Volume XXX, Number 3,
March 2015

THCA members pounding the pavement at the Texas Capitol

More than 50 legislators and key staff members have learned about long term care issues from THCA members in the month of February.

THCA member companies Senior Care Centers, HMG Healthcare and Nexion Health have each sponsored a Lobby Day at the Capitol. Each company brought executives, administrators, nurses and other staff members to Austin for the visits. They presented issue briefs to legislators and their aides and discussed their experiences on the front lines of long term care.

Other opportunities will be offered for members to lobby the Legislature in the coming weeks. Companies and individual facilities have scheduled Lobby Days. Nurses Day (March 26) and Long Term Care Business Day (March 31) also lie ahead.

For information about how you can advocate for long term care at the Capitol, please contact THCA Director of Government Relations Scot Kibbe at 512-461-1964 or skibbe@txhca.org.

President’s Report

• Regulations, Rates and Readiness

Legislative Update

• Three Strikes Bill heard in Senate Committe

• Warren urges budget writers to remember Long Term Care

• THCA members pounding the pavement at the Texas Capitol

State News

• Managed Care resources

• THCA MEMBER ADDED VALUE:  Fact Sheet on STAR+PLUS Managed Medicaid for Physicians / Practitioners

• Nursing facility upper payment limit / Minimum payment amount –  Program update

• Nursing facility administrators can now complete licensing tasks online

• TMHP schedules system maintenance

• Distribution of resident days by RUG level

Federal News

• CMS announces changes to Five-Star Quality Rating System

• Focused dementia care survey pilot in Texas

• Surveyor guideline from CMS on CPR certification

THCA Membership Contribution

• “Maintain a Competitive Edge – Enhance Clinical Capabilities”

Announcements & Recognitions

• Newly appointed / elected THCA Board members!
• THCA welcomes our newest facility members
• THCA facility contact information sheet
• THCA Facebook & Twitter pages

• Call for Presentations for the 2015 THCA 65th Annual Convention & Trade Show

• Activity Professional Award Nominations due March 26th

THCAPAC

• THCAPAC “500 Club” recognition

• How to submit your contribution to THCAPAC

• THCAPAC Spring golf tournament

Region News

• “Step Back, Have a Seat and Take Care of Yourself”

• Region Information / Updates

Education

• THCA Spring Conference and Resource Fair April 20-22, 2015 – Omni Barton Creek Conference Center
  Austin, Texas

• THCA 65th Annual Convention and Trade Show – “65: Commitment & Devotion” – September 21-24, 2015 – The Gaylord Texas – Grapevine, Texas

• Nursing facility webinars to assist with the transition to Managed Care

• DADS and DSHS conference: Infection Control in Long-term Care 2015

If you have suggestions for education sessions or questions about THCA education, please contact Sue Wilson at the THCA office swilson@txhca.org.

Calendar

• March 2015

• April 2015