Lawmakers across Iowa will host legislative town halls this weekend, providing an opportunity for constituents to engage with their representatives. Events will take place in Ankeny and West Des Moines on Friday, with additional forums held across the state on Saturday and Monday. Attendees can discuss key issues, ask questions, and connect with legislators in their communities. Check the full schedule for details on locations and participating state legislators.
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Join us for IHCA Day on the Hill, sponsored by Medline, on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Your participation is critical, as legislators need to hear directly from you about the challenges you face and the funding necessary to continue serving Iowa’s most vulnerable populations. Please RSVP for this event by this Friday, Feb. 14.
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Stay ahead of the latest advancements and best practices in dementia care by attending Enhancing Dementia Care: Caring with Confidence next Thursday, Feb. 20. This conference, offered in a hybrid format, meets the State of Iowa’s dementia specific criteria for health care professionals who work in Iowa nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, this event is approved for 6.0 CEUs for CNAs, health care assistants, activity professionals, social services staff, physical therapists, nurses, department heads, administrators and assisted living managers.
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Ensure your facility's safety and compliance by attending one of IHCA's 2025 Life Safety – Fire Safety Conferences. The conference in Cedar Rapids will be held March 3-4, while the Jefferson conference will take place March 5-6. Approved for 7.5 CEUs, these events are designed for environmental service managers, department heads, administrators and assisted living managers.
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The Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is awarding five free registrations to IHCA activity professionals to attend IHCA’s Spring Conference! To enter to win, showcase your facility’s most impactful activities and events from the past year by creating an engaging highlight reel! Please send your “highlight reel,” which may include videos, photos, testimonials, etc., to IHCA's Education Director Hannah Freund at
[email protected] by Feb. 28 for a chance to win a free registration to the IHCA Spring Conference.
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Grow your skills and spring into quality improvement at IHCA’s two-day, in-person 2025 Spring Education Conference. This conference, sponsored by BCG Data Services, will take place Wednesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 27 at Prairie Meadows Conference Center in Altoona and will offer over 25 timely sessions made specifically for long-term care professionals. This conference is approved for up to 10.0 CEUs for activity directors, nurses, social services staff, administrators, department heads, assisted living managers and home health professionals.
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IHCA is excited to announce an upcoming four-part live webinar series designed to help long-term care leaders foster trust in their teams and organizations. Led...
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Grow your skills and spring into quality improvement at IHCA’s two-day, in-person 2025 Spring Conference. This conference, sponsored by BCG, will take place Wednesday, March...
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This year’s AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program has seen an incredible surge in participation from Iowa providers! A total of 85 Iowa applications were submitted...
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The 2024 AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Recognition Ceremony, originally scheduled for last fall in Orlando, was postponed due to Hurricane Milton. AHCA/NCAL has now rescheduled the...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have identified an error in 1099-MISC tax forms sent to providers who received fee-for-service (FFS) payments in calendar year 2024. Forms postmarked Jan. 27, 2025, were issued with incorrect payer information and should be disregarded. Providers who received a form listing TIN XXXXX4568, payer name: Iowa Department of Human Services, and address: 1305 East Walnut will receive a corrected version.
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As an IHCA member, you have access to IHCA’s provider network – Iowa Health Care Quality Partners (IHCQP) – a collaboration of over 200 long-term and post-acute care providers. This network has been helping members for years by streamlining administrative processes, improving contract terms and providing valuable resources to support quality care.
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Below is an overview of upcoming legislative town halls. Events are planned for this Friday in Allison, Ankeny, Manchester and Eldridge, with additional town halls...
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As the largest association representing Iowa’s long-term care providers, IHCA advocates for over 840 skilled nursing, assisted living, home health and care continuum providers. Together,...
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Ensure the safety and compliance of your facility by attending one of IHCA’s 2025 Life Safety – Fire Safety Conferences. Offered in two convenient locations...
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The Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is awarding five free registrations to IHCA’s Spring Conference! To enter to win, showcase your facility’s most impactful...
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IHCA’s on-demand Assisted Living Medication Manager Course, approved by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL), provides individuals the necessary tools to effectively...
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Accommodations are now available for IHCA’s 2025 Convention and Trade Show, taking place Sept. 21-24 at the Des Moines Marriott Hotel, located at 700 Grand...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently announced the release of the 2024 Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Provider Quality Self-Assessment. The HCBS Provider Quality Self-Assessment (form 470-4547) can be found on the Iowa DHHS website and is due this Friday, Jan. 31. The form has been updated and prior years’ versions will not be accepted. A complete and accurate self-assessment must be received no later than Jan. 31, 2025. Failure to submit by Jan. 31, 2025, will jeopardize an organization’s Medicaid enrollment, including managed care contracts, and may result in a sanction of payment suspension.
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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As the largest association representing Iowa’s long-term care providers, IHCA advocates for over 840 skilled nursing, assisted living, home health and care continuum providers. Together,...
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This article provides an overview of upcoming town halls. Events are planned for this Friday in Waverly, Monticello and Baxter, with additional town halls next...
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Accommodations are now available for IHCA’s 2025 Convention and Trade Show, taking place Sept. 21-24 at the Des Moines Marriott Hotel, located at 700 Grand...
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Navigating the world of long-term care (LTC) can feel overwhelming, especially with the variety of terms and acronyms unique to this field. To make things...
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Members participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program are reminded of tomorrow's application deadline. Applications must be submitted to the Quality Portal no later...
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The Quarter 1 2025 assisted living (AL) survey trend report is now available on the IHCA Member Resource Portal. Click here to view the report....
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require employers in most industries to record workplace injuries on their 300...
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On Jan. 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued two Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles describing changes in the 2025 immunization...
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The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) recently launched DIALED IN, a podcast series designed to educate the public about the department’s work and its...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Last Tuesday evening, Governor Reynolds gave her Condition of the State Address, where she discussed the strengths of the state and her policy initiatives for...
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In last week's Condition of the State Address, Governor Kim Reynolds announced a new grant opportunity that addresses Iowa’s need to grow its health care...
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Ensure the safety and compliance of your facility by attending one of IHCA’s 2025 Life Safety – Fire Safety Conferences. Offered in two convenient locations...
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Join IHCA next Wednesday, Jan. 22, for its virtual Workforce Management Conference. This education program will explore strategies to address workforce challenges, including staff recruitment,...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2653 to advise providers that, effective Jan. 1,...
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Members participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program are reminded that the deadline for application submission is approaching quickly. Applications must be submitted to...
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IHCA is excited to announce an upcoming four-part live webinar series designed to help long-term care leaders foster trust in their teams and organizations. Lead...
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Join IHCA on Wednesday, April 23, for its in-person Assisted Living Regulatory Class. The purpose of this class is to provide assisted living nurses and...
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IHCA assisted living members are encouraged to complete a three-minute survey to assist the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in understanding the electronic medical...
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Stonehill Communities, an IHCA member, is a participating provider in the CMS Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model program. Located in Dubuque, Stonehill is...
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As we kick off the new year, IHCA is excited to announce that the IHCA Education Center has been renamed the Brighton Consulting Group (BCG)...
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Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the maximum residential care facility (RCF) per diem rate increased from $36.82 to $37.60. There will be no increase in the flat per diem rate at this time. The flat per diem rate remains at $17.86. Additionally, the personal needs allowance for RCF assistance recipients increased from $123.00 to $126.00 per month, effective Jan. 1, 2025.
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On Dec. 18, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued Policy Clarification #PC00028, which reduces the allowable managed care organization (MCO) payment recoupment period to two years. The new policies, which apply to all MCO claims, took effect Jan. 1, 2025. IHCA is happy to have worked with the department on this needed change to the managed care system, providing needed relief on the administrative side of many provider’s operations.
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The 2024 AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Recognition Ceremony, originally planned for last fall in Orlando, was postponed due to Hurricane Milton. AHCA/NCAL has recently announced it...
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Join IHCA on Wednesday, Jan. 22, for its Workforce Management Conference. This conference will be offered in a hybrid format, meaning you can attend in-person...
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IHCA's Assisted Living Management Certification (ALMC) Program will be held in person on Monday, April 21, through Thursday, April 24. This in-person ALMC program is...
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Recently, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued Policy Clarification #PC00028, which reduces the allowable managed care organization (MCO) payment recoupment period to two years. The new policies, which apply to all MCO claims, take effect Jan. 1, 2025. IHCA is happy to have worked with the department on this needed change to the managed care system, providing needed relief on the administrative side of many provider’s operations.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently announced the release of the 2024 Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Provider Quality Self-Assessment. The HCBS Provider Quality Self-Assessment (form 470-4547) can be found on the Iowa DHHS website and is due Jan. 31, 2025. The form has been updated and prior years’ versions will not be accepted. A complete and accurate self-assessment must be received no later than Jan. 31, 2025. Failure to submit by Jan. 31, 2025, will jeopardize an organization’s Medicaid enrollment, including managed care contracts, and may result in a sanction of payment suspension.
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Iowa has been selected as one of 20 states where the Unified Program Integrity Contractor (UPIC), CoventBridge, will conduct an audit of the Iowa Medicaid managed care programs (MCPs). The audit will include the managed care organizations (MCOs) and the prepaid ambulatory health plans (PAHPs). CoventBridge may request documentation from providers during the audit. The lifecycle of this audit is expected to be 13 months. Providers are required to comply with the requests for the documentation and the timeframes established by CoventBridge.
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Iowa Medicaid will distribute $1.7 million in funding to eligible providers through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Disaster Relief and Recovery Grant. This grant aims to support HCBS providers in counties impacted by disasters with their relief and recovery efforts. Eligible providers can apply for up to $200,000 in grant funds by completing the online application, open now through Dec. 29, 2024. Note: Since the article's original publication on Dec. 11, additional counties have been added to the list of eligible areas.
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Join IHCA on Thursday, Feb. 20, for its hybrid event, Enhancing Dementia Care: Caring with Confidence, and stay ahead of the latest advancements and best...
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Iowa Medicaid intends to distribute $1.7 million to eligible providers from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Disaster Relief and Recovery Grant. This grant is intended to provide funding to disaster affected HCBS providers operating in disaster affected counties to assist with relief and recovery efforts. Eligible providers may request up to $200,000 in grant funds by completing the online grant application now through Dec. 29, 2024.
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CMS will host training sessions on several key provisions of the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services Final Rule (Access Rule) to ensure that all partners fully understand the various home-and community-based services (HCBS) provisions within the rule and have an opportunity ask questions and provide feedback. The first webinar, "Grievance Systems," will take place today, Dec. 11, at 2:00 p.m.
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Iowa Total Care now has Availity Essentials as its secure provider portal. On Nov. 18, 2024, providers became able to submit authorizations and access other payer resources via Availity Essentials.
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Join IHCA on Wednesday, Jan. 22, for its Workforce Management Conference. This conference will be offered in a hybrid format, meaning you can attend in-person...
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IHCA/ICAL members that are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA’s/NCAL’s PHM...
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If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from...
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With the 2025 Medicaid rebase quickly approaching in the upcoming legislative session, grassroots engagement is more critical than ever. IHCA's collective goal is to have...
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IHCA’s 2025 education calendar is now available and features education opportunities for skilled nursing facilities, assisted living programs, home health agencies and continuing care retirement communities....
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released a reminder to providers that per their provider agreement, their ownership and control disclosure (OCD) is to be updated within 35 business days after any change in ownership or control.
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On Friday, Nov. 15, a federal judge in Texas struck down the “Overtime Rule” from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that would raise the...
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In compliance with the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993, please be advised that, per section 6033(e) of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code), the Iowa...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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IHCA’s final November District Education event of 2024 will take place in Atlantic tomorrow, Nov. 14, and will include sessions on regulatory updates, compliance strategies...
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Don’t miss your chance to get a head start in participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program!This is the final reminder to submit your...
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IHCA’s November District Education events will include sessions on regulatory updates, compliance strategies and long-term care challenges for nursing homes and assisted living facilities.Attendees will...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released annual submission requirements for prevention and detection of Medicaid fraud and abuse for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025. Any provider or provider entity that receives payments, in any FFY, of $5,000,000 or more from any state Medicaid program must have written policies for all employees, including management, and for all employees of any contractor or agent. Providers are not required to send copies of their policies but must complete and return the Attestation of Compliance with Section 6032 of The Federal Deficit Reduction Act Form (470-5506) annually. The form can be found on the Iowa DHHS provider forms webpage. For the FFY ending Sept. 30, 2024, the attestation form must be received by Iowa Medicaid by Jan. 31, 2025.
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In an effort to strengthen incident management and reporting, Iowa Medicaid has introduced updated protocols for Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver, Habilitation and Money Follows the Person (MFP) providers. These changes emphasize clearer definitions, expanded incident types and enhanced reporting guidelines to support the safety and well-being of members. The effective date of these changes is Nov. 1, 2024, so providers are to begin implementing these changes right away.
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program, based on the Baldrige Performance Excellence framework, sets high standards for excellence in long-term, post-acute and assisted living care....
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Looking for something new to help meet your continuing education or dementia training requirements? CARES offers AHCA/NCAL members exclusive savings on all CARES dementia training...
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Join IHCA tomorrow, Oct. 31, for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class. The purpose of this class is to provide assisted living nurses and directors with...
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IHCA’s November District Education events, held at four locations throughout the state, will include sessions on regulatory updates, compliance strategies and long-term care challenges for...
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Mandy Cohen has endorsed two new recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)...
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On Oct. 16, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an updated warning regarding Cue Health’s COVID-19 tests due to the risk of false...
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IHCA encourages you to take part in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program by submitting your Intent to Apply by Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7:00...
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All skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities and intellectual/developmental disability centers are required by Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA’s) Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR...
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For nearly 30 years, Lee Agency has specialized in providing business insurance and risk management solutions to senior living communities. Lee Agency’s experience and expertise have...
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Join IHCA for its Assisted Living Management Certification Program to be held on Oct. 28 through Nov. 1. This in-person training program will provide participants...
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Join IHCA on Thursday, Oct. 31, for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class. The purpose of this class is to provide assisted living nurses and directors...
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Several boards under the purview of the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) have received reports from their licensees of scam calls and...
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Summary The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to inform health care providers, pharmacists, health...
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The October 2024 assisted living (AL) survey trend report is now available on the IHCA Member Resource Portal. Click here to view the report. This...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released informational letter (IL) 2634 to provide clarification of the service documentation requirements to support claims for payment submitted to Iowa Medicaid and the managed care organizations (MCOs) specifically related to Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS).
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Effective Feb. 1, 2025, Iowa Total Care applied changes to prior authorization requirements. These changes are applicable to all Medicaid products. Pay special attention to the procedure codes being listed in the Prior Authorization Code List. Many of the codes commonly billed by long-term care providers are not listed and would experience no change from their current prior authorization process.
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IHCA’s November District Education events, held at four locations throughout the state, will include sessions on regulatory updates, compliance strategies and long-term care challenges for...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Now is the time for member facilities to commit to the 2025 Quality Award Program process! AHCA/NCAL is hosting a National Quality Award Intent to...
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Starting Oct. 4, 2024, a new acute respiratory illness metric has replaced the influenza-like illness (ILI) metric on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)...
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IHCA’s November District Education events, held at four locations throughout the state, will include sessions on regulatory updates, compliance strategies and long-term care challenges for...
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Join IHCA for its Assisted Living Management Certification Program to be held on Oct. 28 through Nov. 1. This in-person training program will provide participants...
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Join IHCA on Thursday, Oct. 31, for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class. The purpose of this class is to provide assisted living nurses and directors...
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Give your employees an opportunity to access their wages sooner, receive free one-on-one financial counseling and start a savings plan. Implement a financial wellness program...
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If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host a respiratory surveillance webinar for the 2024-2025 influenza season this Friday, Oct. 11, from...
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Every fall, Medicare beneficiaries are provided an opportunity to review and change their Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan during the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. It’s important for Medicare beneficiaries to remember that Prescription Drug Plan and Medicare Advantage Plan costs, benefits and providers can change each year, so evaluating options could help in finding better coverage, and even saving money. Iowa Medicare beneficiaries are encouraged to evaluate and make any necessary changes to their coverage plans, as many new changes take effect in 2025.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services have updated the pharmacy prior authorization (PA) process following a Change Healthcare network outage due to a cybersecurity issue. The PA process will now revert to fax-based submissions, with forms and the Preferred Drug List (PDL) accessible on the Iowa Medicaid website.
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Now is the time for member facilities to commit to the 2025 Quality Award Program process! AHCA/NCAL is hosting a National Quality Award Intent to...
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The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is currently recruiting qualified nurses to serve on upcoming item review and item writing panels for...
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Assisted living providers are encouraged to contribute to the annual Assisted Living Salary and Benefits Study conducted by Hospital and Healthcare Compensation Service. This study, supported by...
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IHCA's November District Education events, held at four locations throughout the state, will include sessions on regulatory updates, compliance strategies and long-term care challenges for...
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In celebration of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living's (AHCA/NCAL's) 75th anniversary, new registrants can use promo code ACHA75 to receive $100...
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AHCA/NCAL has provided information on two current supply chain issues that may impact providers. Hurricane Helene impact on Baxter North Cove manufacturing site Hurricane Helene...
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Over 9,300 nursing homes, assisted living facilities, residential care homes, skilled care facilities, independent living communities, retirement communities and other senior care providers trust HPSI...
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Iowa Total Care has chosen Availity Essentials as its new, secure provider portal. Starting Nov. 18, 2024, you can validate eligibility and benefits, submit claims, check claim status, submit authorizations and access Iowa Total Care payer resources via Availity Essentials.
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On Sept. 26, 2024, CMS released QSO-24-21-NH, Compliance with Residents’ Rights Requirement related to Nursing Home Residents’ Right to Vote. The purpose of the memo...
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Tabletop exercises offer a low-risk and highly effective method to evaluate emergency response plans in advance, help individuals across the organization and community understand their...
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Facilities must be ready to respond to a variety of emergencies, including extreme weather events and workplace violence. To aid in this effort, the Administration...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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HCS Assisted Living Study Underway The Hospital and Healthcare Compensation Service (HCS) is conducting its annual Assisted Living Salary and Benefits Study and requests your...
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On Sept. 27, officials from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) presented the second of two 2024 Governor's Awards for Quality Care...
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Participate in the inaugural joint training sessions for providers and surveyors at one of IHCA's November District Education events! A key IHCA legislative priority for...
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Skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities and intellectual/developmental disabilities (ID/DD) centers are required by Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA’s) Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR...
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Trauma-informed care (TIC) is a regulatory requirement and an approach to care that requires specific staff competency and a system of care delivery that achieves...
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IHCA's Convention and Trade Show begins this Monday, Sept. 23! Click here to view an online version of this year's program guide to see all...
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As a valued member of IHCA, ICAL or ICHC, your voice and presence are vital to shaping the future of our industry. We invite you...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Join IHCA for its Infection Prevention and Control Fundamentals in LTC education event tomorrow, Sept. 12, sponsored by Medline and Telligen. This essential conference is...
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IHCA's Convention and Trade Show is less than two weeks away! Click here to view an online version of this year's program guide to see...
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a final rule updating the Hazard Communication Standard (Haz-Com Standard) to align with the seventh revision of...
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Congratulations to IHCA member Eldora Specialty Care on receiving the 2024 Governor's Award for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities. The Iowa Department of Inspections,...
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The AHCA/NCAL 2025 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) and Quality Award Portal are now open! IHCA encourages members that plan to apply for...
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If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from...
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Briarwood Health Care Center is selling a brand new VitaScan LT bladder scanner, including a probe, carry case, commercial grade tablet, rolling medical cart and...
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As a valued member of IHCA, ICAL or ICHC, your voice and presence are vital to shaping the future of our industry. We invite you...
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For nearly 30 years, Lee Agency has specialized in providing business insurance and risk management solutions to senior living communities. Lee Agency's experience and expertise have...
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Give your employees an opportunity to access their wages sooner, receive free one-on-one financial counseling and start a savings plan. Implement a financial wellness program...
Read More
IHCA's Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for Iowa’s long-term and post-acute care professionals. The annual event, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co.,...
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IHCA wants to feature the awesome moments and epic smiles that light up your community at its 2024 Convention and Trade Show! Whether it’s a...
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Join IHCA for its Infection Prevention and Control Fundamentals in LTC education event next Thursday, Sept. 12, sponsored by Medline and Telligen. This essential conference...
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The Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association (PaltMED) is offering $100 to administrators who complete a crucial survey on the cost/benefit of vaccinating in skilled...
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On Sept. 3, 2024, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced the intent to award a managed care organization (MCO) contract to Iowa Total Care. The new Iowa Medicaid contract period begins July 1, 2025, with no change in operations. Iowa Total Care has been serving Iowa Medicaid members as a MCO since July 1, 2019. This request for proposal and resulting contract aligns all three MCO contracts to the same contract cycle. All three MCO contracts will have a final contract end date of June 30, 2031.
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As a valued member of IHCA, ICAL or ICHC, your voice and presence are vital to shaping the future of our industry. We invite you...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. IHCA is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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A $1,500 IHCA Foundation scholarship, made possible by UCare Foundation, is currently available for employees of IHCA/ICAL/ICHC members that offer home- and community-based services (HCBS)...
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As the long-term care sector in Iowa rapidly changes and the 2025 legislative session quickly approaches, IHCA has prepared a State of the Sector and...
