The federal government has created the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program —a national vaccine distribution program for long term care residents. In this series of office hours, AHCA/NCAL and CDC staff will provide an overview of the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program and answer your questions. ​

This webinar will provide a brief overview of the background of these important waivers and will also provide specific details about when and how it would be appropriate for SNFs to apply the waivers to assure that Medicare beneficiaries are able to access skilled SNF Part A benefits in a manner that also minimizes risks for unnecessary exposure or transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Examples of how the 3-Day Stay and Benefit Period waivers can or cannot apply in common situations will be discussed. Additionally, details related to documentation, MDS assessment scheduling, and claims coding and sequencing requirements specific to these waivers will be reviewed.

Historically, being “in network” with an MA plan was thought to be the optimal position. As MA plans have adjusted payments and operational requirements, being part of their network may not always be worth the administrative burden that continues to increase. The more complex it is to work with an MA plan, the more time staff must divert from their daily responsibilities. There is an opportunity cost and quantifying the costs associated with every contract, is part of the current imperative. Further, because of the growing penetration of varying MA plans in geographical locations, being in network with all MA plans in your location may no longer be necessary. What may be more important is deciphering which particular MA plans are the best for your organization, rather than taking a “contract with all” approach. This tool walks providers through the process for evaluating and understanding the real Return on Investment (ROI) of their Medicare Advantage contracts, ultimately assisting providers in determining whether remaining a network provider is worthwhile, or if other strategies may be more advantageous for both the provider and the residents.

AHCA/NCAL President & CEO Mark Parkinson and CMO David Gifford will review the new rule released on 9/3/2020, discuss resources available to facilities and answer your questions.

CMS’ new testing regulations require providers to conduct routine COVID-19 testing of staff and contractors with 48-hour turnaround times. The Sofia2 has the ability to conduct a high volume of tests in a short period of time. This presentation will cover the batch testing functionality on the Sofia2 to help providers meet this new CMS requirement.