Volume XXXI, Number 8
August 2016

THCA Board Sets Agenda for 85th Legislature

With five months remaining before the next Texas Legislature convenes, the THCA Board has adopted an agenda that could lead to major improvements in Texas’ long term care system.

At their July Board meeting, members approved the recommendations from the association’s Advocacy Committee to focus on four objectives:

1. Pass a reimbursement allowance that will enable facilities to draw down federal Medicaid funds. This will require no appropriation of state dollars and similar plans are in place is most states.
2. Enact a moratorium on the addition of new Medicaid beds. The moratorium period would allow the state to assess long term care and develop plans for meeting the future needs of skilled nursing facility residents.
3. Make permanent the freedom of choice protections for Medicaid residents in Texas facilities, which are set to expire in 2017. This provision was part of the managed care legislation affecting residents in nursing facilities (Senate Bill 7).
4. Address the work force crisis that is growing in long term care. Among the specific actions would be creating a student loan repayment assistance program for nurses providing services in a designated long term care professional shortage area who will provide care to Medicaid recipients in nursing homes.

THCA membership and staff have been working on all these items as we prepare for the session to begin in January. We are educating members in their districts and in Austin on how these changes could greatly benefit the residents who are cared for in nursing facilities.

President’s Report

• President’s Report – August 2016

Legislative Update

• THCA Board Sets Agenda for 85th Legislature

• State Not Meeting Texas Nursing Home Costs for Taking Care of Medicaid Residents

Commitment to Care

• Commitment to Care News – August 2016

State / THCA News

• Changes to Nursing Facility Requirements for Licensure and Medicaid Certification and Licensing Standards for Assisted Living Facilities

• THCA Meets with HHSC on Eligibility Issues

• DADS Information Letter No.16-29: Fiscal Year 2016 Cutoff Dates for Fee-for-Service Year-end Closeout Processing

• Emergency Preparedness for the Hurricane Season and Other Emergencies

• Texas Culture Change Coalition – Join us for our fall 2016 Culture Change Conference

National / AHCA News

• S&C: 16-31-NH – Mandatory Immediate Imposition of Federal Remedies and Assessment Factors Used to Determine the Seriousness of Deficiencies for Nursing Homes

• CMS Releases FY 2017 SNF PPS Final Rule

Education 

Attendee Registration Opens for 2016 THCA Annual Convention and Trade Show

Announcements & Recognition

• Announcements/Recognition – August 2016

THCA Associate Business Member News

• 2016 THCA Annual Convention and Trade Show – THCA Associate Business Members That Have Signed Up To Exhibit In The Trade Show

THCA PAC

• THCA PAC News – August 2016

Calendar

• August 2016
• September 2016