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season. These vaccines are specifically formulated to target currently...
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Please join the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC’s) Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP) on Monday, Sept. 16, at noon, for an overview...
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As noted previously by AHCA/NCAL on April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) Final Non-Compete Rule was released and was scheduled to go into...
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PointClickCare is hosting its inaugural Iowa Care Collaboration Conference on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Surety Hotel in Des Moines. The event will be held...
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IHCA's Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for Iowa’s long-term and post-acute care professionals. The annual event, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co.,...
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IHCA wants to feature the awesome moments and epic smiles that light up your community at its 2024 Convention and Trade Show! Whether it’s a...
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As a valued member of IHCA, ICAL or ICHC, your voice and presence are vital to shaping the future of our industry. We invite you...
Read More
IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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A $1,500 IHCA Foundation scholarship, made possible by UCare Foundation, is currently available for employees of IHCA/ICAL/ICHC members that offer home- and community-based services (HCBS)...
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AHCA/NCAL's 2025 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) period is now open. AHCA/NCAL encourages members who plan to apply for a National Quality Award...
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IHCA's Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for Iowa’s long-term and post-acute care professionals. The annual event, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co.,...
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Even with the tightest security measures, there are no guarantees that a cyber attack won’t happen. Sitting back and waiting isn’t an option either! There...
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IHCA/ICAL members who are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA’s/NCAL’s PHM...
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Reviewing a contract is crucial to ensure that all terms are fair, clear and aligned with your expectations. Here are some tips to help you...
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As a valued member of IHCA, ICAL or ICHC, your voice and presence are vital to shaping the future of our industry. We invite you...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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A $1,500 IHCA Foundation scholarship, made possible by UCare Foundation, is currently available for employees of IHCA/ICAL/ICHC members that offer home- and community-based services (HCBS)...
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As IHCA begins its work and preparation for the 2025 legislative session, the involvement of members has become increasingly important as it relates to issues...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2618 to announce upcoming Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) meetings. Some of the previously scheduled meetings have been cancelled. The next scheduled EVV meeting will now take place Tuesday, Sept. 10.
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IHCA is excited to announce the opening of the National Quality Award Program 2025 application cycle! Access the new and enhanced educational materials on the...
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Is your long term and post-acute care center or community dedicated to providing quality care and improving the lives of residents? The National Quality Award...
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IHCA's Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for Iowa’s long-term and post-acute care professionals. The annual event, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co.,...
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Join IHCA on Thursday, Oct. 31, for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class. The purpose of this class is to provide assisted living (AL) nurses and...
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Join ICAL tomorrow, Aug. 8, for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa. This class will provide attendees with the Iowa assisted living laws,...
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Join IHCA for its new education event, Worst Day Ever - Crisis Management in LTC, sponsored by Konica Minolta and Polk County Emergency Management, next...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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Molina Healthcare has issued a provider update that covers an FBI cybersecurity alert and the Molina Healthcare Provider Advisory Council.
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After several months of very low COVID-19 activity in Iowa, cases are on the rise again. To help leaders respond to positive cases in their...
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A $1,500 IHCA Foundation scholarship, made possible by UCare Foundation, is currently available for employees of IHCA/ICAL/ICHC members that offer home- and community-based services (HCBS)...
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IHCA's Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for Iowa’s long-term and post-acute care professionals. The annual event, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co.,...
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Join IHCA for its Assisted Living Management Certification Program to be held on Oct. 28 through Nov. 1. This in-person training program will provide participants...
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Even with the tightest security measures, there are no guarantees that a cyber attack won’t happen. Sitting back and waiting isn’t an option either! There...
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Join IHCA for its Dementia Care Conference tomorrow, Aug. 1. This conference will offer a unique opportunity to learn from a leading expert in the...
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IHCA's new on-demand Activity Professionals On-Demand Qualification Course launches tomorrow, Aug. 1. This course meets the State of Iowa’s Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing...
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Iowa Medicaid providers must complete enrollment revalidation every five years to remain compliant with Title 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §455.414. Failure to complete revalidation will result in disenrollment from the Iowa Medicaid program. Iowa Medicaid provides two notices: one at 60 days and the other 30 days prior to your revalidation due date. If you are unsure if you have received this notice or want to confirm your revalidation due date, please contact Provider Services.
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If you are a provider who has been displaced due to flooding and are unable to provide services from the location at which you are currently enrolled with Iowa Medicaid, there is no need to enroll a temporary location. Instead, you may continue to utilize your enrollment information, including location address, that is currently on file with Iowa Medicaid. If services are being rendered at a temporary location due to flooding, please indicate this on your patients’ charts.
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A new $1,500 IHCA Foundation scholarship, made possible by UCare Foundation, is for employees of IHCA/ICAL/ICHC members that offer home- and community-based services (HCBS) or...
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Join IHCA for its Infection Prevention and Control Fundamentals in LTC education event on Sept. 12. This essential education conference is designed to equip health...
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IHCA's Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for Iowa’s long-term and post-acute care professionals. The annual event, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co.,...
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering...
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For nearly 30 years, Lee Agency has specialized in providing business insurance and risk management solutions to senior living communities. Lee Agency's experience and expertise have...
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Join IHCA tomorrow, July 25 for its inaugural Empowering Women in LTC Conference, a transformative event dedicated to uplifting and inspiring women in the long-term...
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Over 100 Iowans wanting to advance their health care education to work in long-term care received over $300,000 in scholarships from the Iowa Health Care...
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Nineteen long-term care leaders graduated from IHCA’s 2023-2024 Executive Health Care Leadership Institute on July 12, 2024. This year-long leadership program provides Iowa long-term care...
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IHCA's Dementia Care Conference on Aug. 1 will offer a unique opportunity to learn from a leading expert in the field, gain insights into cutting-edge...
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AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program has launched its 2025 application cycle! Access the new and enhanced educational materials on the Quality Award website to set...
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A brand new $1,500 IHCA Foundation scholarship, made possible by UCare Foundation, is for employees of IHCA/ICAL/ICHC members that offers home- and community-based services (HCBS)...
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IHCA's Convention and Trade Show is the premier event for Iowa’s long-term and post-acute care professionals. The annual event, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co.,...
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IHCA's Board Member On-Demand Training Series, sponsored by Williams and Company P.C., is now available for board members of long-term care organizations. This training will...
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As we approach the upcoming IHCA, ICAL and ICHC board elections and annual business meeting, the association wants to ensure that every member has the...
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Join IHCA on Thursday, July 25 for its inaugural Empowering Women in LTC Conference, a transformative event dedicated to uplifting and inspiring women in the...
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IHCA's Abuse Prevention and Identification live webinar will take place next Wednesday, July 24 and Wednesday, July 31. This two-part series will enable participants to:...
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A brand new $1,500 IHCA Foundation scholarship, made possible by UCare Foundation, is for employees of IHCA/ICAL/ICHC members that offers home- and community-based services (HCBS)...
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On July 12, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released the following medical alert regarding increased risk of heat related illness for...
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The July 2024 assisted living (AL) survey trend report is now available on the IHCA Member Resource Portal. Click here to view the report. This...
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On July 9, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released informational letter 2607, Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver and Habilitation Rate Changes. This letter describes the provisions of the 2023 Iowa Acts, House File 2698, Section 14, where the Iowa Legislature appropriated $14.6 million to implement an increase in HCBS Waiver and Habilitation reimbursement rates, effective July 1, 2024.
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IHCA's Dementia Care Conference held on Aug. 1 will offer a unique opportunity to learn from a leading expert in the field, gain insights into...
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Join ICAL on Thursday, Aug. 8, for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa. This class will provide attendees with the Iowa assisted living...
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Join IHCA for its new education event, Worst Day Ever Colloquium, sponsored by Konica Minolta and Polk County Emergency Management, on Wednesday, Aug. 14. No...
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This is the premier event for Iowa’s long-term and post-acute care professionals. The annual event, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., Inc., will take place...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA)/National Center for Assisted Living’s (NCAL's) Gero Nurse Prep course significantly increases RNs’ gerontological nursing competency test scores. New research...
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The early bird registration discount for IHCA’s 2024 Convention and Trade Show will end Monday, July 15. Take advantage of this opportunity to save on...
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Join IHCA for its new live webinar Onboarding Staff: How Crucial Is It? on July 11 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. One of an...
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Join IHCA's The Three Rs of OSHA - Reportable, Recordable and Recordkeeping webinar on Wednesday, July 17. During this live webinar, attendees will explore the...
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On July 9, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released informational letter 2607, Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver and Habilitation Rate Changes. This letter describes the provisions of the 2023 Iowa Acts, House File 2698, Section 14, where the Iowa Legislature appropriated $14.6 million to implement an increase in HCBS Waiver and Habilitation reimbursement rates, effective July 1, 2024.
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Iowa Medicaid has released informational letter (IL) 2608 to announce that assisted living and residential care facilities that utilize shift workers will no longer be required to complete an attestation to opt out of Electronic Visit Verification (EVV), effective April 1, 2024. Iowa Medicaid encourages AL and RCF providers who use shift workers to use EVV, however, they may opt out of this requirement.
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Iowa Total Care recently announced four Provider Summits scheduled for 2024 for Iowa Total Care members. During these in-person sessions, Iowa Total Care will present on clinical practice guidelines, social determinants of health and more. Resource tables will also be available for claims support, Z codes and member-facing program information.
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IHCA's new Business Office Manager On-Demand Training Series is designed to equip business office managers with the essential skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the...
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Congratulations to Brianne Fister on being selected by AHCA/NCAL as a future leader in long-term and post-acute care. Brianne will participate in AHCA/NCAL’s Future Leaders...
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The Iowa Health PAC plays a pivotal role in ensuring we have the support needed when decisions about long-term care are being made. Thanks to...
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AHCA/NCAL recently announced the recipients of the 2024 Silver – Achievement in Quality Award. Good Samaritan Society - Le Mars (Le Mars), Sibley Specialty Care...
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Nominations are being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living (ICAL)...
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Join IHCA for its new live webinar Onboarding Staff: How Crucial Is It? on July 11 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. One of an...
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Join Quality Award staff for essential information and insights to start your 2025 application journey off with precision and efficiency. This webinar, held next Tuesday,...
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and CMS have released two new rules advancing protections against...
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Even though summer is in full swing, it’s time to start looking toward fall vaccination efforts. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
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In its weekly MLN Matters publication, CMS issued an alert for providers titled, Medical Records Request Scam: Watch out for Phishing. CMS notes it has identified phishing scams...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) has been a hot topic of conversation among providers since the moratorium took place in September 2023, and AHCA/NCAL has heard from members regarding delays in processing ERC applications. On June 20, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released an update on the next stages of its work in this area. As noted in the release, the IRS will start a new round of processing what it deems “lower risk claims” to help eligible taxpayers. It is important to note that the IRS made clear that generally the oldest claims will be worked on first, and no claims submitted during the moratorium period will be processed at this time. Considering the large inventory and the results of the ERC review, the IRS will keep the processing moratorium in place on ERC claims submitted after Sept. 14, 2023.
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Don’t stop believin’ and get ready to rock! Registration is open for IHCA’s 2024 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., Inc....
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AHCA/NCAL is offering a webinar series focused on workforce-related matters impacting long-term care (LTC) providers across the country. This series focuses on issues including: Career...
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For nearly 30 years, Lee Agency has specialized in providing business insurance and risk management solutions to senior living communities. Lee Agency's experience and expertise have...
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IHCA’s Northeast and Southeast Districts are offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2024...
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For more than a decade, Iowa Health Care Association has hosted the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute (formerly known as the IHCA Leadership Academy)...
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Nominations are being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living (ICAL)...
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IHCA is reaching out to all nursing home, assisted living and residential care facility providers in impacted flooding areas across western and northern Iowa. The...
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Earlier this year, legislators voted to change the training requirements for mandatory reporters in Iowa. Effective July 1, 2024, mandatory reporters of both child and...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is working in partnership with Mathematica, an independent research organization, and the Harkin Institute to improve...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites you to attend town halls for the Iowa Solutions for Aging with Independence and Longevity...
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Iowa joins a list of several other states with individuals who have become sick, some in critical condition, after consuming Diamond Shruumz-brand products purchased through...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2577. This IL provides additional guidance to IL 2511, dated Oct. 13, 2023, regarding date span billing for durable medical equipment (DME) rental and medical supplies.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is working on improvements to community-based services in Iowa. To inform this effort, DHHS is conducting a provider survey. This survey will help DHHS learn more about current provider capacity to serve people who need long-term services and supports. The deadline to complete this survey is July 19, 2024.
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Join IHCA for its new education event, Worst Day Ever Colloquium, sponsored by Konica Minolta and Polk County Emergency Management, on Wednesday, Aug. 14. No...
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Don’t stop believin’ and get ready to rock! Registration is open for IHCA’s 2024 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., Inc....
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Join IHCA tomorrow, June 20, for an enriching gathering focused on the latest trends and best practices at IHCA’s Long-Term Care Dietary Conference. This conference,...
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Providers of post-acute health care services have been employing minors for decades. Now more than ever, employers in the long-term care, assisted living and home...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services have provided clarification to Medicaid enrollment options for individual practitioners. Iowa Medicaid is required to comply with federal provider enrollment regulations as outlined in the 21st Century Cures Act, requiring that any provider furnishing/rendering Medicaid covered benefits must be enrolled as an Iowa Medicaid participating provider, including those providers who order services for members, prescribe medications to members and who make referrals for medically necessary services.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has contracted with the Stephen Group to conduct an assessment of and make improvement recommendations about the current value proposition of the CyncHealth statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE). This survey will provide important information about provider and state use, helping shape the future state of data exchange in Iowa. Please take a few moments to complete the survey by June 30, 2024.
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For more than a decade, Iowa Health Care Association has hosted the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute (formerly known as the IHCA Leadership Academy)...
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Join IHCA for its new live webinar Onboarding Staff: How Crucial Is It? on July 11 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. One of an...
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Join ICAL on Thursday, Aug. 8, for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa. This class will provide attendees with the Iowa assisted living...
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If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from...
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Don’t stop believin’ and get ready to rock! Registration is open for IHCA’s 2024 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., Inc....
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IHCA’s Northeast and Southeast Districts are offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2024...
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Nominations are being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living (ICAL)...
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Give your employees an opportunity to access their wages sooner, receive free one-on-one financial counseling and start a savings plan. Implement a financial wellness program...
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IHCA's Advanced Strategies for Infection Prevention and Control workshop, sponsored by Telligen, will take place next Tuesday, June 18. This workshop is designed to provide...
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IHCA's Staff Burnout and Prevention live webinar, sponsored by Telligen, will take place virtually next Tuesday, June 18, and define and describe the contributing factors...
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Join an exclusive gathering of activity professionals dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the residents in long-term care at IHCA's Activity Professionals Workshop...
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Join IHCA next Thursday, June 20, for an enriching gathering focused on the latest trends and best practices at IHCA's Long-Term Care Dietary Conference. This...
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For more than a decade, Iowa Health Care Association has hosted the IHCA Executive Health Care Leadership Institute (formerly known as the IHCA Leadership Academy)...
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Within the past week, several IHCA members have reached out with questions about notices received from their learning management systems related to dependent adult and...
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Each year, hundreds of health care facilities across the nation respond to tornado emergencies with limited warning of potentially catastrophic events. According to the National...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently provided notification to eligible providers that Iowa Medicaid intends to distribute American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home- and Community-Based (HCBS) grant funds for the purpose of capacity building and service waitlist reductions. The provider payments are to serve the purpose of providing financial support to providers that have or will be admitting residents from Glenwood Resource Center and providers of high-demand services.
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During the national public health emergency, Iowa Medicaid suspended prescription copayments for all members. Effective July 1, 2024, member copayments of $1.00 for covered prescription and nonprescription drugs will be reinstated. This guidance applies to Fee-for-Service members only. Copayments for outpatient prescription drugs do not apply to members covered under a managed care plan.
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Iowa Total Care released a provider news alert regarding an announcement of four Provider Summits scheduled for 2024.
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Join IHCA's The Three Rs of OSHA - Reportable, Recordable and Recordkeeping webinar on Wednesday, July 17. During this live webinar, attendees will explore the...
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Don’t stop believin’ and get ready to rock! Registration is now open for IHCA’s 2024 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co.,...
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IHCA’s Northeast and Southeast Districts are offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2024...
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Nominations are being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living (ICAL)...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. IHCA is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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Part one of IHCA's on-demand webinar series Cybersecurity Essentials for LTC - Protecting Yourself, Your Facility and Your Residents, sponsored by CLA is now available....
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IHCA’s Sensitivity and Cultural Competency webinar, held tomorrow, June 6, will explore the regulatory and employee expectations for diversity, equity and inclusion in matters of...
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Don’t stop believin’ and get ready to rock! Registration is now open for IHCA’s 2024 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co.,...
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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently announced the recipients of the 2024 Bronze – Commitment to Quality Award....
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With emerging communicable diseases, including multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs), it is important for assisted living team members to understand standard, contact and airborne precautions. NCAL’s...
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The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is currently recruiting qualified nurses to serve on upcoming item review and item writing panels for...
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In the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care settings across the nation learned a great deal about identifying and investigating outbreaks of COVID-19. But...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The Iowa Health PAC plays a pivotal role in ensuring we have the support needed when decisions about long-term care are being made. Thanks to...
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IHCA's Dementia Care Conference held on Aug. 1 will offer a unique opportunity to learn from a leading expert in the field, gain insights into...
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IHCA’s Northeast and Southeast Districts are offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2024...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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IHCA/ICAL members who are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA’s/NCAL’s PHM...
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Save the Date: The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) National Assisted Living Week (NALW) will take place Sept. 8-14, 2024. NALW kicks off each...
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For nearly 30 years, Lee Agency has specialized in providing business insurance and risk management solutions to senior living communities. Lee Agency's experience and expertise have...
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The IHCA Foundation is offering 88 scholarships to help members address current workforce challenges and to help meet future care demands. Scholarship opportunities are available...
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Join ICAL for its annual Assisted Living Nurses Conference next Tuesday, June 4, for a premier event tailored specifically for nurses working in assisted living...
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Join IHCA for its Fortifying Your Digital Fortress - Cybersecurity Series, sponsored by CLA, beginning on June 5. This three-part virtual series will take place...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2589 regarding Iowa Solutions for Aging with Independence...
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IHCA's Abuse Prevention and Identification live webinar will take place on July 24 and 25. This two-part series will enable participants to be able to:...
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Join IHCA on Thursday, July 25 for its inaugural Empowering Women in LTC Conference, a transformative event dedicated to uplifting and inspiring women in the...
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Join IHCA for its Medicaid HCBS Elderly Waiver Program, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa, tomorrow, May 23. The course will include an overview of Iowa’s...
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Join IHCA next Tuesday, May 28, at 1:00 p.m. for a new webinar, Understanding the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)...
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Join IHCA next Wednesday, May 29, for the Care Continuum Conference, sponsored by CLA and held in Cedar Falls at the Diamond Events Center. This...
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The IHCA Foundation is offering 88 scholarships to help members address current workforce challenges and to help meet future care demands. Scholarship opportunities are available...
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Join ICAL for its annual Assisted Living Nurses Conference on June 4, a premier event tailored specifically for nurses working in assisted living facilities. This...
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and CMS recently issued a final rule, Nondiscrimination in Health Programs...
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AHCA/NCAL’s National Quality Award Program proudly highlights the exceptional dedication to quality care and performance excellence demonstrated by Quality Award recipients. The significance and profound...
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View the brief video and message below from IHCA President and CEO Brent Willett on the importance of the Iowa Health PAC, the political action...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Join IHCA for its Medicaid HCBS Elderly Waiver Program, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa, next Thursday, May 23. The course will include an overview of...
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In the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care settings across the nation learned a great deal about identifying and investigating outbreaks of COVID-19. But...
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AHCA recently reported that last week, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that its direct Veterans Care Agreements (VCAs) claims processing systems are back online following the Change Healthcare cybersecurity breach. If you submit medical claims directly to VA and were impacted by the recent Change Healthcare incident, you can now submit using the same VA Payer IDs.
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The $2,000 Linda Juckette Family Rural and Veteran Scholarship, made possible by the Linda Juckette Family Fund, is for anyone who is a veteran or...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA)/National Center for Assisted Living’s (NCAL's) Gero Nurse Prep course significantly increases RNs’ gerontological nursing competency test scores. New research...
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Join IHCA tomorrow, May 9, for its East May District Education event, sponsored by VGM/CE Solutions, HPSI Purchasing Services, Healthcare of Iowa, McKesson and Trio...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Two bills impacting long-term care providers were signed by Governor Reynolds last week — one relating to nursing home provisional licenses and one that establishes...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) HOME project was created to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality behavioral health, disability and aging services in their communities. Project updates were provided in the May HOME Project Newsletter. To share your thoughts and suggestions on the HCBS changes detailed in the concept paper, please email
[email protected] or fill out a feedback form by Friday, May 17, 2024.
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The Care Initiatives Director of Nursing (DON) Leadership Scholarship, made possible by Care Initiatives, is for assistant directors of nursing (ADONs) or registered nurses (RNs)...
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Dentons Davis Brown recently released two articles that may be of interest to members regarding payroll rounding policies and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission...
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AHCA/NCAL has announced an enhancement to its website that empowers all members to create their own profiles and login credentials. This feature enables smoother access...
