Control, Pharmacy Services, and Policies & Procedures on Taking Photos or Videos. Tools including detailed implementation checklists on a variety of topics. New tools posted include several

CMS has released training which contains information regarding Phase 1 of the New Nursing Home Regulations that will became effective starting November 28, 2016. This information addresses the new language included in the New Nursing Home Regulations, and how Phase 1 will be implemented via the State Operations Manual, F-Tags, and survey process. This training also address how the survey process will be used to address the regulatory requirements, please click here to access the CMS training. Source: CMS

An issue has been identified with MDS 3.0 assessment records submitted to the ASAP (Assessment Submission and Processing) system beginning October 1, 2016, through November 4, 2016. This issue impacts all NO and SO (Nursing Home and Swing Bed OMRA Other) assessment records with a target date on or after October 1, 2016 and may have resulted in an incorrect ASAP system-calculated RUG code for these assessments. No other assessment record types were affected by this issue. This issue involves

The Department of Public Health presented the proposed revisions to 105 CMR 150.000 Licensure of Long Term Care Facilities to the Public Health Council on November 9, 2016. Mass Senior Care provided the DPH with recommendations for revision and/or deletion of specific regulatory requirements for these regulations last year. Mass Senior Care will convene a meeting on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Mass Senior Care office to review the proposed revisions and prepare

On November 22, 2016, a federal district court in Texas granted an emergency motion for a preliminary injunction barring the Department of Labor (DoL) from enforcing its revised overtime rule, scheduled to take effect December 1, 2016. The federal rule would require employers to start paying overtime to eligible workers earning salaries of less than $47,476 a year (an increase from $23,600 the last time it was set in 2004), making millions more workers eligible for time-and-a-half pay. The final

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) today issued its Compliance Form Worksheet and Compliance Form Instructions in regard to the $35.5M Direct Care Add On program included in the SFY 2017 budget act. • SFY2017 Nursing Facility Direct Care Add-on Compliance Form Instructions [NF-DCACF-I] Please note that EOHHS previously issued an Administrative Bulletin setting forth the compliance criteria and reporting procedures for the Direct Care Add On program. EOHHS has scheduled three Nursing Facility Direct Care Add-On

Joyann (Joy) Morin’s passion for the elderly was sparked as a child, when she and her sister loved spending time visiting and making cards for residents at the nursing home where her mother worked as a CNA. An integral member of the staff at Mount Carmel Care Center for 27 years, she began her career in long term care as a housekeeper, working her way up to become a Certified Activity Director and Certified Dementia Practitioner.

The HHS Office of Civil Rights published a final rule May 18, 2016, broadening the nondiscrimination requirements applicable to all health programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance from HHS, those administered by HHS, and Health Insurance Marketplaces. This final rule has largely flown under the radar since its publication, begging the question: are you prepared to comply with the new requirements? Join AHCA for a webinar on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET to

The Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety and Medical Error Reduction November 2016 Patient Safety Report highlighted the issue of health care worker flu vaccination. The Lehman article notes that the 2015 - 2016 influenza season show a slight rise in the vaccination rate of Massachusetts health care workers but a substantial number of health care facilities failed to reach the 90% vaccination level recommended by state and federal health authorities. Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Regulation requires long