WALA News for February 2, 2010

1. WALA Spring Conference

By now you have probably seen the great photo of two AL residents on the motorcycle on the cover of the 15th WALA Spring Conference agenda. (Thanks to the residents of Bell Tower in Merrill - the calendar with 11 other photos is a fundraiser for Bell Tower - you can get this unique calendar on The WALA Store.) If the agenda has not yet arrived, contact WALA at info@ewala.org or 608/288-0246.

ONLY at the WALA conference will you find:

You will not be disappointed.

2. CBRF & AFH Introductory Administrators Course

This course is designed to provide administrators with a foundational understanding of operating a CBRF and AFH as well as provide you with the tools that you need and the state demands to be successful as an administrator in assisted living environments. This course will follow the progression from setting up a CBRF or AFH to admissions and care evaluations. This course will address pertinent regulations and processes, and will include checklists, forms and other practical take-home tools in a binder and on CD-ROM. The following are scheduled dates and locations:

NOTE: This course is NOT designed to meet the new DHS 83.15 department-approved administrators Course for CBRFs.   WALA will issue a discount voucher for those taking this class to attend the future department- approved course from WALA when it becomes available.

3. Family Care Seminars: Series 2

The second set of the Family Care sessions have been scheduled! Providers in the first sessions, offered late last year, ranged from those who had little experience with Family Care to those with a lot of working experience. These participants found the sessions to be helpful, valuable and informative for their business.  The Family Care sessions are a moderated panel discussion between you, the Assisted Living providers, your regional Family Care MCO and the Department of Health Services (DHS). This forum is designed to encourage clear and constructive communication regarding rates, contracts, care planning and other areas of interest. Family Care MCOs are your partners in care of your residents. These sessions are designed to be a forum for increased communication between all parties.

Dates are as follows:

4. Wisconsin LTC Legislative Update

By Forbes McIntosh, WALA Lobbyist

Authors of Healthcare Disclosure Bill to Remove CBRFs and Nursing Homes

On February 1st, I received a copy of the substitute amendment to Assembly Bill 614 and Senate Bill 418, companion bills that have been introduced in each house.  The substitute amendment does in fact remove\exclude CBRFs and nursing homes from the requirements of the bill.

As you may recall I and two other long-term care associations have been meeting with the authors of this legislation seeking an amendment to remove CBRFs and nursing homes from having to meet the requirements of the bill.

We were told two weeks ago that both authors were open to this change, the amendment that I received yesterday confirms their support and intent.

Both bills seem to be gaining momentum and could pass this session.  Senate Bill 418 is scheduled to be voted on in Committee tomorrow Wednesday, February 3rd.  The bill is expected to pass as amended.

AB-614 and SB-418 requires a health care provider to disclose to a consumer the provider's median billed charge for a health care service, diagnostic test, or procedure, upon request. The bill also requires a health care provider to disclose specified charge information for the 25 presenting conditions for which the provider most frequently provides services, as identified by the Department of Health Services (DHS).  The bill also requires health care providers to display prominently statements informing health care consumers of the consumers' right to receive charge information from the health care providers and from their insurers.

DHS Stakeholder Meeting: DHS Seeking $100 Million Reductions in Medicaid

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reconvened the "ForwardHealth Rate Reform Project 2.0" on Tuesday, January 26, 2010. Various Medicaid stakeholders, including WALA, attended the meeting.

The overall message by DHS was the department is facing an additional $100 million shortfall in Medicaid and Medicaid-Waiver programs in this biennium. Only two remedies exist, either: 1) Congress extends Medicaid ARRA funds for at least an additional six months; or 2) DHS must find savings, revenue enhancers or rate cuts in the Medicaid program that balance the $100 million shortfall (see DHS PowerPoint presentation on WALA website)

DHS stated that the $100 million shortfall is the result of increasing caseloads due to the economy, and when asked admitted that some of the shortfall is also the product of the recent expansion of the BadgerCare and Family Care programs.

WALA will continue to work with DHS and attend these stakeholder meetings, however our lobbyist encourages all WALA members to contact our Congressional Delegation and request that they please work to extend Medicaid ARRA funding, so that states like Wisconsin can continue to provide essential care services to those who are most in need.

Alzheimer's Regulatory Bill Fails in Committee

On Thursday, January 28, 2009 the Assembly Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care voted on an amended version of Assembly Bill 259, the bill failed in committee failed with a vote of 3-4.

The original version of Assembly Bill 259 would have established new standards of care and treatment for people with Alzheimer's and related dementia; required annual provider reporting requirements to the state; provider disclosure statements to residents; and, instituted new fines and penalties on providers.

Rep. Peggy Krusick (D-Milwaukee) the chair of the Assembly Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care and author of AB-259, significantly amended the bill by deleting the creation of new standards and instead requiring provider disclosure statements; decreasing the fines and penalties; and, stipulating that failure to comply would be a "correction order" and not a citation.

However, even with the significant modifications, members of the committee expressed concerns with instituting new regulatory requirements when the Department of Health Services is looking for $100 million GPR reductions in Medicaid programs. In addition, some committee members still did not feel the legislation addressed a genuine problem in the long-term care system.

Momentum Growing for Legislative Audit of Family Care

Members of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee held a public hearing on a proposal by Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) to audit Wisconsin's Medicaid system. Sen. Vinehout is also the co-chair of the committee.

WALA testified in support of the Medicaid audit, however we like other long-term care providers urged members to also institute a separate audit of the Family Care program.

Over the past six months WALA has experienced a significant surge in the number and types of complaints of the Family Care program. These various complaints are not restricted to one or two counties - nor are they restricted to one or two Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) - these complaints are coming from providers statewide (see WALA's testimony to the committee on the WALA website)

Many of the joint committee members do not support a broad audit of the Medicaid system; however there seems to be a growing momentum for an audit of the Family Care program. In fact, members of the committee commented on the level of contacts coming from individuals in their home districts and fellow legislators requesting an audit of Family Care.

The Joint Committee met again on Thursday, January 28 to discuss the issue, however action on a family Care audit was delayed to a later date.

WALA members are encouraged to please contact your state senator and assembly representative today and request they support a Legislative Audit of the Family Care program. In addition, if your home or facility is located in the following legislators' districts - please contact them and request an audit of Family Care.

Joint Legislative Committee on Audit

Senate Members

Assembly Members

Kathleen Vinehout, Co-chairperson (D-Alma)

Peter Barca, Co-chairperson (D-Kenosha)

Robert Jauch (D-Poplar)

Andy Jorgensen (D-Ft. Atkinson)

Mark Miller (D-Monona)

Mark Pocan (D-Madison)

Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay)

Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha)

Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin)

Samantha Kerkman (R-Powers Lake)


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