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The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is fighting for a different future. For families facing the disease today. For more time. For treatments. We’re...
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Join IHCA on May 7 and 9 for its May District Education and Meeting events, sponsored by CE Solutions, HPSI Purchasing Services, Healthcare of Iowa,...
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CMS requires that a certified nursing assistant (CNA) perform at least a day of nursing or nursing-related duties every 24 months. The Iowa Direct Care...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites post-acute providers to attend the 2024 Iowa Infection Prevention and Control Conference on May 7...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2579 to clarify the process of a Change of Ownership (CHOW) and the responsibilities of the seller and buyer. To minimize any delays, Iowa Medicaid requests that a CHOW notice is submitted at least 60 days prior to the change. The CHOW notice must also be submitted to the managed care organizations (MCOs) and/or the prepaid ambulatory health plan (PAHPs).
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On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) Final Non-Compete Rule and U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Overtime Rule were released. AHCA/NCAL commented on...
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The 2024 IHCA Foundation Member Employee Scholarship is for employees of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC member organizations looking to advance their health care education. A...
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Earn up to 8.75 CEUs at the American Health Care Association (AHCA)/National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) Quality Summit 2024 on Monday, May 20, through...
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Advanced Strategies for Infection Prevention and Control | June 18 This advanced infection prevention and control workshop is designed to provide comprehensive training and knowledge...
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the University of Colorado (CU) RESTORE Team are pleased to offer High Intensity Physical Rehabilitation in Medically Complex...
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The National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) recently released the following summary regarding the final Medicaid Access Rule. Additionally, NAHC will host a...
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Join IHCA on May 7 and 9 for its May District Education and Meeting events, sponsored by CE Solutions, HPSI Purchasing Services, Healthcare of Iowa,...
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On Jan. 8, 2024, the Iowa Legislature gaveled in to begin the second session of the 90th Iowa General Assembly. The legislature adjourned sine die...
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The ICAL COVID-19 Clinical Guidance Summary for assisted living (AL) and residential care facilities (RCFs) has recently been updated. Members are encouraged to review the...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is working to make sure that people in Iowa have access to high-quality behavioral health, disability...
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In July 2019, the Iowa Department of Human Services (now the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)) introduced updated mandatory reporter training modules...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites post-acute providers to attend the 2024 Iowa Infection Prevention and Control Conference on May 7...
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This year the IHCA Foundation is offering 88 scholarships, totaling more than $200,000, to help individuals interested in pursuing or advancing their career in long-term...
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Join IHCA for its Fortifying Your Digital Fortress - Cybersecurity Series, sponsored by CLA, beginning on June 5. This three-part virtual series will take place...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Join ICAL for its in-person Assisted Living Regulatory Class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa and NuCara Pharmacy, tomorrow, April 18. The focus of the education...
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Post-acute providers, such as nursing facilities, assisted living programs, residential care facilities and home health agencies, along with other provider types in Iowa, are required...
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The April assisted living (AL) and residential care facility (RCF) survey trend reports are now available on the IHCA Member Resource Portal. Click here to...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites medical professionals to attend the 2024 Annual Governor’s Conference on Substance Use, Prevention, Treatment and...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites post-acute providers to attend the 2024 Iowa Infection Prevention and Control Conference on May 7...
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This year the IHCA Foundation is offering 88 scholarships, totaling more than $200,000, to help individuals interested in pursuing or advancing their career in long-term...
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Bill updates Each week of Iowa’s 2024 legislative session, IHCA provides a brief summary of bill-related updates regarding long-term care. For questions or concerns, contact...
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Earn up to 8.75 CEUs at the American Health Care Association (AHCA)/National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) Quality Summit 2024 on Monday, May 20, through...
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Join IHCA on May 7 and 9 for its May District Education and Meeting events, sponsored by CE Solutions, HPSI Purchasing Services, Healthcare of Iowa,...
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As the long-term care community becomes more diverse, representing a variety of ethnic and cultural considerations, long-term care communities need to ensure that staff understand and embrace the value of sensitivity and cultural competence in the workplace. IHCA's Sensitivity and Cultural Competency webinar, held on Thursday, June 6, will explore the regulatory and employee expectations for diversity, equity and inclusion in matters of communication and responsiveness to the potential barriers to harmony. This webinar is approved for 1.5 CEUs for activity professionals, dietary staff, social services, nurses, department heads, nursing facility administrators and assisted living managers.
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering...
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To better serve nurses of IHCA and ICAL member facilities, IHCA has launched Nurse Connect, a peer group made specifically for long-term and post-acute care...
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Assisted Living Management Certification Course | April 15-19 Join ICAL next Monday, April 15 through Friday, April 19 for its Assisted Living Management Certification Program....
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Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated recommendations for U.S. suppliers of plastic syringes, consumers, health care providers and facilities. It notes until...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites medical professionals to attend the 2024 Annual Governor’s Conference on Substance Use, Prevention, Treatment and...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites post-acute providers to attend the 2024 Iowa Infection Prevention and Control Conference on May 7...
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Healthcare Academy is hosting a free webinar titled Mastering Behavioral-Based and Peer Interviewing on Wednesday, May 8 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. This webinar...
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This year the IHCA Foundation is offering 88 scholarships, totaling more than $200,000, to help individuals interested in pursuing or advancing their career in long-term...
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Each week of Iowa’s 2024 legislative session, IHCA provides a brief summary of bill-related updates regarding long-term care. For questions or concerns, contact Brandon Hagen,...
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Congratulations to IHCA member Stonehill Communities in Dubuque on being selected as a participant in the CMS Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model program....
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This year the IHCA Foundation is offering 88 scholarships, totaling more than $200,000, to help individuals interested in pursuing or advancing their career in long-term...
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Next Wednesday, April 10, from noon-1:00 p.m., Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host a free webinar for all health care professionals...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) informational letter (IL) 2574 is intended to provide notice that Iowa Medicaid is collecting outcome and expenditure data from provider organizations awarded American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Recruitment and Retention (R&R) grant funds during 2022.
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Bill updates Each week of Iowa’s 2024 legislative session, IHCA provides a brief summary of bill-related updates regarding long-term care. For questions or concerns, contact...
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Earn up to 8.75 CEUs at the American Health Care Association (AHCA)/National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) Quality Summit 2024 on Monday, May 20, through...
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IHCA/ICAL members who are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA's/NCAL's PHM Innovation Lab. Phase I of the lab contains free member-only foundational resources designed to introduce nursing facility, assisted living and intermediate care facility members and their staff to the wide array of PHM models available today and in the future.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the 2024 Iowa Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit next Thursday, March 28, at the Gateway Hotel...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reminds providers that effective March 17, 2023, Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver and Habilitation providers must report and receive approval for new residential and non-residential settings prior to using HCBS funding in the setting. March 17, 2023, marked the end of the transition period for states to fully comply with the CMS final rule for HCBS settings. The HCBS settings rule requires states to ensure all settings where HCBS waiver and Habilitation services are provided comply with HCBS settings requirements rule prior to receiving HCBS funding in the setting.
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On March 25, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), CMS and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) provided additional information and resources for providers impacted by the Change Healthcare security incident. Resources include information to help providers connect with payers, links to payer resources, information on advanced payments and more.
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Bill Updates Each week of Iowa’s 2024 legislative session, IHCA provides a brief summary of bill-related updates regarding long-term care. For questions or concerns, contact...
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This year the IHCA Foundation will offer 88 scholarships, totaling more than $200,000, to help individuals interested in pursuing or advancing their career in long-term...
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering...
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On Wednesday, April 10, from noon-1:00 p.m., Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host a free webinar for all health care professionals...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the 2024 Iowa Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit next Thursday, March 28, at the Gateway Hotel...
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CMS recently posted a fact sheet with additional guidance for providers and Medicare Administrative Contractors impacted by the Change Healthcare security incident. The fact sheet specifically focuses on frequently asked questions about implementing the Change Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption (CHOPD) Accelerated Payments program.
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Candidate filing deadline The filing deadline for Iowa's June primary was last Friday, March 15. Although some legislators had already indicated their intention to retire...
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Earn up to 8.75 CEUs at the American Health Care Association (AHCA)/National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) Quality Summit 2024 on Monday, May 20, through...
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Earn CEUs at your convenience by taking advantage of IHCA’s on-demand catalog of educational offerings. On-demand courses are available 24/7 and can be completed at...
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Join ICAL on Tuesday, June 4, for its in-person Assisted Living (AL) Nurses Conference. This conference, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa and Synchrony Health Services,...
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Grow your skills, earn up to 10.0 CEUs and spring into quality improvement next week at IHCA's two-day, in-person 2024 Spring Education Conference. This conference,...
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In an effort to better serve nurses of IHCA and ICAL member facilities, IHCA has launched Nurse Connect, a peer group made specifically for long-term and post-acute...
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As shared previously, UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s technology subsidiary Change Healthcare announced that its systems were adversely affected by a security incident a few weeks ago. AHCA/NCAL has advocated that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS take specific actions in response to this issue. Over the weekend, CMS took steps to expand financial relief opportunities for impacted providers, consistent with what AHCA/NCAL recommended. AHCA/NCAL has provided a summary of the recent announcements and relief options currently available to providers.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the 2024 Iowa Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit on Thursday, March 28, at the Gateway Hotel...
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Each week of Iowa’s 2024 legislative session, IHCA will provide a brief summary of bill-related updates regarding long-term care. For questions or concerns, contact Brandon...
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Join IHCA on May 7 and 9 for its May District Education and Meeting events, sponsored by CE Solutions, HPSI Purchasing Services, Healthcare of Iowa,...
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Join IHCA for its Medicaid HCBS Elderly Waiver Review Class, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa, on May 23. The course will include an overview of...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. IHCA is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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Grow your skills, earn up to 10.0 CEUs and spring into quality improvement at IHCA's two-day, in-person 2024 Spring Education Conference. This conference, sponsored by...
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In an effort to better serve nurses of IHCA and ICAL member facilities, IHCA has launched Nurse Connect, a peer group made specifically for long-term and post-acute...
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Indwelling devices, such as central intravenous lines and foley urinary catheters, are necessary tools to help treat people who are ill. While these devices do...
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued updated guidance for respiratory viruses in community settings. The CDC’s respiratory virus guidance is intended...
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will soon launch an updated website as part of its Digital Communication Modernization and Clean Slate initiatives....
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the 2024 Iowa Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit on Thursday, March 28, at the Gateway Hotel...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor published a final rule, entitled Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which...
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Molina Healthcare recently provided an updated Provider Bulletin regarding the Optum-Change Healthcare outage that has impacted electronic claims submissions, as well as payment and settlement services. Molina Healthcare encourages all providers submitting paper claims to explore its electronic submission options.
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Iowa Total Care members’ Person-Centered Service Plans (PCSPs) are available in Iowa Total Care’s secure provider portal. Iowa Total Care will upload the PCSP into the provider portal instead of sending it directly to you. If you would like the PCSP emailed or mailed, please contact the member’s case manager.
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Each week of Iowa’s 2024 legislative session, IHCA will provide a brief summary of bill-related updates regarding long-term care. For questions or concerns, contact Brandon...
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As an IHCA/ICAL member, you have access to Insurance Solutions, a member savings program by AHCA/NCAL. Insurance Solutions offers a variety of employee health insurance...
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Grow your skills, earn up to 10.0 CEUs and spring into quality improvement at IHCA's two-day, in-person 2024 Spring Education Conference. This conference, sponsored by...
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Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA’s Spring Education Conference, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, on...
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Providers for both managed care and fee-for-service must begin using the updated universal forms for requesting medical prior authorizations (PAs). The updated universal forms include one PA request form for outpatient services (470-5595), another PA form for inpatient services (470-5594) and a supplemental form (470-5619) for additional provider addresses, member diagnosis and procedure codes. All medical PA requests must be submitted on the new universal forms.
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On Feb. 21, Change Healthcare, a software and data analytics subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group’s Optum unit, experienced a cybersecurity incident that has impacted its network and operations. The cybersecurity incident has created a service disruption impacting Iowa Total Care’s members and provider network in several ways. As of now, Change Healthcare has not provided a timeline for resolution. To protect members and providers, Iowa Total Care fully disconnected system access to and from Change Healthcare on Feb. 21. Iowa Total Care is working on multiple solutions to restore provider functionality and ensure continuity of care for its members and will continue to provide updates as this situation evolves.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the 2024 Iowa Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit on Thursday, March 28, at the Gateway Hotel...
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Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor published a final rule, entitled Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which...
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Each week of Iowa's 2024 legislative session, IHCA will provide a brief summary of bill-related updates regarding long-term care. For questions or concerns, contact Brandon...
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Join IHCA for its Day on the Hill next Wednesday, Feb. 28, sponsored by Medline. Your participation in this event is critical to making an...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the 2024 Iowa Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit on Thursday, March 28, at the Gateway Hotel...
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As required by federal regulations at 42 CFR 455.460, Iowa Medicaid began requiring an application fee for certain newly enrolling and re-enrolling providers on Aug. 1, 2016. The application fee is required with initial applications for new enrollment, applications for a new practice location and any re-enrollment. Providers will be required to pay an application fee set by CMS before the application can be processed. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the fee amount is $709.00. This may be adjusted annually.
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Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor published a final rule, Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which goes into effect on March 11, 2024. This rule revises the Department’s guidance on how the agency determines who is an employee or independent contractor under the FLSA. The new standard will, in certain circumstances, make it more difficult for long-term care providers to properly classify a worker as an independent contractor.
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Each week of Iowa's 2024 legislative session, IHCA will provide a brief summary of bill-related updates regarding long-term care. For questions or concerns, contact Brandon...
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Grow your skills, earn up to 10.0 CEUs and spring into quality improvement at IHCA's two-day, in-person 2024 Spring Education Conference. This conference, sponsored by...
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Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA’s Spring Education Conference, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, on...
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Make sure you are taking advantage of all the benefits your IHCA membership has to offer by reviewing IHCA’s new member benefits guide. This comprehensive...
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Join IHCA for its in-person Life Safety-Fire Safety Emergency Readiness Conference, sponsored by Midwest Alarm Services, at the West Des Moines Marriott Hotel next Tuesday,...
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Each week of Iowa's 2024 legislative session, IHCA will provide a brief summary of bill-related updates regarding long-term care. For questions or concerns, contact Brandon...
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Join IHCA for its Day on the Hill on Feb. 28, sponsored by Medline. Your participation in this event is critical to making an impact...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the 2024 Iowa Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit on Thursday, March 28, at the Gateway Hotel...
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Grow your skills, earn up to 10.0 CEUs and spring into quality improvement at IHCA's two-day, in-person 2024 Spring Education Conference. This conference, sponsored by...
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Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA’s Spring Education Conference, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, on...
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AHCA/NCAL’s Infection Preventionist Specialized Training (IPCO) is recommended for individuals responsible for infection prevention and control in all long-term care settings and is specifically tailored...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Hannah Freund joined the IHCA team this month as the association’s Education Director. In this new role, Hannah will work closely with the Vice President...
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As the deadline quickly approaches, we want to remind you about the opportunity to apply for the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the 2024 Iowa Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit on Thursday, March 28, at the Gateway Hotel...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The Iowa Legislature convened Monday, Jan. 8 at 10:00 a.m. for the second year of the 90th Iowa General Assembly. Each week of the 2024...
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As the deadline quickly approaches, we want to remind you about the opportunity to apply for the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the 2024 Iowa Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit on Thursday, March 28 at the Gateway Hotel...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) recently announced free Life Safety Code trainings and tools available to members. The Life Safety Code is a complex...
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In the ever-evolving battle against respiratory diseases, long-term care (LTC) providers play a pivotal role in safeguarding the health of our most vulnerable populations. As...
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Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released the following materials pertaining to visitation guidance: Patient...
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A letter to the editor from Brent Willett, IHCA President and CEO, was recently published in the Osceola Sentinel-Tribune regarding expansion of home-and community-based services...
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The Iowa Legislature convened Monday, Jan. 8 at 10:00 a.m. for the second year of the 90th Iowa General Assembly. Each week of the 2024...
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Grow your skills, earn up to 10.0 CEUs and spring into quality improvement at IHCA's two-day, in-person 2024 Spring Education Conference. This conference, sponsored by...
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Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA’s Spring Education Conference, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, March...
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Join IHCA for its in-person Life Safety-Fire Safety Emergency Readiness Conference, sponsored by Midwest Alarm Services, at the West Des Moines Marriott Hotel on Tuesday,...
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Adverse Drug Events and High-Risk Drugs Tuesday, March 12 Join IHCA Tuesday, March 12 for its Adverse Drug Events and High-Risk Drugs webinar. This webinar,...
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The Train More Nurses Act (S. 2853), introduced last year by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Susan Collins (R-ME), was agreed to...
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The deadline to submit a 2024 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award application is tomorrow, Jan. 25 at 7:00 p.m. If you haven't already, make sure to...
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Join IHCA for its Activity Professionals Qualification Course, beginning next Tuesday, Jan. 30 and sponsored by the Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP). Newly hired...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on a high-acuity statewide placement SWAT team. This team...
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With the recent subzero temperatures across the Midwest, many facilities and programs have experienced situations where additional heat sources might be considered. When a building...
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and CMS will host a webinar next Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. regarding strategies to...
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The Iowa Legislature convened Monday, Jan. 8 at 10:00 a.m. for the second year of the 90th Iowa General Assembly. Each week of the 2024...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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The deadline to submit a 2024 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award application is next Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7:00 p.m. CST. AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark...
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Respirators are a specific and more advanced type of personal protective equipment (PPE) and come with a host of regulatory requirements over and above those...
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The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) recently released the following press release regarding the 2023 Annual Assisted Living Regulatory Review, which summarizes key selected...
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The January 2024 residential care facility (RCF) and assisted living (AL) survey trend reports are now available on the IHCA Member Resource Portal. Click here...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The Iowa Legislature convened last Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. for the second year of the 90th Iowa General Assembly. Republicans hold the majority in...
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Grow your skills, earn up to 10.0 CEUs and spring into quality improvement at IHCA's two-day, in-person 2024 Spring Education Conference. This conference, sponsored by...
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Join IHCA for its in-person Life Safety-Fire Safety Emergency Readiness Conference, sponsored by Midwest Alarm Services, at the West Des Moines Marriott Hotel on Tuesday,...
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IHCA reminds members to review their employee roster in the IHCA Member Portal to ensure all IHCA member employees are able to access the tools...
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The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) has announced the opening of applications for the next class of the Diversity Executive Leadership...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA)/National Center for Assisted Living’s (NCAL's) Gero Nurse Prep course significantly increases RNs’ gerontological nursing competency test scores. New research...
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AHCA/NCAL has partnered with Cleary Energy to provide significant utility savings for members. As an IHCA/ICAL member, these AHCA/NCAL benefits are also available as part...
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host a complimentary webinar for health care professionals today, Wednesday, Jan. 10, from noon - 1:00...
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The University of Iowa’s College of Nursing began a research study in 2021 to identify best practices related to dining activities for individuals with cognitive...
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CMS requires that a certified nursing assistant (CNA) perform at least a day of nursing or nursing-related duties every 24 months. The Iowa Direct Care...
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Are you currently responsible for the medical direction of a health care entity in the event of a disaster? Are you interested in serving in...
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IHCA is pleased to introduce two new in-service training series for your direct care staff – one that covers dementia topics and one created specifically...
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In recent weeks, long-term care in Iowa has been the subject of a number of media stories exploring how the profession delivers care and advocates...
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The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Period 6 (RP6) opened Jan. 1, 2024, and will remain open through March 31, 2024, at 10:59 p.m. Providers who received one or more PRF (general or targeted) and/or American Rescue Plan Rural payment(s) exceeding $10,000 in the aggregate from July 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2022, must report on their use of funds in RP6. The deadline to use funds for RP6 was Dec. 31, 2023.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2519 regarding changes to the Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Elderly Waiver. These changes are effective Oct. 1, 2023.
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Molina Iowa Provider Relations has provided a few reminders for members as they head into the new year, including upcoming Availity trainings, a new Molina Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) work group and Iowa Molina Provider Advisory Council, updated provider relations contacts, an Electronic Visit Verification reminder, as well as a reminder on redetermination.
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The University of Iowa’s College of Nursing began a research study in 2021 to identify best practices related to dining activities for individuals with cognitive...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the University of Colorado (CU) RESTORE Team are pleased to offer High Intensity Physical Rehabilitation in Medically Complex...
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IHCA and ICAL members can now save 45% on FedEx Express shipping and 25% on FedEx Ground shipping when they sign up for and use...
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The Home-and Community-Based Services (HCBS) provider self-assessment is due Dec. 31, 2023. All HCBS providers must complete and submit the Provider Quality Management Self-Assessment by...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2541 regarding a residential care facility (RCF) maximum per diem rate and personal needs allowance increase. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the maximum RCF per diem rate will increase from $35.89 to $36.82. There will be no increase in the flat per diem rate at this time. The flat per diem rate remains at $17.86. Additionally, the personal needs allowance for RCF assistance recipients will increase from $120.00 to $123.00 per month effective Jan. 1, 2024.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2538 about annual submission requirements regarding prevention and detection of Medicaid fraud and abuse. This IL applies to you if you are a provider, or part of a provider entity, that receives payments of $5,000,000 or more from Iowa Medicaid in any federal fiscal year (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30).
