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Policy Areas

Wednesday, June 19, 2024
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

This webinar is for all interested stakeholders. Presentation topics from Dr. Rabea Khadimi and Dr. Antonie Auguste will include an overview of psychiatric, neurologic, and cognitive manifestations and side effects of some infectious diseases in medically complex adults.

Presenters

Khedimi, MD
Rabea Khedimi MD, is a faculty member and Infectious Disease Specialty physician with UPMC/ID Connect. Rabea served as the Chief of the Infection Prevention and Control at the NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She has been involved in the management of patients with suspected infectious diseases since she joined the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Khedimi completed her internal medicine training at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/Elmhurst and her Infectious Diseases Fellowship training at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Her career as a Clinician-Educator and Clinician-Administrator includes Leadership roles at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine/Elmhurst Hospital in Queens and Montefiore/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. She was an Assistant Professor of Medicine and an Infectious Disease Attending at Montefiore Medical Center, she also served as a Co-Director of Microbiology/Infectious Diseases courses at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Khedimi has experience in both teaching and providing clinical care to patient with HIV, hepatitis B and C, STDs and other infectious diseases. She also has expertise in Infection Control and was most recently the Chief of the Infection Prevention and Control Department at the NYC HHC/Elmhurst Hospital.

Antonie J. Auguste, MD, MPH
Dr Antonie J. Auguste has been recognized as an Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Fellow (FIDSA). Dr. Auguste serves the ID division at UPMC/ID Connect. Her primary role focuses on providing inpatient Infectious Diseases consultation services via the Infectious Diseases Telemedicine service to multiple additional sites across telemedicine sites and rounding on the in-person services at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. Additionally, she provides telemedicine Infection Prevention and Control consultation to various telemedicine sites. Antonie earned her medical degree from the State University of New York Upstate Medical University at Syracuse, completed her residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Infectious Disease at the State University of New York at Stony Brook University Hospital and School of Medicine. She obtained her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Columbia University School of Public Health, and a BA degree in biology from Columbia University.

Kate Gass, RN, BSN, CIC
With a varied background in clinical nursing and nursing management, Kate has spent time working in intensive care, the emergency department and the cardiac cath lab. Earning her Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) from Butler County College, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, she is certified as a cardiac invasive specialist and is also certified by the Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology.

REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT

In order to continue providing residential services after December 31, 2024, residential service providers must complete and return the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Agreement for Provision of Residential Services. A copy of the agreement and accompanying cover letter will be sent to your agency within the next 24 hours. The documents will be emailed to your agency’s primary QA&I contact as listed on MyODP. Completed Agreements must be submitted no later than July 31, 2024. If your agency does not receive these materials, or if your QA&I contact has changed, please contact ODP Provider Enrollment.

RCPA has developed and submitted comments to ODP regarding the rate setting methodology and fee schedule rates proposed to take effect on July 1, 2024. These comments are based upon several member meetings, listening sessions, and member feedback.

The proposed rates are contingent upon the passage of the governor’s budget. We are grateful to the governor for the investment in ID/A services he has recommended. However, we are concerned about the inconsistent application of increases proposed by ODP across various services and the faulty rate assumptions utilized to develop those rates.

For more information, read the comments submitted here. Please contact Carol Ferenz with any questions.

Today, June 3, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) held the first of four Provider Preparedness Summits for Residential Services providers. The purpose of the summits are to take a deeper dive into the specifics that are being proposed for implementation of performance-based contracting (PBC).

The PowerPoint is now available, and a recording of the session will be posted shortly on the MyODP website.

ODP staff in attendance answered many questions submitted by providers. One of the key takeaways from today’s summit is that ODP will be postponing the due date for residential provider agreements to be signed and submitted to ODP. Originally, they were projected to be due by June 30, 2024; however, ODP has now stated that the due date will be July 31, 2024. The agreement has not yet been published, but it is expected to be released tomorrow, June 4, 2024.

There are three additional summits planned, and ODP will be recording each summit. Providers are encouraged to attend all four sessions as well as watch a pre-recorded webinar. All of these resources can be found on the MyODP website.

Contact Carol Ferenz for further information.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is sharing these important workshops and Good Life Groups! Register for upcoming events at PA Family Network’s website.

Support Groups

LifeCourse Workshops

Waiver Workshops

RCPA has gathered feedback from our members in multiple forums and attended several listening sessions hosted by the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) in order to hear and compile public comments on the proposed implementation of performance-based contracting (PBC) for Residential Services and waiver amendments to the Consolidated, Community Living, and Person/Family Directed Waivers. After reviewing all of the available information, we have submitted our comments to ODP.

Our members support the ideal of assuring quality services for individuals with ID/A that are integrated and person centered, enabling individuals to experience more independence and choices in their lives. Additionally, we are in favor of limiting the provider pool to only those providers that are able to demonstrate quality service provision.

RCPA wants to support this program for two reasons. First, any initiative by ODP that focuses on improving quality in the system is something we all should stand behind. Second, alternative reimbursement strategies with enhanced rates and additional funding based on quality and outcomes is certainly more innovative and progressive than traditional fee-for-service. It is time for the IDD system to move toward reimbursement policies that reward providers who are progressive in their service provision.

We are, however, concerned about the speed with which this incredibly complex systemic change is proposed to occur, and the amount of performance standards and measures proposed in this plan.

RCPA’s complete letter can be read here. For any questions, contact Carol Ferenz, Director, IDD Division.

Keep Your Providers Happy and Thriving With Going Back to In-Office Care
Monday, June 10, 2024
11:00 am – 12:00 pm EST
Register Here
Join RCPA Partner Eleos Health on June 10 for a webinar focusing on recruiting and retaining staff across behavioral health in PA. Andrew Schimitt from Gaudeniza will join Eleos to share insights around how implementing Eleos has helped increase staff satisfaction. We will also show a brief demonstration of Eleos to see it live in action!

Webinar attendees will:

  • Evaluate how Eleos Health’s augmented intelligence can help to address top workforce challenges while improving care;
  • Witness Eleos live in action through a brief demonstration; and
  • Apply lessons learned from Gaudenzia to their own organization.

Register today!

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Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that the next hospital/quality initiative open door forum has been scheduled for June 4, 2024, from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm. The agenda topics will include:

Register for the webinar.
Meeting ID: 160 823 4591
Passcode: 200020

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.