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Policy Areas

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Image by Markus Winkler from Pixabay

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will host the next hospital/quality initiative (QI) open door forum call tomorrow, September 10, at 2:00 pm. Agenda topics for this call will include:

  • FY 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) Final Rule CMS-1808-F
  • FY 2025 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities PPS Final Rule
  • Open Question and Answer

The call will be held via Zoom webinar. Attendees must register in advance for this webinar. Register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced an upcoming training series on the Access Rule:

  • September 16, 2024, at 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm ET: Incident Management Systems and Critical Incident Reporting
  • October 9, 2024, at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET: HCBS Measure Set
  • December 11, 2024, at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET: Grievance Systems
  • February 12, 2025, at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET: Timely Access, Waiting Lists, Person Centered Planning Reporting Requirements & Minimum Performance Levels
  • March 12, 2025, at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET: Website Requirements
  • April 9, 2025, at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET: HCBS Rate Transparency
  • May 14, 2025, at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET: Medicaid Advisory Committee (MAC) and Beneficiary Advisory Council (BAC)
  • June 11, 2025, at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET: Institutional Rule Provisions* (This refers to the ICF payment transparency provision of the nursing home staffing regulations.)

Registration is available here. When you register, select all the trainings you would like to attend from the checklist. You can register for one or multiple training dates.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) every October to celebrate and highlight contributions people with disabilities make to America’s workplaces.

The PA Treasury Department’s PA ABLE Savings Program is hosting a virtual event on October 1. Registration is open, and details will be available soon!

Register Today!

Message from ANCOR:

Happy Direct Support Professional Recognition Week 2024! This week is a great opportunity to showcase the amazing, selfless, and often unsung work of the incredible professionals who make up the heart of our field.

Today and all week long, there are opportunities to share gratitude for DSPs and elevate the DSP workforce.

Let’s spread our message of thanks to DSPs as widely as we possibly can!

  • All week long, use our DSP Recognition Week Social Media Toolkit to take action in support of DSPs, and access logos, sample social media messages and other resources.
    • Remember to use the hashtag #DSPRW2024 so ANCOR can amplify your message and the essential work DSPs do every day!
  • Check out these free DSP Week webinars hosted by our friends at NADSP.
  • Be on the lookout for more resources coming later this week, and stay tuned for the opening of the 2025 DSP of the Year nominations!

Thank you for leveraging this week to express your gratitude for the essential work DSPs do every day to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as they access their communities.

Thank you, DSPs! Our communities are made more inclusive because of you.
We couldn’t do what we do without you!

The 2024 RCPA Conference Embracing Challenges, Empowering Success will be certain to educate and inspire all attendees when it comes to thinking about the challenges in health and human services. Online registration closes next Friday, Sept. 13, meaning time is running out on reserving your seat and seeing our impressive lineup of speakers. View our keynote and plenary speaker schedule below, which promises a wide variety of topics and lively discussions.

Tuesday, Sept. 24:

  • Listen to a Pennsylvania State of the State from DHS Secretary Val Arkoosh, which will touch on key topics such as performance-based contracting and telehealth.

  • Learn about data modernization and implementing AI/ML-enabled Cloud technology with Carlos Rivero of AWS.

Wednesday, Sept. 25:

  • Hear from Lee Yaiva of Scottsdale (AZ) Recovery Center as he openly speaks on addiction treatment and navigating recovery as a Native American.

  • Raise your awareness of human trafficking and its impacts with Amy Thurston and Melissa Knechel of Hope Inspire Love.

Thursday, Sept. 26:

  • Fan favorite Michael Cohen returns to declare how employers can set themselves apart by going above and beyond the status quo.

  • National updates will be provided from RCPA’s Association Partners the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and ANCOR, featuring Reyna Taylor and Donna Martin, respectively.

Friday, Sept. 27:

  • Craig Dietz, who was born without limbs, will round out our conference on a high, humorous, and heartening note with tips on finding your inner potential and challenging yourself.

Register Here for the 2024 RCPA Conference 

Contact Carol Ferenz, Conference Coordinator, or RCPA with any questions. We look forward to seeing you at the Hershey Lodge!

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to obtain feedback from both the industry and the public about the potential consolidation of four Medicare Administrative Contractors (MAC) jurisdictions into two jurisdictions, as well as to obtain feedback on extending MAC contracts to ten years.

MACs are private health care insurers that have been awarded a geographic jurisdiction to process Medicare Part A and Part B medical claims or Durable Medical Equipment (DME) claims for people with Traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare. Information on the role of MACs can be found here.

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 24-088. This is a reminder to stakeholders of their roles and responsibilities in the Participant Directed Services (PDS) model of service delivery using the Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent (VF/EA) Financial Management Services (FMS) option. Please view the announcement for information and details.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) is sharing the most recent version of the Adult Autism Programs General Information on MyODP. They are also asking providers to review contact information in the SSD.

If it requires updating or if you have any questions regarding this communication or updates for the directory, send your corrected information via email with “SSD” in the subject line.

RCPA’s Physical Disabilities and Aging Division meeting is scheduled next Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm. The agenda is now available and can be viewed here as well as on the RCPA website calendar. Included in the agenda will be an introduction to RCPA members of Aetna Better Health, the newly awarded MCO, as well as an open forum with current CHC-MCOs.

We would ask that you send any questions you may have for the CHC-MCOs to Fady Sahhar by COB Monday, September 9, 2024.

If you have not yet registered for this meeting, please register here.