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Amerigroup Iowa, a subsidiary of Elevance Health serving Medicaid enrollees, recently released a press release indicating that it will begin rebranding as Wellpoint in January 2024. There will be no impact or changes to current Amerigroup members’ health care benefits or coverage. Members will continue to have access to their established primary care providers, specialists, hospitals and other health care facilities. There will be no changes to Amerigroup Iowa's agreements or levels of support with their health care providers – now or in the future – because of this name change. Providers who serve current Amerigroup members will also have continued access to tools and resources to help streamline day-to-day administrative tasks.
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) will host a complimentary webinar for health care professionals to develop the necessary skills to provide safe...
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Are you currently responsible for the medical direction of a health care entity in the event of a disaster? Are you interested in serving in...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites you to attend the 2024 Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at the...
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The University of Iowa’s College of Nursing began a research study in 2021 to identify best practices related to dining activities for individuals with cognitive...
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Are you preparing an application for the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program? For first time applicants, Baldridge Coach offers a complimentary coaching session to improve overall...
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https://youtu.be/OQM6vooE5xI Dear IHCA, ICAL and ICHC members, In the midst of this holiday season, I want to remind you that the work you do and...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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The Home-and Community-Based Services (HCBS) provider self-assessment is due Dec. 31, 2023. All HCBS providers must complete and submit the Provider Quality Management Self-Assessment by...
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Beginning Jan. 2, 2024, a revised Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) rule will go into effect. This new rule clarifies that nurses relocating to another compact...
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Within long-term care (LTC), where meticulous recording and documentation are routine practices, the analysis of both resident and employee events takes a central role. Employee...
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As reported in July, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is expanding its requirements to electronically submit employee injury data through its Final Rule...
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As 2023 ends, AHCA’s regulatory department has provided a wrap-up of resources released throughout the year. Each of the resources were prepared with members in...
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The Iowa caucuses are right around the corner! Both Republican and Democratic caucuses are scheduled for Monday, Jan. 15. Only individuals registered with the Republican...
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The Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) is scheduled to meet today, Dec. 13. The REC's purpose is to make revenue estimates for the General Fund for...
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Are you preparing an application for the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program? For first time applicants, Baldridge Coach offers a complimentary coaching session to improve overall...
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Join IHCA for its two-day, in-person Life Safety - Fire Safety and Emergency Readiness Conference on Tuesday, Feb. 20 and Wednesday, Feb. 21. The conference...
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Klein Center in West Burlington has a working Medco wheelchair washer for sale $1,000 or best offer. Buyer must pick up. There are no known...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. ECSI is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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The Home-and Community-Based Services (HCBS) provider self-assessment is due Dec. 31, 2023. All HCBS providers must complete and submit the Provider Quality Management Self-Assessment by...
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) has released a notice strongly encouraging health care organizations to...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2535 regarding upcoming Iowa Medicaid pharmacy program changes effective Jan. 1, 2024. The letter includes information regarding changes to the preferred drug list (PDL), new drug prior authorization (PA) criteria, changes to existing PA criteria, point of sale billing and Drug Utilization Review (DUR) updates.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released an update regarding the timeline for the expenditure of the Home- and Community Based Services (HCBS) American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds that have been awarded to eligible HCBS providers. Iowa Medicaid initially informed providers that the grant funds awarded must be fully expended by March 31, 2024. However, CMS clarified that it defines funds as being fully expended once funds are transferred from the state to the entity designated by the state to expend the funds. This means that grant recipients no longer need to fully expend the funds or complete the approved projects by March 31, 2024. Grant award recipients needing additional time should plan to fully expend all grant funds received by March 31, 2025.
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If you want to learn how to build trust among staff and leaders in your organization, apply for AHCA/NCAL's Building Trust Leadership Academy. AHCA/NCAL's Leadership...
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IHCA/ICAL members who are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA's/NCAL's PHM Innovation Lab. Phase I of the lab contains free member-only foundational resources designed to introduce nursing facility, assisted living and intermediate care facility members and their staff to the wide array of PHM models available today and in the future.
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As an IHCA/ICAL member, you have access to Insurance Solutions, a member savings program by AHCA/NCAL. Insurance Solutions offers a variety of employee health insurance...
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Join IHCA's Winter Quarterly Conference next Wednesday, Dec. 6, at the Johnston Hilton Garden Inn. This conference is the last chance for in-person CEUs offered...
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On Nov. 16, 2023, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) launched a brand-new website. The new site does include the same content as legacy website, but the page URLs and links have changed, so you will need to update any bookmarked links you have saved. Iowa Medicaid and Iowa DHHS have provided a list of most frequently used Medicaid links. These new links should replace the links you have saved and can be used going forward.
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In this article, AHCA/NCAL expands on the previous discussion regarding the types of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspections. Additionally, AHCA/NCAL includes OSHA procedures...
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Nursing homes, assisted living programs and residential care facilities in Iowa have regulatory requirements that require self-reporting of specific circumstances to the Iowa Department of...
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As the spread of respiratory viruses increases this fall/winter, IHCA/ICAL reminds providers about the availability of free COVID-19 tests through the U.S Department of Health...
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HealthCap, a trusted AHCA partner, is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 1:00 p.m. titled, "Emergency Preparedness: Evacuate or Shelter in Place?"...
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If you want to learn how to build trust among staff and leaders in your organization, apply for AHCA/NCAL's Building Trust Leadership Academy. AHCA/NCAL's Leadership...
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The following column was written by IHCA’s Brenda Irlbeck, VP, Quality Improvement and Regulatory Compliance. Brenda specializes in issues related to quality improvement, regulatory compliance...
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Sleeping rooms are now available to reserve for IHCA's 2024 Convention and Trade Show on Sept. 22-25 at the Des Moines Marriott Hotel located on...
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In compliance with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, please be advised that, per section 6033(e) of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code), Iowa...
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The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program offers skilled nursing facility (SNF) and assisted living (AL) providers who are actively engaged in the program an advantage...
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HealthCap, a trusted AHCA partner, is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 1:00 p.m. titled, "Emergency Preparedness: Evacuate or Shelter in Place?"...
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS’) new initiative, Hope and Opportunity in Many Environments (HOME), is aimed at redesigning community-based services (CBS) to help Iowans stay independent in their communities. Three virtual HOMEtown Conversations are scheduled for Nov. 28, Nov. 30 (Spanish language event) and Dec. 7 (Medicaid town hall event). These forums provide an opportunity for invested Iowans to directly connect with Iowa DHHS leadership to learn more about HOME, ask questions and share their ideas to improve the CBS system.
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If you want to learn how to build trust among staff and leaders in your organization, apply for AHCA/NCAL's Building Trust Leadership Academy. AHCA/NCAL's Leadership...
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IHCA's 2024 education calendar is now available and features in-person education opportunities for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living (AL) facilities, home health (HH) agencies and...
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The clock is ticking and time is running out for long-term care (LTC) providers to make their mark on the 2024 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award...
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Assisted living providers must identify ways to keep ahead of the competition and stand out to potential referral sources and customers if they want to...
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Iowa Senator Joni Ernst has co-sponsored the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act that was reintroduced in Congress this month, which aims to improve the visa process...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC members have access to regulatory, legal, clinical and quality improvement services and resources to assist in remaining in compliance, staying up...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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IHCA thanks all its members who submitted comments on the CMS proposed minimum staffing rule this week. The official comment period closed Monday, Nov. 6,...
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IHCA’s fall District Education and Meetings, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services and NuCara Pharmacy, kicked off with its NW District event in Storm Lake yesterday,...
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IHCA’s Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, are being held in-person this week and next in conjunction with IHCA's District Education events featuring Iowa...
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The clock is ticking and time is running out for long-term care (LTC) providers to make their mark on the 2024 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2520 regarding the public health emergency (PHE) Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) flexibilities unwind. The HCBS Habilitation flexibilities, which were extended after May 11, 2023, and the HCBS waiver flexibilities granted during the PHE that the Department has chosen not to continue will end Nov. 11, 2023.
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Iowa Center for Assisted Living (ICAL) has updated its abuse policy template to reflect a clarification for programs enrolled in Iowa Department of Health and...
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Due to significant interest, IHCA will be hosting an additional 2024 Bronze Award Application Workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 29. If your organization has thought about...
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Join AHCA/NCAL tomorrow, Nov. 9, at 1:00 p.m. for a free members-only webinar: The Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model: Emerging Opportunities for Assisted...
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The seventh annual Geriatric Behavioral Health Conference, hosted by Broadlawns Medical Center, will be held in person at Des Moines University in Des Moines and...
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Your immediate action is needed to address CMS’ proposed unfunded staffing mandate for nursing facilities (NFs) released on Sept. 1. This rule, if implemented in...
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IHCA’s fall District Education and Meetings, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services and NuCara Pharmacy, will take place on four separate dates and locations this November....
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IHCA’s Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, will be held in-person in conjunction with IHCA's District Education events featuring Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals...
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a COVID-19 Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) VIS. Vaccine information statements...
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IHCA is excited to announce the launch of new enhancements made to the IHCA Member Resource Portal. The new enhancements make it easier to sort...
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Molina Iowa has reported that the enhancement of modifiers and units are now live on the Availity portal. Additionally, Molina’s Continuity of Care period will end Nov. 1, 2023. Molina members should submit prior authorizations (PAs) as required. If you have questions regarding whether a PA is required, please use Molina's PA look up tool.
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The clock is ticking and time is running out for long-term care (LTC) providers to make their mark on the 2024 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award...
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Have you ever wondered about getting involved in AHCA/NCAL's National Quality Award Program? Here are three ways you can get involved and show your support...
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The seventh annual Geriatric Behavioral Health Conference, hosted by Broadlawns Medical Center, will be held in person at Des Moines University in Des Moines and...
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U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) will take place Saturday, Nov. 18 through Friday, Nov. 24. USAAW is an annual one-week observance that gives participating organizations...
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) have partnered together to provide a complimentary webinar to discuss infection...
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As the nation prepares for the impending cold and flu season and new COVID-19 booster shots are being rolled out, long-term care facilities nationwide are...
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CARES Online Dementia Training CARES Online Dementia Training courses were developed by HealthCare Interactive (HCI) and are a series of online video-based dementia care training...
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As the complexity of care requirements increase for many individuals seeking care placement in Iowa’s nursing facilities, assisted living programs, residential care facilities and home health agencies, oftentimes the way providers are reimbursed for the care they provide is not sufficient. At times, a tool that has proven to be helpful for providers is the use of single case agreements (SCAs). These are oftentimes used on individuals that the managed care organization (MCO) or Iowa Medicaid have extreme difficulties in placing. The use of SCAs would likely be characterized as the exception, rather than the rule. IHCA has provided descriptions from each of Iowa’s MCOs and for individuals discharging from hospitals with no payer source on when/how they use SCAs.
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Representatives from Senator Joni Ernst’s office will be available in all 99 counties throughout October and November to assist Iowans with problems or questions about...
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Starting next week on Nov. 1, IHCA is taking a significant step to enhance member communications, ensuring that you receive the most relevant and tailored...
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Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) Director Larry Johnson will be the featured speaker at IHCA's District Education and Meetings in November. At these...
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Join ICAL Monday, Oct. 30 through Friday, Nov. 3 for its Assisted Living Management Certification Course. This in-person training program, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa,...
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Join ICAL for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa and NuCara Pharmacy, next Thursday, Nov. 2. The focus of the education...
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Registration is now open for IHCA's Winter Quarterly Conference on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at the Johnston Hilton Garden Inn. This conference is the last chance for...
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Assisted Living (AL) Provider Update Call recording available now ICAL held its AL Provider Update Call, sponsored by Synchrony Health Services, last Thursday, Oct. 19....
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IHCA’s Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, will be held in-person in conjunction with IHCA's District Education events featuring DIAL Director Larry Johnson in...
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CMS requires that a certified nursing assistant (CNA) perform at least a day of nursing or nursing-related duties every 24 months. The Iowa Direct Care...
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The October 2023 assisted living (AL) survey trend report is now available on the IHCA website. Click here to view the report. This report is...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently provided clarification to all providers submitting claims for COVID-19 vaccines and administration.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2505 regarding Electronic Data Interchange Support Services (EDISS) registration. All providers must ensure their registration with EDISS, which is located within EDISS Connect, is accurate and up to date to avoid issues with their electronic transactions.
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As part of its redesign of community-based services (CBS) through the Hope and Opportunity in Many Environments (HOME) initiative, Iowa DHHS is seeking to ensure access to high-quality behavioral health, disability and aging services in local communities. This October, November and December, Iowa providers are invited to attend HOMEtown Conversations, a series of local events held both in-person and virtually across the state. These events provide an opportunity for invested Iowans to connect directly with DHHS leadership to learn more about HOME, ask questions and share their ideas to improve the CBS system. Providers are encouraged to attend, participate and distribute HOMEtown Conversations promotional materials within their networks and to the communities they serve.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. HH Aide...
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The seventh annual Geriatric Behavioral Health Conference, hosted by Broadlawns Medical Center, will be held in person at Des Moines University in Des Moines and...
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Managed Care Organization (MCO) Calls available now IHCA's MCO Provider Update Calls took place last Wednesday, Oct. 11. Click here to access recordings of the...
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IHCA’s Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, will be held in-person in conjunction with IHCA's District Education events in November. Registration for the District...
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Iowa Total Care members may be receiving lettters regarding possible sanctions on their Medicaid eligibility. Sanctions will sometimes occur if a member has a slip/fall or injury that could possibly be related to a third party. If an Iowa Total Care member gets a letter from The Rawlings Company in regard to possible sanctions from Iowa Total Care, they need to follow the directions in the letter as soon as possible.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently announced that effective Oct. 12, 2023, over the counter COVID-19 testing code T5999 - Supply not otherwise specified code, will no longer be available for claim submission.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to...
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AHCA has released a new resource to encourage and support vaccinations in long-term care facilities this season: #GetVaccinated Reimbursement Guide for Health Care Personnel: Frequently...
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The seventh annual Geriatric Behavioral Health Conference, hosted by Broadlawns Medical Center, will be held in person at Des Moines University in Des Moines and...
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The Hospital and Healthcare Compensation Service (HCS) is conducting its annual Assisted Living (AL) Salary and Benefits Study and requests your participation. AL providers are asked to complete the study’s questionnaire by Nov. 6. There is no cost to participate, and participants may purchase the results at the reduced price of $185, versus the $375 nonparticipant rate.
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IHCA's fall District Education and Meetings, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services and NuCara Pharmacy, will take place on four separate dates and locations this November....
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. HH Aide...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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AHCA/NCAL has partnered with Cleary Energy to provide significant utility savings for members. As an IHCA/ICAL member, these AHCA/NCAL benefits are also available as part...
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Wednesday, Oct. 11 Managed Care Organization (MCO) Provider Update Calls Submit questions or issues to discuss a week prior to the call to
[email protected]. Times:...
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Hope and Opportunity in Many Environments (HOME) is an Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) initiative aimed at redesigning community-based services (CBS) to help Iowans stay independent in their communities. As part of this effort, DHHS leadership will visit communities in October and November. HOMEtown Conversations will be held both in-person and virtually across the state. These forums provide an opportunity for invested Iowans to directly connect with Iowa DHHS leadership to learn more about HOME, ask questions and share their ideas to improve the CBS system. The first forum will take place on Oct. 23 in Des Moines at the Polk County River Place from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to...
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The seventh annual Geriatric Behavioral Health Conference, hosted by Broadlawns Medical Center, will be held in person at Des Moines University in Des Moines and...
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IHCA's fall District Education and Meetings, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services and NuCara Pharmacy, will take place on four separate dates and locations this November....
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. HH Aide...
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ICAL member Dave Chensvold of Healthcare of Iowa was elected to serve on the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) Board of Directors for the...
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Wednesday, Oct. 11 Managed Care Organization (MCO) Provider Update Calls Submit questions or issues to discuss a week prior to the call to
[email protected]. Times:...
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If your organization has thought about participating in the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards Program, this is your opportunity to complete the Bronze Award application from...
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to...
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that foodborne viruses cause approximately 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths annually in the...
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The seventh annual Geriatric Behavioral Health Conference, hosted by Broadlawns Medical Center, will be held in person at Des Moines University in Des Moines and...
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IHCA's fall District Education and Meetings, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services and Nucara Pharmacy, will take place on four separate dates and locations this November....
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. HH Aide...
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AHCA/NCAL’s Infection Preventionist Specialized Training (IPCO) is recommended for individuals responsible for infection prevention and control in all long-term care settings and is specifically tailored...
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In partnership with PHI, ahcancalED offers an online training titled PHI Coaching Supervision. This five-module course is designed for all assisted living, skilled nursing and...
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IHCA's variety of member benefits includes access to a collection of 200+ regulatory resource documents, saving you time and money. Due to IHCA’s relationships with state agencies, consultants and experts, members are able to receive prompt and accurate answers to their regulatory issues.
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Your immediate action is needed to address CMS’ proposed unfunded staffing mandate for nursing facilities (NFs) released on Sept. 1. This rule, if implemented in...
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On Sept. 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines for 2023-2024 manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer...
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As the nation prepares for the impending cold and flu season and new COVID-19 booster shots are being rolled out, long-term care facilities nationwide are...
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Join Mathematica and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for an upcoming series of in-person events this October and November to discuss Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS). These public forums are an important opportunity for HCBS waiver providers to hear from Iowans about their needs and experiences with HCBS.
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the three managed care organizations (MCOs), Amerigroup, Iowa Total Care and Molina Healthcare, will host the 2023 Annual Provider Training through a series of in-person and virtual presentations throughout the month of October. All sessions will cover the same presentation topics. The deadline to register is Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023.
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Molina Healthcare has provided updates on continuity of care, the Iowa Medicaid Roadshow, rejection issues, its payment cycle timeline, the Availity portal, out of network rates and more.
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Have you ever wondered about getting involved in the National Quality Award Program? The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living...
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to...
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The seventh annual Geriatric Behavioral Health Conference, hosted by Broadlawns Medical Center, will be held in person at Des Moines University in Des Moines and...
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that foodborne viruses cause approximately 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths annually in the...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. New: HH...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA)/National Center for Assisted Living’s (NCAL's) Gero Nurse Prep course significantly increases RNs’ gerontological nursing competency test scores. Registrants can...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by Iowa Health Care...
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IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., is less than a week away! The annual event will take place next...
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Members of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC are invited to attend the 2023 Annual Business Meeting, sponsored by Lument and Trio Pharmacy Services. This meeting will...
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Upcoming calls Managed Care Organization (MCO) Update Calls | Wednesday, Sept. 13 Submit questions or issues to discuss a week prior to the calls to...
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Beginning on Sunday, Sept. 10, and continuing through Saturday, Sept. 16, America’s assisted living (AL) communities are participating in National Assisted Living Week (NALW). The...
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Candida auris (C. auris) is an emerging fungus that is a serious global health threat. C. auris is particularly concerning as it can be misidentified...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have announced that Medicaid clients may receive a visit from their managed care organization (MCO). To ensure as many people as possible retain their Medicaid coverage after the end of the continuous coverage requirement, Medicaid’s three MCOs, Amerigroup, Iowa Total Care and Molina Healthcare, are attempting to reach members by phone call, text and email. If these efforts are not successful, the respective MCO may send a representative to follow up in person at the address on file. These representatives will help members complete their renewal paperwork or schedule an appointment to fill it out over the phone. Providers are asked to inform their Medicaid clients about the renewal paperwork and direct them to send it to Iowa DHHS promptly.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. LPN-IV Course...
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Upcoming calls Managed Care Organization (MCO) Update Calls | Wednesday, Sept. 13 Submit questions or issues to discuss a week prior to the calls to...
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to...
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IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., is quickly approaching! The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20 at the...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. LPN-IV Course...
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Members of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC are invited to attend the 2023 Annual Business Meeting, sponsored by Lument and Trio Pharmacy Services. This meeting will...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. ECSI is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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IHCA and ICAL members can now save 45% on FedEx Express shipping and 25% on FedEx Ground shipping when they sign up for and use...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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CMS will host an Open Door Forum tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 31 at 1:00 p.m. Advance registration for this webinar is required. CMS will provide updates regarding the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) Final Rule, Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual, MDS Crossover Rule, August 2023 performance score reports and more.
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The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) recently shared updated survey entrance forms for nursing facilities and assisted living programs with IHCA to...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2492 regarding reporting new or closing Home- and...
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As of July 1, 2023, all claims for services provided on or after July 1, 2023, for managed care organization (MCO) enrolled members must be submitted directly to the appropriate MCO, adhering to each MCO’s claims submission and timeliness guidelines. There are limited exceptions to this rule outlined in Iowa Medicaid informational letter 2489. Any services provided prior to July 1, 2023, should be billed to the MCO that the member was enrolled with for the month of services.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) - Amerigroup, Iowa Total Care and Molina Healthcare - are working to ensure as many members as possible keep their Medicaid health coverage after the end of the public health emergency (PHE) continuous coverage requirement. According to Iowa Medicaid and Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the MCOs may reach out to members via phone call, text or email to make sure their information is up to date. If they are not able to reach a member, an MCO representative may come to the member’s home to offer assistance with renewal paperwork or to schedule an appointment to fill it out over the phone.
