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January 10, 2023

In this Issue:

  1. MACPAC Report Calls for Increased Transparency in How Nursing Homes Spend Medicaid Dollars
  2. Nursing Home Staff Can Now Administer COVID-19 Boosters
  3. Conversation Tomorrow with Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition
  4. Virtual Office Hour for Ombudsman Programs on Inadequate Staffing in Nursing Homes

MACPAC Report Calls for Increased Transparency in How Nursing Homes Spend Medicaid Dollars

On January 3, 2023, MACPAC, a non-partisan legislative branch agency that provides policy and data analysis and makes recommendations to Congress on Medicaid programs, issued a report finding that without increased transparency in how nursing homes spend Medicaid dollars, it could not properly calculate the actual costs of providing care to Medicaid residents in nursing homes. As a result, MACPAC was not able to determine the adequacy of Medicaid payments to nursing homes.

The MACPAC report noted the difficulty of ascertaining costs by looking at data from nursing homes. The report stated, "it is difficult to use stated cost reports to compare payment rates and costs across states,” because states have varying definitions of what services a nursing home can be compensated for providing.   Additionally, the report noted it was unable to ascertain the effect of related party transactions on costs, finding that these transactions "may artificially inflate the costs reported on Medicare cost reports."

For years, independent researchers and nursing home resident advocacy organizations, including Consumer Voice, have challenged the nursing home industry's assertion that Medicaid payments are inadequate. Despite the lack of supporting evidence, the industry’s claim has been accepted as fact by many federal and state policy makers. Advocates have repeatedly called for increased transparency in how current Medicare and Medicaid dollars are spent before more public money is given to nursing homes. Federal and state governments must require increased disclosure of related party transactions and other accounting hijinks nursing homes use to hide how they spend taxpayer dollars.

Read our joint statement with Center for Medicare Advocacy and Long Term Care Community Coalition.

Nursing Home Staff Can Now Administer COVID-19 Boosters

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that nursing home facility staff can now administer COVID-19 booster shots.  The move comes in response to a November 2022 letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra from the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) and LeadingAge outlining an all-hands-on-deck campaign to improve COVID-19 and flu vaccination rates among nursing home residents.  Though not all nursing homes have the ability to store vaccines or have the staff needed to administer vaccinations, the CDC's announcement removes some challenges in providing vaccinations to nursing home residents and is intended to increase vaccination rates.

Conversation Tomorrow with Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition

Join the Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition tomorrow, January 11th at 1:00pm ET for its first 2023 Coalition Conversation.  Coalition Chair, Alice Bonner, along with Coalition committee members and partner organizations will provide insights into the feedback they've received and give a brief overview of the Coalition's Vision, Mission, as well as a look at the work committees are focused on in months ahead. There will be time for questions, idea-sharing, and feedback.

Register Now

Virtual Office Hour for Ombudsman Programs on Inadequate Staffing in Nursing Homes

The National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) is hosting a virtual office hour for long-term care Ombudsman programs the last Wednesday of each month at 2:00 pm ET. This is an opportunity to ask questions, share information, and have open conversations with peers and NORC staff.

The focus of the January call will be Addressing Issues Due to Inadequate Staffing. These Zoom calls do not include a structured presentation and are open to all State Ombudsmen and their program representatives. These calls will not be recorded and do not require registration.  Attend to ask questions and share advocacy strategies when addressing issues related to inadequate staffing.

Learn more and attend the January 25th call.

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