The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has issued a notice announcing the extension of various regulatory provisions under the state disaster emergency declaration that are currently in effect and which were set to expire on September 30, 2021. These are now extended until further notice. A list of the regulations that were suspended in whole or in part and their current status is available here.
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has developed a new Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) training module specifically for Service Coordinators (SCs) and Direct Service Providers (DSPs).
SDoH are environmental and societal factors that impact health outcomes. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes SDoH as the conditions in which an individual is born, grows, lives, works and ages. These often-interrelated factors, though not medical in nature, can have a significant effect on health and long-term care outcomes.
The goal of this training is to educate SCs and DSPs about SDoH, review barriers to addressing SDoH with program participants, and apply the learning to the long-term care environment. To access the online training module, go to OLTL Service Coordinator Online Training – Dering. Complete the training module, then complete the registration page at the end of the training to receive credit for the course.
Questions about this training module should be directed to the enrollment unit.
The following information was released from the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) today regarding the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding distribution.
Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was allocated by the General Assembly and enacted by the Governor to provide $282 million to nursing facilities (NF), personal care homes (PCH), and assisted living residences (ALR). These ARPA funds should be used for COVID-19 relief for costs not otherwise reimbursed by federal, state, or other sources of funding. To qualify for the one-time payment, the facility must be in operation as of June 1, 2021.
OLTL is still working on the details of all of these payments. Providers should be expecting to receive a letter with more details about the payments, including information about the approved use of and reporting on these funds, in August of 2021.
Additionally, as OLTL did with the CARES Act payments, payment information by facility for NF, PCH, and ALRs will be posted to the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) website.
Nursing Facility Payments
Out of the $282 million, $247 million is allocated for NF payments. $198 million will be allocated to NF based on Medical Assistance (MA) days of care for the third quarter of calendar year 2019 and $49 million will be allocated based on licensed beds for all nursing facilities as of March 31, 2020.
NF providers enrolled in the MA program do not need to submit requests for the funding. All currently enrolled NFs will receive the funding provided they meet the criteria in the act.
OLTL is preparing the distribution of the funds as one-time gross adjustment for NFs currently enrolled in MA. Providers should expect to see the payment appear as a gross adjustment transaction/lump sum payment on a PROMISe remittance advice with payment issuance occurring nine days after the transaction appears on their remittance. OLTL’s intention is to distribute the payments in early fall 2021.
NFs who are not currently enrolled with MA must complete a form providing information for OLTL to issue the payment and return it to DHS. The form is currently being developed and will be posted on the DHS’ website in August 2021. Reminder messages will be sent to facilities when the form is posted on the DHS website. Checks will start to be issued and mailed in fall 2021. It is a manual process to prepare an invoice to generate a payment to a provider; thus the checks will be issued as the forms are processed.
PCH/ALR Payments
Out of the $282 million, $30 million was provided for payments to PCHs and ALRs. $27 million will be allocated based on the occupancy of the facility on or before April 1, 2020, and $3 million will be allocated proportionally based on the number of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) residents in the facility as of March of 2020.
PCH and ALRs must complete a form providing information for OLTL to issue the payment and return it to the Department. The form is currently being developed and will be posted on the DHS’ website in August 2021. Reminder messages will be sent to facilities when the form is posted on the DHS’ website. Checks will be issued and mailed starting in fall 2021. Please understand it is a manual process to prepare an invoice to generate a payment to a provider; thus checks will take time to be issued to the almost 1200 PCH and ALRs.
If you have questions about the above information, please contact the OLTL Provider Helpline at 800-932-0939.
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) held webinars on Friday, November 20, 2020 and Tuesday, December 1, 2020 to provide information on the Act 24 cost report and give non-nursing facility providers a chance to ask questions.
A recording of each webinar and slides from each webinar can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Long-Term Care Providers webpage under the “Act 24 Additional Resources” heading and on the OLTL COVID-19 Provider Resources webpage under the “Other Guidance and Resources” heading. The recordings for each date are titled “Act 24 COVID-19 Non-Nursing Facility Cost Reporting Presentation”. The slides for each date are titled “Act 24 COVID-19 Non-Nursing Facility Cost Reporting Presentation Slides”.
Questions regarding Act 24 reporting can be sent here.
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) will be holding a second webinar on December 1, 2020 from 9:00 am – 11:00 am to provide information on the Act 24 cost reports and give agencies providing personal assistance, residential habilitation, and adult day services a chance to ask questions. Personal care homes and assisted living residences are also invited to attend. The first webinar, scheduled for November 20, 2020, reached capacity, demonstrating the interest in this topic. As a result, OLTL has scheduled another webinar to provide an opportunity for providers to participate.
The due date for the final report is December 21, 2020. No interim report is due for non-nursing facility providers.
Members interested in participating in this webinar must register as soon as possible as there is again a maximum capacity of 500 participants per webinar. Please limit attendance to no more than two individuals per organization. The session will be recorded, and the recording and material covered during the webinar will be made available online.
The Excel reporting template is provided for reference. Questions regarding Act 24 reporting can be sent here.
The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has announced that they will be holding a webinar on November 20, 2020 from 9:00 am – 11:00 am to provide information on the Act 24 Cost Reports. The webinar is specifically for non-nursing facility providers, such as personal assistance agencies, residential habilitation providers, adult day care centers, personal care homes, and assisted living residences. Time will be allotted for questions and answers. The due date for the final report is December 21, 2020. No interim report is due for non-nursing facility providers.
To participate in this webinar, registration is required. There is a maximum capacity of 500 participants per webinar, so providers are encouraged to register early. Attendance is limited to no more than two individuals per organization or agency. The session will be recorded and made available for viewing. OLTL has made the Excel reporting templates for Personal Assistance Services and Home Health Agencies and Residential Habilitation Service Providers available.
Questions regarding Act 24 reporting can be sent here.
On October 27, 2020, the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) notified all providers that interim reporting of COVID-19 related costs under Act 24 would be due on November 6, 2020. Because of unforeseen delays in web portal user provisioning for OLTL providers and recognition that this delay may not allow enough time for providers to gather and report their data, OLTL has changed its reporting requirements. There will be no interim report required of non-nursing facility providers. In preparation for final reporting on the use of Act 24 funding, now due December 21, 2020, OLTL recommends that providers begin to populate the applicable Excel reporting template now.
OLTL will offer a webinar to give non-nursing facility providers a chance to ask questions about reporting COVID-19 related costs under Act 24. Information about the webinar, including date and time, will be issued in the near future.
As a reminder, providers are advised to review the guidance for eligible COVID-19 costs in DHS’s Frequently Asked Questions and on the following US Department of Treasury websites: Coronavirus-Relief-Fund-Guidance and Coronavirus-Relief-Fund-Frequently-Asked-Questions. These documents outline the conditions and acceptable uses of Cares Act and Act 24 funding. Most importantly, the deadline by which costs must be incurred to be eligible under Act 24 is November 30, 2020.
Any provider who does not expect to use all or part of the Act 24 funding may return the funds to OLTL at:
PA Department of Human Services
Office of Long-Term Living
PO Box 8025
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8025
Please send any remaining questions about OLTL Act 24 reporting here.
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