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Molina Healthcare's provider services team will host weekly office hours in September for providers that have a question about claims, the provider portal, authorizations or simply want to meet their provider representative. Additionally, Molina has provided updates on rejection issues, its payment cycle timeline, the Availity portal, out of network rates and more.
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid have launched a brand-new Iowa Medicaid dashboard. The dashboard brings several new benefits and clarity to the Iowa Medicaid program, including improved accessibility, enhanced data analysis capabilities and oversight of the managed care plans (MCPs). The dashboard streamlines the reporting process, provides timely updates and ensures information is available to Medicaid stakeholders.
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Iowa Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) is updating how it communicates with providers about coverage and billing guidelines regarding code updates. Iowa Medicaid has created a new communication bulletin containing the code updates that is posted on the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) website.
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In an effort to ensure that Iowa Medicaid members have access to high-quality behavioral health, disability and aging services in their communities, Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) are implementing a new program called Hope and Opportunity in Many Environments (HOME), which is highlighted in informational letter (IL) 2489. HOME will be implemented in phases through the end of 2024. Community members, caregivers and providers are encouraged to share their thoughts during virtual and in-person feedback sessions, which will be announced in the coming months.
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CMS recently released the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model aimed at improving the way dementia care is delivered and supporting unpaid caregivers. The...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2495 regarding competency-based training reporting changes for critical (major) incident reporting. The recent IL 2480, released on June 27, 2023, announced reporting changes for critical (major) incident reporting for all Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver, habilitation and Money Follows the Person (MFP) members. The “Incident Report User Guide” in the Iowa Medicaid Portal Access (IMPA) was updated in June to prepare for these changes. The new direct entry reporting form was effective July 1, 2023.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2498 regarding upcoming Iowa Medicaid pharmacy program changes effective Oct. 1, 2023. The letter includes information regarding new drug prior authorization (PA) criteria, changes to and removal of certain existing PA criteria and point-of-sale billing updates.
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to...
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IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., is quickly approaching! The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20 at the...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. LPN-IV Course...
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IHCA's variety of member benefits includes the opportunity to join Iowa Health Care Quality Partners (IHCQP), a network of 200 independent long-term care and post-acute care providers joined together for the purpose of improving the quality and efficiency of patient care and financially rewarding providers for doing so through value-based contracts with MCOs. Network partners have the opportunity to pursue better contract terms due to IHCQP’s connections with national insurance plans, national experts and legal counsel.
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As an IHCA/ICAL member, you have access to Insurance Solutions, a member savings program by AHCA/NCAL. Insurance Solutions offers a variety of employee health insurance...
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For more than a decade, Iowa Health Care Association has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute (formerly known as the Leadership Academy) to provide...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) is dedicated to providing regulatory resources for assisted living providers to be effective advocates across the country. As...
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The AHCA/NCAL 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The first 100 ITAs received will be entered in a giveaway to...
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IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., is quickly approaching! The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20 at the...
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IHCA's new on-demand education, Aging with HIV - Planning for LTC in a Complex Culture is now available. Demographics indicate that the population of human...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. LPN-IV Course...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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IHCA/ICAL members who are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA's/NCAL's PHM Innovation Lab. Phase I of the lab contains free member-only foundational resources designed to introduce nursing facility, assisted living and intermediate care facility members and their staff to the wide array of PHM models available today and in the future.
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Was there something in this week's issue that would be helpful to one of your staff members or teammates? Make sure they are receiving IHCA...
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Join ICAL for its Assisted Living (AL) Leadership Conference, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa, next Tuesday, Aug. 22. This conference will provide insight on how...
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For more than a decade, Iowa Health Care Association has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute (formerly known as the Leadership Academy) to provide...
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Managed Care Organization (MCO) Calls recordings now available Recordings of last Wednesday's MCO Calls with Iowa Total Care, Molina Healthcare and Amerigroup are now available...
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CMS recently released the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model aimed at improving the way dementia care is delivered and supporting unpaid caregivers. The...
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The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program team is pleased to announce that the 2024 National Quality Award Intent to Apply (ITA) is now open. The...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by Iowa Health Care...
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IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., is quickly approaching! The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20 at the...
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Addressing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders The federal regulations on trauma-informed care introduced a new focus on ensuring long-term care staff is prepared to...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. MDS 3.0...
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[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0sOeb0YYdk[/embed] In the first half of the year, the long-term care profession has successfully navigated many challenges – such as historic workforce shortages and rising inflation...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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August Provider Calls Wednesday, Aug. 9 Managed Care Organization (MCO) Provider Update Calls Submit questions or issues to discuss a week prior to the call...
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Long-term care facilities, assisted living programs and home health providers holding a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certificate will continue to receive COVID-19 test kits...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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For more than a decade, Iowa Health Care Association has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute (formerly known as the Leadership Academy) to provide...
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IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., is quickly approaching! The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20 at the...
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Addressing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders The federal regulations on trauma-informed care introduced a new focus on ensuring long-term care staff is prepared to...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Assisted Living...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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Join IHCA tomorrow, Aug. 3 for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class. The purpose of this class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa and NuCara, is to...
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August Provider Calls Wednesday, Aug. 9 Managed Care Organization (MCO) Provider Update Calls Submit questions or issues to discuss a week prior to the call...
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Employers must use Form I-9 to verify the identity...
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The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) published a final rule on Improving Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses. This rule, effective Jan. 1, 2024,...
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Skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities continue to receive, or are eligible to receive, free monthly shipments of Abbott BinaxNOW over the counter (OTC)...
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After months of website updates, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have launched an improved COVID-19 website. Based on the needs of the...
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Join the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) on Aug. 9 from noon to 1:00 p.m. for...
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For more than a decade, Iowa Health Care Association has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute (formerly known as the Leadership Academy) to provide...
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IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., is quickly approaching! The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20 at the...
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Addressing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders The federal regulations on trauma-informed care introduced a new focus on ensuring long-term care staff is prepared to...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Single Facility...
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AHCA/NCAL’s Infection Preventionist Specialized Training (IPCO) is recommended for individuals responsible for infection prevention and control in all long-term care settings and is specifically tailored...
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Brodey Hanson, executive director of The Bridges at Ankeny, has been named the 2023 recipient of the AHCA Leader of the Year Award by the...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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Fifty-two Iowans who want to advance their health care education to work in long-term care received over $100,000 in scholarships from the Iowa Health Care...
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Most health care professionals serving in a nursing home, assisted living or home care setting serve people living with dementia to one degree or another,...
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IHCA's Activity Professionals Qualification Course, sponsored by Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP), kicks off next Wednesday, Aug. 2, with a live virtual orientation webinar....
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Join IHCA next Thursday, Aug. 3 for its Assisted Living Regulatory Class. The purpose of this class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa and NuCara, is...
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July Assisted Living (AL) Provider Update Call recording now available A recording of last Wednesday's AL Provider Update Call, sponsored by Synchrony Health Services, is...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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All assisted living facility and residential care facility providers must complete a new Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) provider attestation identifying their exemption status with Iowa Medicaid by July 31, 2023, and annually thereafter by June 30 of each year.
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IHCA members can stay up to date on the latest reimbursement news through a variety of services and resources, including reimbursement interpretations and guidance from expert staff, access to key personnel with Iowa’s managed care organizations (MCOs) through IHCA’s monthly member calls, a collection of reimbursement resource documents and wage information to assist in competing for and retaining qualified staff. Additionally, IHCA offers reimbursement education, including the upcoming Nursing Facility Reimbursement Conference on Aug. 23.
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For more than a decade, Iowa Health Care Association has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute (formerly known as the Leadership Academy) to provide...
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IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., is quickly approaching! The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20 at the...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. LPN-IV Course...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by Iowa Health Care...
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IHCA's Northeast and Southeast Districts are offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2023...
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July Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call recording now available A recording of yesterday's SNF Provider Update Call, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian...
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All assisted living facility and residential care facility providers must complete a new Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) provider attestation identifying their exemption status with Iowa Medicaid by July 31, 2023, and annually thereafter by June 30 of each year.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Mathematica have developed a survey to learn about people’s experiences with community-based Medicaid services. These are services and supports that Medicaid pays for to help people live, work and participate in their community. The survey takes approximately 15-25 minutes to complete, and survey responses are due July 24.
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For more than a decade, IHCA has hosted the Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, formerly known as IHCA's Leadership Academy, to provide leaders with essential...
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The July 2023 assisted living (AL) survey trend report is now available on the IHCA website. Click here to view the report. This report is...
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IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., is quickly approaching! The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20 at the...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Dementia Care...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Specifically designed for registered nurses (RNs) working in long-term care, AHCA/NCAL's Gero Nurse Prep course provides comprehensive online training that leads to board certification in...
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IHCA, ICAL and ICHC committees and advisory councils play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by Iowa Health Care...
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Registration is now open for IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20...
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IHCA's Northeast and Southeast Districts are offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2023...
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July Provider Calls Thursday, July 13 Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call Get the latest clinical, reimbursement and regulatory news for home health professionals. Survey...
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Since the passing of HF 2521 during the 2022 legislative session and subsequent rules promulgation in IAC 481-55, health care employment agencies (HCEAs), also known as...
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IHCA President and CEO Brent Willett advocates for the nursing home profession by discussing current staffing needs, a looming federal staffing mandate and potential solutions...
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American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) President and CEO Mark Parkinson sent a letter to President Biden this week underscoring...
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Molina Healthcare of Iowa, Iowa's newest managed care organization (MCO), has officially launched in Iowa and has provided tips to providers. Additionally, Molina Healthcare of Iowa is hosting Lunch and Learn town hall meetings three times per week, starting this week through Aug. 11.
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All assisted living facility and residential care facility providers must complete a new Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) provider attestation identifying their exemption status with Iowa Medicaid by July 31, 2023, and annually thereafter by June 30 of each year.
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Governor Reynolds has ordered the Iowa Legislature back into a special session that began yesterday, July 11, 2023. During a special session, the legislature may...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. MDS 3.0...
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AHCA/NCAL has partnered with Cleary Energy to provide significant utility savings for members. As an IHCA/ICAL member, these AHCA/NCAL benefits are also available as part...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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The two-day DON and Nurse Leaders 101 Bootcamp, sponsored by NuCara Pharmacy, will take place next Tuesday and Wednesday, July 11-12. This bootcamp will highlight...
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July Provider Calls Wednesday, July 12 Managed Care Organization (MCO) Provider Update Calls Submit questions or issues to discuss a week prior to the call...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2471 regarding the Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) attestation requirement. All assisted living facility and residential care facility providers must complete a new EVV provider attestation identifying their exemption status with Iowa Medicaid by July 31, 2023, and annually thereafter by June 30 of each year.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2480 regarding critical incident reporting changes. As a condition of participation in the medical assistance program, HCBS waiver and habilitation providers must comply with the requirements of Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) 441 – Chapter 77.25(3) – incident management and reporting. Additionally, case managers, targeted case managers, integrated health home (IHH) care coordinators and community-based case managers are required to submit an incident report when an incident has been witnessed or discovered.
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Registration is now open for IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20...
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IHCA's Northeast and Southeast Districts are offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2023...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CMA On-Demand...
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The LTC Dietary Conference and Food Vendor Fair, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., Inc., will take place tomorrow, June 29. This conference will feature...
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute! Applications for this elite leadership training are due this Friday, June 30....
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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June Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call recording now available A recording of yesterday's SNF Provider Update Call, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2471 regarding the Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) attestation requirement. All assisted living facility and residential care facility providers must complete a new EVV provider attestation identifying their exemption status with Iowa Medicaid by July 31, 2023, and annually thereafter by June 30 of each year.
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The Iowa Medical Society, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and partner organizations, are working together to assess and...
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AHCA/NCAL recently announced the recipients of the 2023 Silver Achievement in Quality Award. La Porte City Specialty Care (La Porte City, IA) and West Ridge...
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The National Quality Award Program is a rigorous three-level process that evaluates an organization’s capabilities against nationally recognized standards for excellence. The program provides a...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) are presenting a FREE webinar on Wednesday, July 12, 2023,...
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Registration is now open for IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20...
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IHCA's Northeast and Southeast Districts are offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2023...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CMA On-Demand...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by Iowa Health Care...
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The LTC Dietary Conference and Food Vendor Fair, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co., Inc., will take place next Thursday, June 29. This conference will...
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Registration is now open for IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. The annual event will take place Sept. 18-20...
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June Managed Care Organization (MCO) Call recordings now available Recordings of last Wednesday's MCO Calls are now available. Click here to listen to recordings of...
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Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2478 regarding a change of review contractor for the federal fiscal year (FY) 2024 Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) Program. As noted in IL 2429, Iowa is participating in the federal FY 2024 PERM program. The original IL stated that providers may be contacted by CMS review contractor, NCI Information Systems, Inc. (NCI), who will collect medical records either in hard copy or electronic format. The CMS review contractor has changed names and is now known as Empower AI.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2479 regarding upcoming competency-based training opportunities for all Iowa Medicaid long-term services and supports (LTSS) providers. Competency-based training allows providers and direct support professionals to acquire skills that can be applied to member care. Trainings are provided at no cost to agencies or direct support professionals. The next training is July 10 and will cover providing support through behavioral challenges.
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute! Applications for this elite leadership training are due June 30. Unlike other...
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The Iowa Health PAC is your best weapon in the fight for the resources you need to provide care – and it has a proven...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CMA On-Demand...
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AHCA/NCAL’s Infection Preventionist Specialized Training (IPCO) is recommended for individuals responsible for infection prevention and control in all long-term care settings and is specifically tailored...
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IHCA/ICAL members receive 15% off the purchase of any Healthcare Interactive (HCI) CARES® online training program by using promo code AHCA15 at checkout. CARES® training is recommended...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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IHCA and ICAL members can now save 45% on FedEx Express shipping and 25% on FedEx Ground shipping when they sign up for and use...
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Registration opens tomorrow, June 15, for IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. The annual event will take place Sept....
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Applications for the Iowa Total Care Executive Health Care Leadership Institute Scholarship and Care Initiatives Director of Nursing (DON) Leadership Scholarship are due tomorrow, June 15....
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Based on feedback from our members, IHCA has migrated to a new on-demand learning platform. The new platform is now available and will make it...
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June Home Health Provider Update Call recording now available. A recording of last Thursday's Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call is now available. This call...
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The Activity Professionals Workshop, sponsored by the Iowa Council of Activity Professionals, will take place next Wednesday, June 21, and focus on four key topics....
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Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Executive Health Care Leadership Institute graduates. Nineteen long-term care leaders graduated from IHCA’s 2022-2023 Executive Health Care Leadership Institute on June...
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Iowa Total Care has provided additional clarity related to a provider alert that was posted on March 28, 2023, related to pre-pay review of claims.
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Molina Healthcare, Iowa's newest managed care organization, recently provided an update regarding its contact information and trainings, including Molina Iowa Townhall Lunch and Learn series beginning July 10.
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by Iowa Health Care...
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, presented by HealthCARE of Iowa and sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy, NuCara,...
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On June 5, 2023, CMS published a final rule, “Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Policy and Regulatory Changes to the Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently announced the recipients of the 2023 Bronze Commitment to Quality Award. Ten...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2457 regarding telehealth flexibilities following the public health emergency (PHE).
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has announced upcoming competency-based training opportunities for all Iowa long-term services and supports (LTSS) providers. Competency-based training allows providers and direct support professionals to acquire skills that can be applied to member care. Trainings are provided at no cost to agencies or direct support professionals. The next training will be June 19.
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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Applications for the IHCA Foundation’s 2023 scholarship programs are due today, Wednesday, May 31. The IHCA Foundation is offering 51 scholarships this year to help...
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May Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call recording now available IHCA's SNF Provider Update Call, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, took place...
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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently released the following press release in support of new legislation that could...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2462 regarding the unwinding of COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) provider enrollment renewal flexibilities.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2468 regarding Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver expanded services, including medical day care for children and adult day care.
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, presented by HealthCARE of Iowa and sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy, NuCara,...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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IHCA/ICAL members who are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA's/NCAL's PHM Innovation Lab. Phase I of the lab contains free member-only foundational resources designed to introduce nursing facility, assisted living and intermediate care facility members and their staff to the wide array of PHM models available today and in the future.
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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Based on feedback from our members, IHCA has migrated to a new on-demand learning platform. The new platform is now available and will make it...
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Applications for the IHCA Foundation’s 2023 scholarship programs are due next Wednesday, May 31. The IHCA Foundation is offering 51 scholarships this year to help individuals...
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IHCA’s Legislative Outcomes Report for the 2023 session is now available on the IHCA website. The report covers the outcomes of IHCA's legislative priorities, including...
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Iowa Health PAC, the political action committee for Iowa’s long-term care profession, allows providers to pool their resources together to support candidates for state and...
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Earlier this month, AHCA/NCAL released a member update regarding the release of QSO-23-14-ALL, which addressed that the COVID-19 Health Care Provider Vaccine Mandate would “soon...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2450 regarding a virtual training session on June 6 that will address revalidation requirements as a part of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) unwind. This training is intended for all provider types.
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Take your career to the next level with IHCA’s Executive Health Care Leadership Institute, presented by HealthCARE of Iowa and sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy, NuCara,...
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IHCA's new Certified Medication Aide (CMA) Course, approved by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) and sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy and Trio Pharmacy...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by Iowa Health Care...
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As an IHCA/ICAL member, you have access to Insurance Solutions, a member savings program by AHCA/NCAL. Insurance Solutions offers a variety of employee health insurance...
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IHCA's Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Elderly Waiver Review class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa, will take place tomorrow, May 18. Topics will include...
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HH Provider Update and MCO Call recordings now available ICHC held its monthly Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call last Wednesday, May 10. This call...
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CMS recently published memo QSO-23-15 CLIA, outlining the impact of the ending of the public health emergency (PHE) on the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)...
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The clinical guidance summaries for skilled nursing facilities and assisted living programs have been updated to reflect the newly-updated guidance set forth by CMS and...
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As AHCA/NCAL gears up for its Congressional Briefing on June 5-6, skilled nursing, assisted living and intellectual and developmental disability providers are asked to complete...
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The 2023 IHCA Foundation Member Employee Scholarship, made possible by the Iowa Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (IPALTC), IHCA Districts and Iowa Council of...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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May Provider Update Calls Wednesday, May 10 Managed Care Organization (MCO) Provider Update Call Submit questions or issues to discuss a week prior to the...
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IHCA's May SW District Education event, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services, McKesson, VGM Education/CE Solutions and Trio Pharmacy Services, will take place tomorrow, May 11,...
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The Assisted Living Nurses Conference, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa, will take place next Wednesday, May 17, and cover important topics related to the assisted...
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IHCA's Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Elderly Waiver Review class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa, will take place next Thursday, May 18, and focus...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Iowa’s newest managed care organization (MCO), Molina Healthcare of Iowa, will join Amerigroup and Iowa Total Care in providing medical benefits for IA Health Link and Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (Hawki) members on July 1, 2023. DHHS will reallocate up to one-third of Medicaid members to Molina effective July 1, 2023. This IL provides guidance for providers regarding contracting with Molina, Molina provider training dates and locations, information about member choice and assignment and how to assist members should they have questions.
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The Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA) Foundation is pleased to announce a new registered nurse (RN) scholarship endowment to help Iowa long‐term care employees advance...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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The AHCA/NCAL Gero Nurse Prep course significantly increases registered nurses' (RNs’) gerontological nursing competency test scores. Registrants can save $200 on Gero Nurse Prep through...
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“Season of Reflection” is this year’s theme for National Assisted Living Week (NALW). The annual, national observance, officially sponsored by First Quality in 2023, provides...
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IHCA's May District Education events, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services, McKesson, VGM Education/CE Solutions and Trio Pharmacy Services, have begun and will take place at...
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April Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call recording now available IHCA's SNF Provider Update Call, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, took place...
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On May 1, CMS released a new regulatory memo QSO-23-13-ALL entitled Guidance for Expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023....
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The Health and Human Services (HHS) program that distributes Abbott BinaxNOW tests to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and assisted living (AL) communities will continue after...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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A message from IHCA's President and CEO, Brent Willett: Thank you for all you do to provide long-term care to Iowans. We know it is...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2453 regarding Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver eligibility. This (IL) clarifies the HCBS waiver eligibility policy pertaining to the need for services.
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On April 27, 2023, CMS released a proposed rule that will significantly impact the Medicaid program, if finalized. The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) addresses a wide range of issues regarding access to and payment for Medicaid services. While there are positive components to the regulation, there are also several areas of potential concern for providers.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2455 regarding premiums and co-payments for Medicaid, Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (Hawki), Iowa Health and Wellness Plan (IHAWP) and Medicaid for Employed People with Disabilities (MEPD). During the national public health emergency (PHE), Iowa Medicaid suspended co-payments and premiums for all members. The PHE is scheduled to end May 11, 2023. Iowa Medicaid will complete eligibility redeterminations for most members. To ensure accurate premiums and co-payments are billed to members, premiums will remain suspended until June 2024 for all members that have coverage under Hawki, IHAWP and MEPD.
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May is National Nurses Month — What better time to learn about funding opportunities available to nursing programs, students and practicing nurses provided by the...
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The Care Initiatives Director of Nursing (DON) Leadership Scholarship, made possible by Care Initiatives, is for DONs, assistant directors of nursing (ADONs) or registered nurses...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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Sleeping rooms are now available to reserve for IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show on Sept. 18-20 at the Des Moines Marriott located at 700...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by the Iowa Health...
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Assisted Living (AL) Provider Update Call recording now available ICAL's AL Provider Update Call, sponsored by Synchrony Health Services, took place this morning. The call...
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IHCA's May District Education events, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services, McKesson, VGM Education/CE Solutions and Trio Pharmacy Services, will take place at four different locations...
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The March 2023 assisted living (AL) survey trend report is now available on the IHCA website. Click here to view the report. This report is...
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Beginning Oct. 1, 2022, Iowa Medicaid began accepting applications from eligible providers for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Employee Training and Scholarship Grant. Because of the limited time remaining to expend ARPA funds, the deadline to apply for the ARPA HCBS Employee Training and Scholarship Grant is April 30, 2023. Applications received after this date will not be considered.
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Molina Healthcare will be hosting provider educations from May 2 to June 22, 2023. These 'General Sessions' are all identical, live presentations. Molina Healthcare will have an open Q&A after the presentation is complete, which will occur mid-way through this time slot to allow for a substantial amount of time for questions and answers.
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In March 2020, the federal public health emergency (PHE) established flexibilities to the Medicaid program in accordance with PHE policies and benefits. With the announcement that the PHE will end on May 11, 2023, Iowa Medicaid has provided an update on the status of Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) flexibilities for the state plan 1915(i) HCBS Habilitation program and the 1915(c) HCBS waivers.
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Malinda Shultice, ICAL board member and executive director of Cedar Ridge Village in West Des Moines, penned a guest column recently published in McKnight's Long-Term...
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The Linda Juckette Family Veteran and Rural Scholarship, made possible by the Linda Juckette Family Fund, is for anyone who is a veteran or active-duty...
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AHCA/NCAL is hosting a free live webinar, Careers in Caring - Hiring Tools You Need to Build Your Workforce, on Thursday, May 18, at noon....
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Nominations for the 2023 ACHA/NCAL Awards Program are now open. AHCA/NCAL members are strongly encouraged to nominate those in their community who go above and...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the University of Colorado (CU) RESTORE Team are pleased to offer High Intensity Physical Rehabilitation in Medically Complex...
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by the Iowa Health...
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On April 18, 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden and the Administration announced what they described as “the most sweeping set of Executive Actions to improve...
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Home Health Provider Update Call recording now available ICHC's Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call took place last Thursday, April 13. The call covered new...
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Based on feedback from our members, IHCA is in the process of migrating to a new on-demand learning platform for its website this week. The...
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AHCA/NCAL recently shared that during the week of April 12, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR)...
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Join AHCA/NCAL June 5-6, 2023, in Washington, D.C. at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill for its Congressional Briefing, sponsored by Medline. Attendees will...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2448 regarding the end of COVID-19 coverage for uninsured individuals. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) created a new Medicaid eligibility group for uninsured individuals. The new eligibility group was provided a limited benefit package of services related to testing and diagnosis of COVID-19 during the public health emergency (PHE). Under federal law, Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 vaccinations and testing for this group will end when the PHE ends on May 11, 2023.
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Amerigroup recently released an updated provider experience representative map for Iowa providers. The provider contact information provides Amerigroup Iowa, Inc., Iowa Health Link and Health and Well Kids in Iowa (Hawki) account management representatives.
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Free on-demand mental health webinars Encounter Telehealth and IHCA Foundation are offering one-hour webinars on mental health topics that can be used for free by...
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The 2023 MolinaCares High School Scholarship, made possible by the MolinaCares Charitable Foundation, is for Iowa high school seniors who are in their senior year...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Upcoming April calls Check out the list below for member-only calls in the month of April. Thursday, April 13 HH Provider Update Call Get the...
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IHCA's in-person Assisted Living (AL) Management Certification Course, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa, will begin next Monday, April 17, and provide participants with the knowledge...
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The Assisted Living (AL) Regulatory Class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa and NuCara Pharmacy, will take place next Thursday, April 20, and provide nurses with...
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Within the last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Data Tracker has begun showing the effects of the end of COVID-19...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2445 regarding a monoclonal antibodies update: Evusheld On...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2446 regarding provider messaging and the continuous coverage requirements unwind. Members will not automatically lose coverage after March 31, 2023. Because of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) unwind, most members will need to renew their coverage this year, but member renewal dates are different.
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On April 11, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced that some Medicaid members’ personal information was compromised in a national data breach affecting a contractor’s computer system last year. The Iowa Medicaid system was not breached.
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by the Iowa Health...
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Nominations for the 2023 ACHA/NCAL Awards Program are now open. AHCA/NCAL members are strongly encouraged to nominate those in their community who go above and...
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The IHCA Foundation's 2023 scholarship programs are now open for application. Scholarship applications are due by May 31. The IHCA Foundation is offering 51 scholarships...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering...
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AHCA/NCAL has partnered with Cleary Energy to provide significant utility savings for members. As an IHCA/ICAL member, these AHCA/NCAL benefits are also available as part...
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Save time and money with IHCA Professional Consulting from IHCA Provider Solutions. IHCA Provider Solutions is a new service line offered by the Iowa Health...
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The IHCA Foundation's 2023 scholarship programs are now open for application. Scholarship applications are due by May 31. The IHCA Foundation is offering 51 scholarships...
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March SNF Provider Update Call recording is now available IHCA's March Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call took place on March 31. The call...
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On March 22, 2023, CMS began sending electronic certificates to laboratories that opt-in on their Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) application (Form CMS-116) to receive...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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IHCA Foundation 2023 scholarship programs will open for application this Friday, March 31, and completed applications are due by May 31. IHCA Foundation is an...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2434. In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), Iowa Medicaid directed the managed care organizations (MCOs) to provide 100% reimbursement to out-of-network providers. This flexibility will end on April 30, 2023.
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In a Provider News Alert released on March 28, Iowa Total Care stated it is committed to continuously improving its overall payment integrity solutions to prevent overpayments due to waste or abuse. Iowa Total Care will begin performing additional prepayment claim reviews starting April 4, 2023, using Optum’s Comprehensive Payment Integrity (CPI) tool.
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently announced upcoming competency-based training opportunities for Iowa long-term services and supports (LTSS) providers and case managers. The in-person and virtual trainings will cover quality improvement and Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) landlord/tenant rules and will occur on April 11 and April 13.
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IHCA creates workforce-focused Instagram account to highlight the benefits of careers in LTC IHCA recently created an Instagram account (@iowahealthcare) to help spread awareness, news,...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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IHCA/ICAL members that are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA/NCAL's PHM Innovation Lab. Phase I of the lab contains free member-only foundational resources designed to introduce nursing facility, assisted living and intermediate care facility members and their staff to the wide array of PHM models available today and in the future.
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Register today for IHCA's in-person Spring Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by Medline and Performance Foodservice, on March 28 and 29, at the Hilton Hotel in...
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Kimber Larson is joining the IHCA team on Monday, March 27, as the association’s Director of Quality Solutions. IHCA is expanding its Quality Improvement team...
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The IHCA Foundation 2023 scholarship programs will open for application next Friday, March 31, and completed applications are due by May 31. The IHCA Foundation...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently published notice that the state’s mandatory reporting order will end on March 31, 2023. This...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) recently launched a new National Infection Program Forum (NIPF). This is a national forum for any infection preventionist (IP)...
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) listed albuterol sulfate inhalation solution, 0.5% in shortage status starting in October 2022. Due to recent news of...
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CMS recently released a short video tutorial to assist providers with coding GG0170C — Lying to Sitting on Side of Bed. This five-minute video is...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) recently announced the launch of Careers in Caring, a new national campaign...
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As of March 13, 2023, the Iowa Total Care Provider Portal claims dashboard and claim details page has a new look. This redesign changes the look and feel of the claims portion of the portal.
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering...
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HPSI is an industry leading group purchasing organization (GPO) that focuses on providing the post-acute care industry with aggressive cost savings, a robust supplier portfolio...
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Register today for IHCA's in-person Spring Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by Medline and Performance Foodservice, on March 28 and 29, at the Hilton Hotel in...
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Iowa’s Revenue Estimating Conference (REC), the three-member panel from the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency, met on March 10, 2023, to project state revenues which will...
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The placement of video cameras in resident rooms has been a hot topic in post-acute settings for years. With a growing level of distrust between...
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Often, misconceptions exist about who has authority to direct the disposition of a person’s body at the time of their death. Because power of attorney...
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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently shared the following press release regarding how establishing a federal staffing mandate...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released informational letter (IL) 2432 regarding the end of the federal public health emergency (PHE) flexibilities. In March 2020, the federal PHE established flexibilities to the Medicaid program in accordance with PHE policies and benefits. With the announcement that the PHE will end on May 11, 2023, Iowa Medicaid will begin releasing a series of ILs concerning the end of these PHE flexibilities. As each flexibility ends, Iowa Medicaid will publish an IL explaining the piece that is “unwinding” or returning to normal operating procedures.
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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Nearly 130 IHCA, ICAL and ICHC members participated in IHCA’s Day on the Hill event, sponsored by Medline, this week to advocate for critical funding...
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CMS has released the schedule for state Medicaid unwinding start dates and the effective date of the anticipated terminations for procedural reasons. This is generally the first month that members who have not had their eligibility successfully renewed in the past 12 months may be disenrolled for procedural reasons, such as non-response to a renewal form, per CMS guidelines. Terminations for individuals the state has re-determined as ineligible for Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) may occur on or after April 1, 2023.
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. The bi-weekly areas of note found in the Feb. 22 issue include newly noticed rules related to health care facilities administration, nursing facilities and minimum physical standards for residential care facilities (RCFs).
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Register today for IHCA's in-person Spring Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by Medline and Performance Foodservice, on March 28 and 29, at the Hilton Hotel in...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. ECSI is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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Register today for IHCA's in-person Spring Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by Medline and Performance Foodservice, on March 28 and 29, at the Hilton Hotel in...
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The Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA's Spring Quarterly Education Conference being held at the Des Moines...
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A recording of yesterday’s Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, is now available on the IHCA website. ICHC’s Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call will be next Thursday, March 9. Due to scheduling conflicts with IHCA’s Day on the Hill and MCO training, there will be no IHCA MCO Calls in March.
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IHCA received informational letter (IL) 2428 from Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announcing Iowa Medicaid Pharmacy Program changes, effective April 1, 2023. The letter includes information regarding new drug prior authorization (PA) criteria, changes to and removal of certain existing PA criteria and point-of-sale billing updates.
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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As an IHCA/ICAL member, you have access to Insurance Solutions, a member savings program by AHCA/NCAL. Insurance Solutions offers a variety of employee health insurance...
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Your participation in IHCA's Day on the Hill on March 8, sponsored by Medline, is critical to making an impact during the state legislative session on...
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Upcoming calls Check out the list below for member-only calls remaining in the month of February. Tuesday, Feb. 28 SNF Provider Update Call Get the...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have announced upcoming competency-based training opportunities. Competency-based training ensures providers and direct support professionals acquire skills that can be applied in the home- and community-based services (HCBS) setting. Trainings are provided at no cost to agencies or direct support professionals. The next training webinar, “Accessibility Gone Viral,” will take place tomorrow, Feb. 23.
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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There is still time to apply for Future Ready Iowa's Summer Youth Internship Program grant. Employers, non-profits, educational institutions and community organizations can apply for...
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Register today for IHCA's in-person Spring Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by Medline and Performance Foodservice, on March 28 and 29, at the Hilton Hotel in...
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The Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA's Spring Quarterly Education Conference being held at the Des Moines...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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IHCA is hiring a Nurse Consultant to support the Iowa Health Care Quality Partners (IHCQP) network in designing and executing quality improvement projects with particular...
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IHCA is hiring a Nurse Consultant to support the Iowa Health Care Quality Partners (IHCQP) network in designing and executing quality improvement projects with particular...
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Your participation in IHCA's Day on the Hill on March 8, sponsored by Medline, is critical to making an impact during the state legislative session on...
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IHCA’s two-day Life Safety – Fire Safety Virtual Conference, sponsored by Midwest Alarm Services, will take place this upcoming Tuesday and Wednesday on Feb. 21...
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As an assisted living (AL) employer affected by the pandemic, you may be eligible to receive a tax credit of up to $26,000 per employee. Join AHCA/NCAL for a free webinar about the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 16 from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently released details regarding the managed care organization (MCO) onboarding and open enrollment period beginning on March 1, 2023. Member reassignment happens when a new MCO joins the Iowa Health Link program. Members will be distributed between the three MCOs to ensure equal membership and will have a chance to choose their MCO during the open choice period (March 1 through May 18).
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Register today for IHCA's in-person Spring Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by Medline and Performance Foodservice, on March 28 and 29, at the Hilton Hotel in...
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The Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA's Spring Quarterly Education Conference being held at the Des Moines...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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There is still time to apply for Future Ready Iowa's Summer Youth Internship Program grant. Employers, non-profits, educational institutions and community organizations can apply for...
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Mark your calendar for IHCA's in-person Spring Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by Medline and Performance Foodservice, on March 28 and 29, at the Hilton Hotel...
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MCO Provider Update Call IHCA's February Managed Care Organization (MCO) calls took place this morning, Feb. 8. These member-only call recordings are now available on...
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Your participation in IHCA's Day on the Hill on March 8, sponsored by Medline, is critical to making an impact during the state legislative session on...
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AHCA/NCAL recently released a memorandum regarding how to prepare for the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) unwinding and returning to Medicaid eligibility redetermination. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 laid out timelines for states to return to regular Medicaid redeterminations, which were paused during the COVID-19 PHE. For providers, this means your state will begin re-determining all residents covered by Medicaid in February, March or April of 2023, and your buildings will begin receiving Redetermination Notices all together depending upon your state’s start date.
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The Iowa State Treasurer's Office provides a free service known as The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt. Each year, funds are turned over to the State Treasurer's Office as unclaimed property. Examples of unclaimed property include utility refunds, uncashed checks, dormant bank accounts and more. The goal of the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt is to help Iowans locate and reunite with their lost or abandoned funds. IHCA encourages providers to check for any potential property owed to them.
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There is still time to apply for Future Ready Iowa's Summer Youth Internship Program grant. Employers, non-profits, educational institutions and community organizations can apply for...
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The Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA's Spring Quarterly Education Conference being held at the Des Moines...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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IHCA and ICAL members have access to a wealth of online education through AHCA/NCAL. Online courses feature live and pre-recorded events, toolkits and resources, covering...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Make sure you are taking advantage of all the benefits your IHCA membership has to offer by reviewing IHCA’s new member benefits guide. This comprehensive...
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January SNF Provider Update Call recording now available The January Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy [link],...
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Your participation in IHCA's Day on the Hill on March 8, sponsored by Medline, is critical to making an impact during the state legislative session on...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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IHCA has received several inquiries from facilities interested in accepting admissions from the six nursing and assisted living facilities previously owned by QHC management that...
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), with Mathematica and The Harkin Institute, recently conducted an evaluation of the state’s community-based behavioral, disability and aging services to understand how Iowans access and use services through Medicaid and other programs and how the state can improve on the current structure. On Jan. 31, 2023, DHHS shared recommendations for strengthening Iowa's community-based services system, which describes findings and recommendations to improve service delivery throughout the state.
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The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) and Iowa Workforce Development will discuss work-based learning and high school apprenticeship opportunities during their virtual webinar,...
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The Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA's Spring Quarterly Education Conference being held at the Des Moines...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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IHCA is excited to announce a new company that was recently endorsed by Extended Care Services of Iowa (ECSI), IHCA’s group purchasing program. The Iowa...
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Iowa Medicaid and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host a stakeholder session covering the end of the continuous coverage requirement today, Wednesday, Jan. 25, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
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All applications and application fees for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023 at...
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Your participation in IHCA's Day on the Hill on March 8, sponsored by Medline, is critical to making an impact during the state legislative session on...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) invites all IHCA members to participate in a free webinar...
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The January 2023 assisted living (AL) survey trend report is now available on the IHCA website. Click here to view the report. This report is...
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On Jan. 18, Iowa Total Care released a provider alert regarding oxygen concentrators. Effective Nov. 1, 2022, pre-authorization is not required for procedure code E1390, Oxygen Concentrator, for participating (PAR) providers with home location (12). Participating (PAR) providers will need an authorization in any location other than home (location 12). Non-participating (Non-PAR) providers will need an authorization in all instances.
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On Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) launched a new website. The Iowa Medicaid portion of the new website mirrors the structure and content of the previous website. Iowa DHHS will temporarily maintain a redirect service for the legacy site. At this time, there are no changes to sites that do not have a DHHS domain, such as the Iowa Medicaid Preferred Drug List and the Iowa Medicaid Portal Access (IMPA).
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The Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP) is giving away five free registrations to IHCA's Spring Quarterly Education Conference being held at the Des Moines...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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Home Health Provider Update Call recording available A recording of ICHC's Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call from Wednesday, Jan. 11, is now available. The...
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IHCA’s online Activity Professionals Qualification Course begins next Wednesday, Jan. 25, with a one-hour orientation webinar. The course is made up of seven online units...
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The application deadline for AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards is quickly approaching. All applications and application fees must be submitted in the Quality Award portal by 7:00 p.m....
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Your participation in IHCA's Day on the Hill on March 8, sponsored by Medline, is critical to making an impact during the state legislative session on...
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The U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra recently renewed the declaration that a public health emergency (PHE) exists. This is effective Jan....
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued preliminary findings about monitoring the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine’s safety that discusses...
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On Jan. 17, Iowa Total Care (ITC) released a Provider Alert regarding assisted living (AL) billing for Consumer Directed Attendant Care (CDAC) and homemaker services. The alert stated that ITC recognizes that AL facilities are exempt from submitting CDAC (S5125) and homemaker (S5130) claims through its electronic visit verification (EVV) vendor CareBridge. In order to ensure that these services are paid appropriately, ITC asks that CDAC and homemaker services (provided in an AL facility) be billed with the place of service (POS) code 13.
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Molina Healthcare recently released an updated 2023 Provider Manual. The Provider Manual includes information regarding provider responsibilities, member rights and responsibilities, benefits and covered services, cultural competency and linguistic services, managed long-term services and support (MLTSS), health care services, behavioral health services, eligibility, enrollment, credentialing, claims and more.
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During her Condition of the State address, Governor Reynolds announced a new $15 million round of funding targeted at growing registered apprenticeship (RA) programs across...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Upcoming calls Check out the list below for the remaining member-only calls for skilled nursing facility (SNF), assisted living (AL) and home health providers in...
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IHCA's 2023 Day on the Hill, sponsored by Medline, will be held on March 8, and your participation is critical to making an impact during...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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In December 2022, the Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) released finalized administrative rules (IAC 481-55) to operationalize the health care employment agency bill (HF2521)...
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On Dec. 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 was signed and ends the Medicaid program’s continuous coverage requirement as of April 1, 2023. This means that beginning April 1, Iowa Medicaid will no longer be required to maintain a member’s health coverage if they are found to be ineligible after an evaluation of their eligibility status. Iowa Medicaid will host a one-hour webinar on Jan. 25 at 3:00 p.m. where Medicaid team members will share details about the state's plan and what members can expect in the coming weeks and months.
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Molina Healthcare is convening a listening session on Jan. 17, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. for providers. The purpose of this engagement is to listen, hear and discuss critical issues and priorities for providers. As Molina Healthcare prepares to launch, their team values hearing from providers about what is important to them in delivering health care services to their patients and the most vulnerable populations.
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The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently released two important updates related to the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural payments that HRSA began distributing in November 2021 and continued throughout 2022.
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The first session of Telligen's Wake-up Wednesday: High-risk Medication Extension for Community Health Care Outcomes (ECHO) Series will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 25. According...
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It is now even easier for IHCA members to get their job openings in front of potential candidates with IHCA’s online job board. IHCA is...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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Specifically designed for registered nurses (RNs) working in long-term care, AHCA/NCAL's Gero Nurse Prep course provides comprehensive online training that leads to board certification in...
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AHCA/NCAL has partnered with Cleary Energy to provide significant utility savings for members. As an IHCA/ICAL member, these AHCA/NCAL benefits are also available as part...
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June Provider Update Calls Thursday, June 8 Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call Get the latest clinical, reimbursement and regulatory news for home health professionals....
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Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host a complimentary webinar for health care professionals to develop the necessary skills to provide safe...
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Upcoming calls Check out the list below for member-only calls for skilled nursing facility (SNF), assisted living (AL) and home health (HH) providers in the...
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IHCA's 2023 Day on the Hill, sponsored by Medline, will be held on March 8, and your participation is critical to making an impact during...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Are you preparing an application for the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program? For first time applicants, Baldridge Coach offers a complimentary coaching session to improve overall...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released interim guidance for long-term care (LTC) and post-acute care facilities for the 2022-2023 influenza season. Influenza...
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The Biden Administration has announced a COVID-19 Winter Preparedness Plan involving several strategies to expand access to testing, vaccines and treatments. To support the Winter...
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AHCA/NCAL recently shared how the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) began transmitting emails to providers who, based on the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) reporting period one submissions, will receive a Repayment Request Notice via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
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IHCA's 2023 Day on the Hill, sponsored by Medline, will be held on March 8, and your participation is critical to making an impact during...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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Sleeping rooms are now available to reserve for IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show on Sept. 17-20 at the Des Moines Marriott located at 700...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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IHCA’s 2023 Sponsorship, Trade Show and Advertising Guide is now available on the IHCA website. Click here to view the guide. The guide is full...
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As we reflect on the past year, we want to express our gratitude for the sacrifices you have made for your residents, patients, tenants and...
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Effective Jan. 1, 2023, the maximum residential care facility (RCF) per diem rate will increase from $33.53 to $35.89. There will be no increase in the flat per diem rate at this time. The flat per diem rate remains at $17.86. Additionally, the personal needs allowance for RCF assistance recipients will increase from $111.00 to $120.00 per month, effective Jan. 1, 2023.
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Iowa Total Care recently released a provider alert indicating that, in mid-December, the Provider Portal claims dashboard and claims details page will have a new look. This redesign will change the look and feel of the claims portal as it exists today.
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IHCA's 2023 Day on the Hill will be held on March 8, and your participation is critical to making an impact during the state legislative session...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently hosted a member webinar focused on practical steps long-term care (LTC) facilities...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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Sleeping rooms are now available to reserve for IHCA's 2023 Convention and Trade Show on Sept. 17-20 at the Des Moines Marriott located at 700...
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IHCA recently created how-to videos to provide a step-by-step virtual training to help assist with navigation of the IHCA Member Portal. As a member of...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. ECSI is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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Join ICHC tomorrow, Dec. 8, for its December Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call at 2:00 p.m. The call will cover the status of the federal public health emergency (PHE), Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) pre-implementation reports, the ICHC Home Care Accreditation Program, details on the Provider Annual Self-Assessment, the vaccination status in health care settings, upcoming education events and more. IHCA has provided the call-in details for all remaining member calls in December.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges post-acute care providers to heighten their awareness to the signs and symptoms of sepsis, which can...
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Data shows AHCA/NCAL Quality Awards improve customer satisfaction and employee retention among recipient centers. A recent study by Pinnacle Quality Insights tells a convincing story...
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In the most recent Iowa Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reported that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was...
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AHCA/NCAL is hosting a webinar this Friday, Dec. 9 at 2:00 p.m. The webinar will focus on practical steps long-term care facilities can take to...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA In-Service...
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IHCA/ICAL members that are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA/NCAL's PHM Innovation Lab. Phase I of the lab contains free member-only foundational resources designed to introduce nursing facility, assisted living and intermediate care facility members and their staff to the wide array of PHM models available today and in the future.
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The Administration for Community Living (ACL) released its annual Summary of Statistics on Older Adults. The summary uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the...
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In compliance with the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993, please be advised that, per section 6033(e) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), the Iowa Health...
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As an IHCA/ICAL member, you have access to Insurance Solutions, a member savings program by AHCA/NCAL. Insurance Solutions offers a variety of employee health insurance...
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Join IHCA next Wednesday, Dec. 7, for its Winter Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by Blue Stone Therapy, HealthCARE of Iowa, Softworks, Synchrony Health Services, Trio...
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Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and direct care workers who work in long-term care facilities are required to complete at least 12 hours of in-service training...
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Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are now required to submit an annual report summarizing influenza vaccination data for health care personnel (HCP) to the Center for...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid recently announced the release of the 2022 Home- and Community-Based (HCBS) Provider Quality Management Self-Assessment, which consists of the self-assessment form found on the Iowa DHHS website and address collection tool which is emailed out to contacts listed on last year’s self-assessment or is available upon request. Both documents have been updated for 2022. The completed self-assessment form must be received no later than Dec. 31, 2022.
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IHCA received informational letter (IL) 2405 from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Iowa Medicaid announcing Iowa Medicaid Pharmacy Program changes, effective Jan. 1, 2023. The letter includes changes to the preferred drug list (PDL), new drug prior authorization (PA) criteria, changes to existing PA criteria, point of sale billing updates and a Drug Utilization Review (DUR) update.
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Expand your workforce and reduce language barriers with the new Iowa Language Learners Job Training Program Grant. The new funding opportunity will support employer programs...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Infection Preventionist...
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Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and direct care workers who work in long-term care facilities are required to complete at least 12 hours of in-service training...
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Join IHCA on Dec. 7 for its Winter Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by Blue Stone Therapy, HealthCARE of Iowa, Softworks, Synchrony Health Services, Trio Pharmacy...
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Iowa Total Care has identified an internal project review that was incorrectly triggered and executed letters notifying providers of a recoupment. These letters should not have been sent, as internal reviews were not complete relative to the data in the internal project. Providers should ignore this letter; there are no funds being recouped at this time.
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The annual provider self-assessment will be released soon and is due to be submitted with all supporting documents by Dec. 31, 2022. The self-assessment is required for any provider that is reviewed by the Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) quality improvement organization (QIO). To assist with this process, Iowa Medicaid is hosting a Self-Assessments for HCBS Providers Virtual Training on Nov. 30 at 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
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The American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), in partnership with other clinical societies, has created a toolkit for COVID-19 vaccination and treatment in long-term care settings,...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Expand your workforce and reduce language barriers with the new Iowa Language Learners Job Training Program Grant. The new funding opportunity will support employer programs...
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In September of 2022, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published 43 recommendations for medical and mental health care in assisted living (AL)....
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Infection Preventionist...
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Several AHCA/NCAL online education courses are on sale this winter! Learn more about these courses below and take advantage of the savings. Infection Preventionist Specialized...
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Join IHCA tomorrow, Nov. 17, for its final 2022 in-person November District Education event, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services and VGM Education/CE Solutions. Attendees will...
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HH Provider Update Call recording available A recording of ICHC's Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call from Nov. 10 is now available. The call covered...
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On Oct. 1, 2022, Iowa Medicaid began accepting applications from eligible providers for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Health Information Technology and Infrastructure (HIT&I) and Remote Monitoring (RM) grants. Because of the number of responses that included multiple requests for exceptionally high-dollar amounts, the deadline to apply for HIT&I and RM grants is Nov. 30, 2022. Review and approval of HIT&I and RM grant projects and funding amounts will occur during the month of December 2022. Funding decisions for grant applications received between Oct. 1, 2022, and Nov. 30, 2022, will be announced in January 2023.
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Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2402 announcing the dates and times for the Iowa Medicaid member and provider town halls for the month of November. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, this month’s town hall series will be held on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022.
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It is anticipated that the Biden Administration will renew the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) in January. The Administration had committed to provide 60 days’...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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AHCA/NCAL recently shared a list of five ways to help reduce the spread of respiratory viral infections this winter. Respiratory viruses are more common during...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Restorative Nursing...
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CNA In-Service Training Series launches on Jan. 1; Take advantage of the early bird discount. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and direct care workers who work...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) has partnered with Hospital and Healthcare Compensation Service (HCS) to complete a wage and benefit survey for assisted living (AL) providers across the nation. The deadline for participation in the AL Salary & Benefits study has been extended to Monday, Nov. 21. Anyone needing an extension may email Rich Cioffe, or call 201-405-0075, ext. 13 to let HCS know they need additional time to complete the survey. There is no cost to participate in the study.
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Midterm elections took place yesterday. While there are still a few races too close to call, the IHCA has conducted an analysis of the results...
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Upcoming calls Check out the list below for member-only calls for skilled nursing facility (SNF), assisted living (AL) and home health (HH) providers in the...
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Join IHCA on Nov. 10, 15 and 17 for its remaining in-person November District Education events, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services and VGM Education/CE Solutions....
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the expiration date for certain lots of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna has verified the new...
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Iowa Medicaid will be hosting a listening session regarding Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) flexibilities today, Nov. 9, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The purpose of the session is to gather feedback from providers that the department can incorporate into its plans for the unwinding of the COVID-19 PHE. Iowa Medicaid holds monthly virtual town hall meetings with providers and members to gather feedback on the current state of the program and how to improve. They also plan to use these town hall meetings to share information on current and future program projects and improvements.
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In preparation for upcoming holidays, bank and office closures, Iowa Total Care would like to notify providers of changes to the normal Tuesday/Thursday processing and Wednesday/Friday payment transmission for the remainder of 2022.
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Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2350, which replaces IL 2088. Effective July 1, 2022, for the 1915(i) Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) habilitation program, the interRAI assessment tools will be replaced by the Level of Care Utilization System (LOCUS) for adults ages 19 and older and the Child and Adolescent Level of Care Utilization System (CALOCUS) for youth ages 18 and under for the purposes of the needs-based eligibility (NBE) determination, person-centered service planning and home-based habilitation tier authorization. The LOCUS/CALOCUS will be based on the member’s Comprehensive Assessment and Social History (CASH).
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality...
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Expand your workforce and reduce language barriers with the new Iowa Language Learners Job Training Program Grant. The new funding opportunity will support employer programs...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Restorative Nursing...
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Assisted Living (AL) Regulatory Class | Nov. 3 The purpose of this class, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa, is to provide nurses with the Iowa...
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Join IHCA on Nov. 8, 10, 15 and 17 for its in-person November District Education events, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services and VGM Education/CE Solutions....
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Assisted Living Provider Update Call recording available ICAL held its Assisted Living (AL) Provider Update Call on Wednesday, Oct. 26. The call covered an Iowa...
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Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2394. The IL addresses the annual submission requirements regarding prevention and detection of Medicaid fraud and abuse. This IL applies to any provider entity or provider that receives payments of $5 million or more from Iowa Medicaid in any federal fiscal year (FY) (Oct. 1 - Sept. 30).
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Iowa Medicaid recently released informational letter (IL) 2392-MC-FFS regarding an upcoming telehealth virtual listening session. This virtual session will focus on telehealth flexibilities implemented during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). This session is open to Iowa Medicaid providers and members and will be held virtually on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The purpose of this session is to share proposals for which telehealth flexibilities to continue and which to sunset with the end of the COVID-19 PHE and to gather input from stakeholders.
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Iowa Medicaid will host a Home-and Community-Based Services (HCBS) unwind process virtual listening session on Nov. 9. This virtual session is open to all Iowa Medicaid providers and will focus on HCBS flexibilities implemented during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).
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Early voting has begun for the midterm election that will take place next week on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Early in-person absentee voting is available at...
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. AAPACN RAC-CT...
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IHCA/ICAL members receive 15% off the purchase of any Healthcare Interactive (HCI) CARES® online training program by using promo code AHCA15 at checkout. CARES® training is recommended...
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It's not too late to register for parts two and three of IHCA's three-part Bronze Award Application Workshop series. If your organization has thought about...
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Assisted Living Management Certification (ALMC) Program | Oct. 31 - Nov. 4 This in-person training program, sponsored by HealthCARE of Iowa, will provide participants with...
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Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call recording now available IHCA held its monthly Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call, sponsored by Lee Agency...
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The September 2022 skilled nursing facility (SNF) and October 2022 assisted living (AL) and residential care facility (RCF) survey trend reports are now available on...
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality...
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Early voting has begun for the midterm election that will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Early in-person absentee voting is available at your local...
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Join IHCA on Nov. 8, 10, 15 and 17 for its in-person November District Education events, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services. Attendees will learn key...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. MDS 101:...
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Feeding the Bottom Line is a five-part mini-series from "Be Mpowered," a Martin Bros. Distributing Co. podcast. This series provides knowledge and insight for dining...
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AHCA/NCAL Connected Communities, which are online discussion groups used by IHCA, ICAL and ICHC members, will undergo a planned system outage on Oct. 31 through...
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It's not too late to register for parts two and three of IHCA's three-part Bronze Award Application Workshop series. The in-person workshops on Oct. 28...
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Home Health Provider Update Call recording available ICHC held its monthly Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call on Friday, Oct. 14. The call covered updated...
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra renewed the declaration that a public health emergency (PHE) exists. This is effective Oct....
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) are offering frontline health care workers a free Infection...
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Iowa Medicaid recently released Informational Letter (IL) 2387 providing guidance on provider enrollment COVID-19 flexibilities. Iowa Medicaid will begin unwinding some of the flexibilities given by the federal public health emergency (PHE) that relates to provider enrollment. These flexibilities include enrollment revalidation requirements and the suspension of site visits for newly enrolled providers.
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Iowa Medicaid recently released Informational Letter (IL) 2389 announcing additional upcoming competency-based training opportunities for case managers and long-term services and supports (LTSS) providers. Competency-based training ensures providers and direct support professionals acquire skills that can be applied in the Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) setting. Trainings are provided at no cost to agencies or direct support professionals. The next training will be on Oct. 25 and will cover person-centered planning and supports.
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality...
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The U.S. Department of Commerce has launched the Job Quality Toolkit, which provides strategies and actions to help organizations recruit and retain a high-performing workforce. The...
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Join IHCA on Nov. 8, 10, 15 and 17 for its in-person November District Education events, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services. Attendees will learn key...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Last week at its annual Convention and Expo, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) elected AHCA’s Board of...
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IHCA's committees, advisory councils and work groups play an important part in providing the association with member input to guide our association in meeting the...
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AHCA/NCAL has partnered with Cleary Energy to provide significant utility savings for members. As an IHCA/ICAL member, these AHCA/NCAL benefits are also available as part...
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Check out the list below for member-only calls for skilled nursing facility (SNF), assisted living (AL) and home health (HH) providers in the month of...
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CMS has rescinded QSO-22-25-CLIA, which barred the use of SARS-CoV-2 tests outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) test’s instructions for use. This comes...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hosting the Iowa Infection Prevention and Control Conference on Nov. 8 at 7:45 a.m. to...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites IHCA members to participate in a short survey from the Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Program....
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Iowa Medicaid recently released Informational Letter 2372 regarding guidance on eligibility recovery claim submissions. This letter provides instructions on how providers may submit their claims to Medicaid following a payment recovery from a managed care plan. This includes managed care organizations (MCO) and dental plans.
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality...
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Join IHCA on Nov. 8, 10, 15 and 17 for its in-person November District Education events, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services. Attendees will learn key...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Assisted Living...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. SNF Medicare...
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Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and direct care workers who work in long-term care facilities are required to complete at least 12 hours of in-service training...
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IHCA's final 2022 Legislative Table Talk, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, will take place in person tomorrow, Oct. 6, at Luther Park Community in Des...
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Join IHCA for its monthly Managed Care Organization (MCO) Calls, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, next Wednesday, Oct. 12. Additionally, ICHC will host its Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call next Friday, Oct. 14.
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As the CMS 1135 COVID-19 Emergency Blanket Waiver provision allowing Iowa providers to employ temporary nurse aides (TNAs) expired in June, members are reminded that established TNAs...
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CMS released an update to QSO-22-25-CLIA, which rescinds enforcement discretion for the use of SARS-CoV-2 tests not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...
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Beginning Oct. 1, 2022, Iowa Medicaid will accept applications from eligible providers to receive funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Employee Training and Scholarship Grant. Grants will serve the purpose of assisting qualified HCBS providers with funding employee training and scholarships for education and training in nursing, behavioral health and other health care fields.
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Beginning Oct. 1, 2022, Iowa Medicaid will accept applications from eligible providers to receive funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Health Information Technology (IT) and Infrastructure Grant. Grants will serve the purpose of assisting qualified HCBS providers with funding projects that improve, enhance and/or expand HCBS.
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Policy clarifications (PCs) are correspondence issued by Iowa Medicaid to clarify policy that affects managed care organization (MCO) operations. PCs have been provided to the MCOs, and the MCOs have attested to each PC based on Iowa Medicaid business practices at the time of issuance. Iowa Medicaid has created a policy clarification webpage that allows stakeholders to see PCs provided to MCOs. Providers are encouraged to sign up to receive PCs. To sign up online, please visit the policy clarification webpage.
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The IHCA Foundation established the M. E. “Ed” Clark Long-Term Care Activities Programming Fund this year to foster new and innovative activity programs in long-term...
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Governor Kim Reynolds has announced a new grant opportunity intended to reduce language barriers in the workforce. The Iowa Language Learners Job Training Program will...
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Applications are now open for a new funding opportunity for businesses, made possible by Future Ready Iowa’s Child Care Business Incentive Grant. This new grant...
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The holidays will be here before you know it, and you can do your holiday shopping and help support the IHCA Foundation at the same...
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Join IHCA on Nov. 8, 10, 15 and 17 for its in-person November District Education events, sponsored by HPSI Purchasing Services. Attendees will learn key...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. OASIS-E Workshop...
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Several AHCA/NCAL online education courses are on sale this fall! Learn more about these courses below and take advantage of the savings. Infection Preventionist Specialized...
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By the year 2024, direct care workers are projected to add more new jobs in our economy than any other single occupation. Your ability to...
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The Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA) and its divisions, the Iowa Center for Assisted Living (ICAL) and the Iowa Center for Home Care (ICHC), announced...
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Hurricane Ian left a path of damage and destruction along many areas of Florida, impacting the lives of thousands of caregivers working in nursing centers...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc., is just a few days away! The event will take place next...
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The Annual Business Meeting of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC, sponsored by BOK Financial, Encore Rehabilitation and Trio Pharmacy Services, will be held in conjunction with...
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Members who plan to apply for an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award are encouraged to submit an Intent to Apply (ITA) by logging into the Quality...
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IHCA's Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, kicked off this month with a combination of virtual and in-person events. The remaining events will resume...
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Iowa Medicaid has announced changes to the Medicaid service documentation requirements, effective Sept. 16, 2022. The changes are being implemented to clarify documentation requirements and remove administrative burden related to delivering services. Providers have requested the amendments in response to the direct care workforce crisis. This will provide immediate relief to providers struggling to recruit and retain direct care staff. These amendments were published in the July 27, 2022, Iowa Administrative Bulletin.
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. OASIS-E Workshop...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc., is right around the corner! The event will take place Sept. 26-28...
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Online electronic balloting for the annual election of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC board officers (chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer), the directors-at-large positions, conference chairs...
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Join IHCA/ICAL for its three-part Bronze Award Application Workshop series, which begins with an orientation webinar on Sept. 16. If your organization has thought about...
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On July 8, 2022, Iowa Medicaid submitted a final draft of the statewide transition plan (STP) to CMS. The Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) rules require that all residential and non-residential settings be in compliance by March 17, 2023. Beginning in September 2022, the Iowa Medicaid Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) HCBS unit will send letters to providers with outstanding remediation related to settings, notifying them of actions needed and associated timelines to come into compliance with the settings rule.
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CMS has released guidance outlining requirements and expectations for the resumption of normal eligibility business processes when the federal COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) expires. Iowa Medicaid has utilized this guidance to establish a phased approach to resuming normal eligibility business processes. Phases 1 through 3 of Iowa Medicaid’s plan have been implemented, and the associated processes contained in each phase continue to be executed during the PHE.
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IHCA's Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, kicked off last week with a combination of virtual and in-person events. The remaining events will resume...
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Through a grant from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), AHCA/NCAL is equipping leaders with trust building skills and practices through a new...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. OASIS-E Workshop...
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IHCA is proud to offer a variety of online courses through its On-Demand Education Platform. The courses are available 24/7 and convenient for long-term care...
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Join ICHC tomorrow, Sept. 8, for its Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call. IHCA's Managed Care Organization (MCO) Calls, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, are cancelled this month since they occur at the same time as Iowa Medicaid's Annual Provider Trainings. The MCOs are participating in Iowa Medicaid's trainings, and IHCA, ICAL and ICHC members are encouraged to attend as well.
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Iowa Medicaid will host virtual town hall events for providers, members and stakeholders on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to discuss recent developments in the managed care request for proposal (RFP) process. The event for providers will be at 4:00 p.m., and the event for members will be at 5:00 p.m.
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IHCA's Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, are back with a combination of virtual and in-person events this fall! These events will take place...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc., is quickly approaching! The event will take place Sept. 26-28 at the...
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Join IHCA/ICAL for its three-part Bronze Award Application Workshop series, which begins with an orientation webinar on Sept. 16. If your organization has thought about...
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The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), with approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has recommended the updated Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech...
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) announced that it has issued a Notice of Intent to award to two managed care organization (MCO) bidders for Request for Proposal (RFP) MED-23-005, IA Health Link. The bidders announced on Aug. 31, 2022, include Amerigroup Iowa, Inc. and Molina Healthcare of Iowa, Inc. Molina Healthcare of Iowa, Inc. will join Amerigroup Iowa, Inc. and Iowa Total Care, Inc. as MCOs in the Iowa Medicaid program.
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Iowa Medicaid is participating in the federal FY 2024 Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) program. This means that providers may be contacted by the CMS review contractor who will collect medical records either in hard copy or in electronic format. Upon receipt of the request for medical records, providers must submit the records within 75 days.
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Iowa Medicaid has announced new competency-based training for Iowa long-term services and supports (LTSS) providers and case managers. Competency-based training ensures providers and direct support professionals acquire skills that can be applied in the Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) setting. Trainings are provided at no cost to agencies or direct support professionals. The next trainings will be held on Sept. 20 and 21 and will cover service documentation with Iowa Medicaid.
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The National Quality Forum (NQF) has released the Advancing Anticoagulation Stewardship: A Playbook to help guide health care organizations to implement evidence-based strategies to promote patient safety...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. OASIS-E Workshop...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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Online electronic balloting for the annual election of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC board officers (chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer), the directors-at-large positions, conference chairs...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. ECSI is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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Feature the stars of your organization on the big screen with IHCA's 2022 Convention Video Contest – to give them the recognition they deserve! We...
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IHCA's Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, are back and in-person this fall! These events will take place at 12 different locations this year,...
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Recently, the Iowa Health Care Quality Partners (IHCQP) Board of Managers and Quality Committee took the next step in the maturity of the provider network by moving to clinical integration. This move to clinical integration, known as Tier 2, makes Iowa the first AHCA/NCAL affiliated, provider-owned network to make this advancement. This advancement allows IHCQP to begin negotiating rates with insurance payors and leveraging the high quality care that is being provided by those members electing to move to Tier 2, all while maintaining the current opportunities and benefits that are in place for members in Tier 1.
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Beginning Sept. 1, 2022, Iowa Medicaid will accept applications from eligible providers to receive funds from the Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Recruitment and Retention Grant. Grant funds must be used to cover costs related to recruitment and retention incentive payments to direct care employees and other essential staff supporting the delivery of HCBS directly or indirectly including, but not limited to, program coordinators, managers, nurses, counselors, accounting, human resources, informational technology, transportation and maintenance.
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2022 Iowa Medicaid Annual Provider Training sessions will be held in-person and via Zoom live broadcast. There will be six four-hour sessions. Each session will cover the same material; providers only need to sign up for one session. Iowa Medicaid will record the sessions and post the recordings to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) website for providers who are unable to attend.
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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The Iowa Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Programs at the University of Iowa and St. Louis University invite IHCA, ICAL and ICHC members to join the Post-Acute...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Bronze Award...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. is quickly approaching! The event will take place Sept. 26-28 at the...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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Join ICAL in celebrating National Assisted Living Week (NALW) on Sept. 11-17 by offering a variety of events and activities to celebrate the individuals you...
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Online electronic balloting for the annual election of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC board officers (chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer), the directors-at-large positions, conference chairs...
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As an IHCA/ICAL member, you have access to Insurance Solutions, a member savings program by AHCA/NCAL. Insurance Solutions offers a variety of employee health insurance...
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The long-term care profession has experienced unprecedented changes over the past few years. As the needs of the profession evolve in response to these changes,...
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Feature the stars of your organization on the big screen with IHCA's 2022 Convention Video Contest – to give them the recognition they deserve! We...
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IHCA's Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, are back and in-person this fall! These events will take place at 12 different locations this year,...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Long-Term Care...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. is quickly approaching! The event will take place Sept. 26-28 at the...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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IHCA/ICAL members that are considering implementing a Population Health Management (PHM) model in the future are encouraged to learn the fundamentals now through AHCA/NCAL's PHM Innovation Lab. Phase I of the lab contains free member-only foundational resources designed to introduce nursing facility, assisted living and intermediate care facility members and their staff to the wide array of PHM models available today and in the future.
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Online electronic balloting for the annual election of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC board officers (chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer), the directors-at-large positions, conference chairs...
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Join IHCA on Aug. 22 at The Mayflower Community in Grinnell for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Review Class. This class is for temporary nurse...
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Online electronic balloting for the annual election of IHCA, ICAL and ICHC board officers (chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer), the directors-at-large positions, conference chairs...
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MCO Call recordings available IHCA held its Managed Care Organization (MCO) Calls, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, on Aug. 10. The calls covered...
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IHCA is encouraging its members to request their U.S. House of Representatives member to co-sponsor HR 7744, Building America's Health Care Workforce Act. This legislation...
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IHCA's Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, are back and in-person this fall! These events will take place at 12 different locations this year,...
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AHCA/NCAL has partnered with Equus Workforce Solutions to offer long-term care apprenticeship programs. The goal is to get more people engaged in the long-term care...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Long-Term Care...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. is quickly approaching! The event will take place Sept. 26-28 at the...
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Feature the stars of your organization on the big screen with IHCA's 2022 Convention Video Contest – to give them the recognition they deserve! We...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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IHCA is proud to offer a variety of online courses through its On-Demand Education Platform. The courses are available 24/7 and convenient for long-term care...
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ICAL is excited to announce Jill Woods as its new Director of Assisted Living and Community Supports. Jill's background in assisted living operations, regulatory compliance,...
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The long-term care profession has experienced unprecedented changes over the past few years. As the needs of the profession evolve in response to these changes,...
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Assisted living centers and residential care facilities now have access to free COVID-19 testing for their staff and residents through Dec. 31, 2022. The Centers...
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IHCA's Legislative Table Talks, sponsored by Cornerstone Government Affairs, are back and in-person this fall! These events will take place at 12 different locations this year,...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Certified Nursing...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. is quickly approaching! The event will take place Sept. 26-28 at the...
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Feature the stars of your organization on the big screen with IHCA's 2022 Convention Video Contest – to give them the recognition they deserve! We...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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The long-term care profession has experienced unprecedented changes over the past few years. As the needs of the profession evolve in response to these changes,...
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The IHCA Foundation has announced the winners of its 2022 health care scholarship programs. This year, the IHCA Foundation awarded 78 scholarships totaling over $105,000...
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ICAL's Assisted Living Regulatory Class on Aug. 4, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa, will provide nurses with the Iowa assisted living laws, rules and regulations....
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IHCA's Constructing a Competitive Culture workshop on Aug. 8, sponsored by Lee Agency, will provide you with the insight and tools you need to best...
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Join IHCA for its monthly Managed Care Organization (MCO) Calls, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, next Wednesday, Aug. 10. Additionally, ICHC is hosting its Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call next Thursday, Aug. 11.
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The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Department of Human Services (DHS) are one step closer to becoming a single agency. Last week, the...
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The recent Legislative Service Agency (LSA) memo reported that fiscal year (FY) 2022 came to an end with another month of strong revenue. For the...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) announced new competency-based training for Iowa Medicaid enrolled long-term services and supports (LTSS) providers and case managers. Competency-based training ensures providers and direct support professionals acquire skills that can be applied in the Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) setting. Training sessions are provided at no cost to agencies or direct support professionals.
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), recently announced the availability of funding to increase...
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In preparation for the 2022-2023 academic year, the Briar Cliff University Career Development Office will host a part-time job fair for its students. The fair...
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The application window for the IHCA Foundation's new M. E. “Ed” Clark Long-Term Care Activities Programming Fund closed on July 30. This new fund, designed...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Reimbursement Market...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. is quickly approaching! The event will take place Sept. 26-28 at the...
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Feature the stars of your organization on the big screen with IHCA's 2022 Convention Video Contest – to give them the recognition they deserve! We...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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AHCA/NCAL’s popular Infection Preventionist Specialized Training (IPCO Version 2) is recommended for individuals responsible for infection prevention and control in all long-term care settings. Phase 3...
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The long-term care profession has experienced unprecedented changes over the past few years. As the needs of the profession evolve in response to these changes,...
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IHCA's Pressure Ulcer and Wound Care Clinic on July 28 will provide practical skin and wound management training that can be immediately used in your...
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Do you have an idea for a new or innovative social activity program that would directly benefit your residents? Do you have a plan for...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. is quickly approaching! The event will take place Sept. 26-28 at the...
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IHCA’s annual Dementia Care Conference on Aug. 2 will feature Amanda Snow, the daughter of nationally known dementia expert Teepa Snow. Amanda brings the same...
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IHCA's Activity Professionals Qualification Course, sponsored by Iowa Council of Activity Professionals, will kick off with an orientation webinar next Wednesday, Aug. 3, from noon...
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ICAL's Assisted Living Regulatory Class on Aug. 4, sponsored by Healthcare of Iowa, will provide nurses with the Iowa assisted living laws, rules and regulations....
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As directed in information letter (IL) 2239, Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) was declared optional for all personal care services provided by assisted living (AL) and residential care facility (RCF) shift workers. AL and RCF providers must complete an EVV Provider Attestation identifying their exemption status with Iowa Medicaid by Sept. 1, 2022, and annually thereafter.
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Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) has reopened the third application period from eligible Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) direct service providers to receive funds from the HCBS American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Recruitment and Retention Grant. Eligible agency providers identified below who did not apply for funds during the first application period prior to the application closing will now have until close of business Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, to apply for a portion of the grant funds.
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Western Home Communities, an IHCA member, added 34 interns from Jamaica to its staff this summer. Due to J-1 visas, the interns are approved to...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Constructing a...
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Feature the stars of your organization on the big screen with IHCA's 2022 Convention Video Contest – to give them the recognition they deserve! We...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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The long-term care profession has experienced unprecedented changes over the past few years. As the needs of the profession evolve in response to these changes,...
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IHCA's Pressure Ulcer and Wound Care Clinic next Thursday, July 28, will provide practical skin and wound management training that can be immediately used in...
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IHCA’s annual Dementia Care Conference on Aug. 2 will feature Amanda Snow, the daughter of nationally known dementia expert Teepa Snow. Amanda brings the same...
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Assisted Living Provider Update Call recording now available ICAL held its Assisted Living (AL) Provider Update Call today, June 20. The call included an introduction...
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Last Friday afternoon, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra renewed the declaration that a public health emergency (PHE) exists. This is effective...
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The July 2022 skilled assisted living (AL) and residential care facility (RCF) survey trend reports are now available on the IHCA website. Click here to...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Do you have an idea for a new or innovative social activity program that would directly benefit your residents? Do you have a plan for...
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The workforce crisis and COVID-19 have exacerbated the demands and pressures faced by staff, creating even more challenges for those who work in long-term care....
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The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the launch of 988, the National Suicide Prevention Line (NSPL) three-digit number to call...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Assisted Living...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. is quickly approaching! The event will take place Sept. 26-28 at the...
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Feature the stars of your organization on the big screen with IHCA's 2022 Convention Video Contest – to give them the recognition they deserve! We...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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Specifically designed for registered nurses (RNs) working in long-term care, AHCA/NCAL's Gero Nurse Prep course provides comprehensive online training that leads to board certification in...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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The long-term care profession has experienced unprecedented changes over the past few years. As the needs of the profession evolve in response to these changes,...
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Iowa Public Television's Iowa Press IHCA President and CEO Brent Willett discussed workforce challenges and the current status of long-term care on last Friday’s broadcast...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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Join IHCA on July 20 at Happy Siesta Nursing Home in Remsen for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Review Class. This class is for temporary...
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Check out the list below for member-only calls for skilled nursing facility (SNF), assisted living (AL) and home health (HH) providers in the month of...
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IHCA continues to track issues of importance to members, including the subjects mentioned in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin that is released every two weeks. Here...
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Do you have an idea for a new or innovative social activity program that would directly benefit your residents? Do you have a plan for...
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The IHCA Foundation received over 190 applications this year for its scholarship programs, and judging is currently underway to select this year's 88 scholarship recipients....
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Check out IHCA's upcoming in-person education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Long-Term...
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IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. is quickly approaching! The event will take place Sept. 26-28 at the...
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Feature the stars of your organization on the big screen with IHCA's 2022 Convention Video Contest – to give them the recognition they deserve! We...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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IHCA is proud to offer a variety of online courses through its On-Demand Education Platform. The courses are available 24/7 and convenient for long-term care...
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AHCA/NCAL has partnered with Cleary Energy to provide significant utility savings for members. As an IHCA/ICAL member, these AHCA/NCAL benefits are also available as part...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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Join IHCA on July 12 at Midlands Living Center in Council Bluffs for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Review Class. This class is for temporary...
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Join IHCA next Wednesday, July 13, for its Managed Care Organization (MCO) Calls sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy. ICHC's Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call will be next Thursday, July 14.
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As the health care employment agency reform bill went into effect on July, 1, 2022, IHCA has received questions from members affiliated with staffing agencies...
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The COVID-19 Unwind Plan is the process of returning to normal operations after the federal COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ends. Once the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ends the federal PHE, states must put plans in place to implement normal eligibility processes and roll-back flexibilities, as well as redetermine eligibility for all Medicaid members. The redeterminations of eligibility will be completed over a 12-month unwinding period.
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As part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Section 9817 Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) implementation plan, Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) has designated $14.6 million in state funds to increase HCBS waiver and habilitation reimbursement rates by 4.25%, effective for dates of service on or after July 1, 2022. Medicaid HCBS providers are reimbursed based on retrospectively limited prospective rate services or fee schedules.
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Do you have an idea for a new or innovative social activity program that would directly benefit your residents? Do you have a plan for...
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Are you interested in recruiting health care workers from overseas or having trouble doing so? AHCA/NCAL, along with experts in recruiting international workers, will host...
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AHCA/NCAL's webinar, “Pioneering Solutions to the Workforce Crisis,” explores the demographics influencing the availability of workers, discusses threats stemming from other service sectors and shares...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming in-person education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Long-Term...
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Registration is now open for IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. The event will take place Sept. 26-28...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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IHCA's Long-Term Care (LTC) Dietary Conference on June 30, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc., will discuss timely topics for long-term care dietary professionals. The...
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IHCA's Northeast District is offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2022 Convention and...
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IHCA’s Legislative Outcomes Report for the 2022 session is now available on the IHCA website. Thanks to the support of IHCA members and Iowa Health...
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The one-hour Mandatory Reporter Recertification Trainings for dependent adult abuse and child abuse are now available on IHCA's On-Demand Education Platform. Mandatory reporters for dependent...
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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) recently announced the recipients of the 2022 Silver Achievement in Quality Award. Creston...
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Iowa Health Care Quality Partners (IHCQP) is a business entity organized and owned by a network of independent long-term care providers for the purpose of reducing overhead and pursuing business ventures, including reimbursement and value-based contracts with managed care organizations (MCOs). Since the launch of IHCQP in early 2020, network participants have received increased contracted rates from Medicare Advantage plans and a payout of quality bonus of over 1.1 million dollars from a payer.
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Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) is currently refining the provider manual review process and would like to incorporate stakeholder input. To this end, DHS has developed a feedback survey for providers. The survey can be completed multiple times should providers wish to submit multiple recommendations on content. This survey is not intended for recommending policy or coverage changes.
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Do you have an idea for a new or innovative social activity program that would directly benefit your residents? Do you have a plan for...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming in-person education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA...
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Registration is now open for IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. The event will take place Sept. 26-28...
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VGM Education/CE Solutions, an IHCA Premier Partner, works with long-term care facilities to meet compliance requirements while streamlining staff education offerings through its online learning...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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HealthCare Interactive's CARES Serious Mental Illness Online Training Program focuses on how caregivers can develop care strategies for those with serious mental illness and how...
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IHCA's Long-Term Care (LTC) Dietary Conference on June 30, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc., will discuss timely topics for long-term care dietary professionals. The...
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IHCA's Northeast District is offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2022 Convention and...
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CMS has rescinded guidance that expects surveyors to be fully vaccinated before participating in an on-site survey. In a memo published on June 16, 2022,...
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Iowa Medicaid is accepting applications from eligible Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) direct service providers to receive funds from the HCBS American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Recruitment and Retention Grant. Providers that were not included in the first and second application periods and are identified in informational letter (IL) 2351 may apply for a share of the funds. Agency providers will have until close of business on Friday, June 24, 2022, to request grant funds by completing the online application and attestation and submitting the minority impact statement.
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Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) is instructing all Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver and habilitation service providers who received COVID-19 retainer payments for the month of April 2020 to conduct a self-audit of their retainer claims submitted and retainer payments received. Providers are obligated to notify the managed care organizations (MCOs) when funds are incorrectly paid or when an overpayment has been detected. Any overpayments or improper payments for the month of April 2020 must be returned to the MCO no later than July 31, 2022.
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Effective July 1, 2022, for the 1915(i) Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) habilitation program, the interRAI assessment tools will be replaced by the Level of Care Utilization System (LOCUS) for adults ages 19 and older and the Child and Adolescent Level of Care Utilization System (CALOCUS) for youth ages 18 and under for the purposes of the needs-based eligibility (NBE) determination, person-centered service planning and home-based habilitation tier authorization.
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AHCA/NCAL is offering a pre-recorded webinar titled, "Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) – An Overview and Insights on Updated Program Eligibility." The ERTC is intended to offer employers with a tax credit which can be used for wages when employees are furloughed during a government-ordered shutdown. The webinar provides an overview of the ERTC and offers concrete action steps to explore your eligibility and how to leverage the ERTC.
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In recognition of World Refugee Day, IowaWORKS, in partnership with the Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa (RACI), will host a three-part webinar series for employers...
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Do you have an idea for a new or innovative social activity program that would directly benefit your residents? Do you have a plan for...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming in-person education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. CNA...
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Registration is now open for IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. The event will take place Sept. 26-28...
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IHCA/ICAL members receive 15% off the purchase of any Healthcare Interactive (HCI) CARES® online training program by using promo code AHCA15 at checkout. CARES® training is recommended...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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There will be many learning opportunities at this year’s AHCA/NCAL Convention and Expo on Oct. 9-12 in Nashville, TN. Over the course of four days,...
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IHCA and ICAL members can now save 45% on FedEx Express shipping and 25% on FedEx Ground shipping when they sign up for and use...
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Join IHCA at the Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston on June 22 for its Summer Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by BCG Research, Medline and Synchrony...
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Home Health Provider Update Call recording now available ICHC held its monthly Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call on Thursday, June 9. The call covered...
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Assisted living programs and residential care facilities continue to seek options to maximize quality of life for their tenants, staff and visitors, as the severity...
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Last Tuesday, June 7, was the primary election for numerous statewide and legislative races. In federal election news, Mike Franken defeated Abby Finkenauer to become the...
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If your organization has not yet applied for the IHCA Foundation COVID Recovery Fund, there is still time to apply for this $1,000 grant. Requests...
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Do you have a plan for implementing a new or innovative social activity program, but lack the funds to get it started? The IHCA Foundation's new M. E. “Ed” Clark Long-Term Care Activities Programming Fund is designed to foster new and innovative activity programs and is made possible by a memorial donation in honor of M.E. “Ed” Clark and the Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP). Two $1,000 grants will be awarded. Applications for this grant are due by July 30, 2022, to be considered.
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Give your employees an opportunity to access their wages sooner, receive free one-on-one financial counseling and start a savings plan. Implement a financial wellness program...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming in-person education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Medicare...
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Registration is now open for IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. The event will take place Sept. 26-28...
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IHCA's Northeast District is offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2022 Convention and...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation and Care Initiatives Hospice are offering a chance to give...
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IHCA is proud to offer a variety of online courses through its On-Demand Education Platform. The courses are available 24/7 and convenient for long-term care...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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IHCA's in-person Activity Professionals Workshop on June 15, sponsored by Iowa Council of Activity Professionals (ICAP), will include four timely sessions relevant to activity professionals...
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Join IHCA at the Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston on June 22 for its Summer Quarterly Education Conference, sponsored by BCG Research, Medline and Synchrony...
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The COVID-19 pandemic introduced some unfamiliar practices to the post-acute industry; use of N95 respirators was one of them. During the past few weeks, members...
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The Department of Labor's (DOL's) Wage and Hour Division is providing additional resources for workers on their rights to take leave for serious mental health...
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A group of IHCA and ICAL member leaders and association staff traveled to Washington, D.C. this week to visit Iowa's congressional delegation as part of...
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Effective Oct. 22, 2021, Iowa Medicaid began using Iowa Medicaid Portal Access (IMPA) to distribute information regarding member Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) habilitation and waiver eligibility. Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) has worked to improve the portal and providers are now able to access HCBS habilitation and waiver eligibility information for members they serve based on members’ current Medicaid eligibility and providers’ authorization to offer services based on the most recent HCBS service plans submitted to Iowa Medicaid by the managed care organizations (MCOs).
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Iowa Medicaid offers provider training sessions on a quarterly basis. Second quarter training this year will focus on vision care, and there will be two one-hour sessions held via Zoom on June 21. Each session will cover the same material, and providers only need to attend one session. Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) will record the sessions and post the recordings to the DHS website for providers who are unable to attend a live session.
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Do you have an idea for a new or innovative social activity program that would directly benefit your residents? Do you have a plan for...
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Give your employees a break and support the IHCA Foundation's workforce programs The IHCA Foundation is offering a chance to give your employees a break...
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Check out IHCA's upcoming in-person education events listed below. Click here to view the instructions on how to register for an IHCA education event. Medicare...
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Registration is now open for IHCA's 2022 Convention and Trade Show, sponsored by Martin Bros. Distributing Co. Inc. The event will take place Sept. 26-28...
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IHCA's Northeast District is offering eligible members the opportunity to apply for grants that will cover the cost of registration for IHCA’s 2022 Convention and...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. ECSI is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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Work with those who truly understand your business. ECSI is proud to partner with Iowa Long-Term Care (LTC) Risk Management Association, a group self-insured association...
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Nominations are now being accepted for members in good standing interested in serving on the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA), Iowa Center for Assisted Living...
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Join IHCA for its monthly Managed Care Organization (MCO) Calls, sponsored by Right Dose, A Guardian Pharmacy, next Wednesday, June 8. ICHC's Home Health (HH) Provider Update Call is next Thursday, June 9. Additionally, a recording of yesterday's Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Update Call, sponsored by Lee Agency and CliftonLarsonAllen, is now available on the IHCA website.
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On May 24, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the definition of "up to date" with COVID-19 vaccinations. With the recent...
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2022 legislative session adjournment The Iowa Legislature adjourned its second session of the 89th General Assembly last Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at the midnight hour...
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AHCA/NCAL recently announced the recipients of the 2022 Bronze Commitment to Quality Award. Six Iowa long-term care facilities were recognized by AHCA/NCAL with this award,...
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If your organization has not yet applied for the IHCA Foundation COVID Recovery Fund, there is still time to apply for this $1,000 grant. Made...
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Do you have an idea for a new or innovative social activity program that would directly benefit your residents? Do you have a plan for...
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