LeadingAge Ohio will convene providers, plans, and policymakers for its annual Palliative Care Summit on May 21 at the OCLC Conference Center in Columbus. The one-day event focuses on expanding access to palliative care across Ohio, with continuing education offered and a program shaped by feedback from last year’s summit.
The agenda includes a keynote on reframing palliative care messaging to support earlier referrals and reduce stigma, followed by a moderated discussion with health plans on network adequacy, telehealth, and partnership expectations. Additional sessions will examine scalable care models, statewide infrastructure, and data-informed approaches to access, along with an update on state policy priorities, grant opportunities, and momentum advancing palliative care across Ohio. Register for the Palliative Care Summit here. Top You Asked: Are there any resources that further explain exactly what IV-certified LPNs are allowed to do?
We Answered: Yes. The Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) has published guidance to help clarify the scope of practice for IV-certified LPNs. In particular, the OBN Momentum publication includes a helpful resource titled LPN IV THERAPY UPDATES AND FAQS — UPDATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH HB 509, which outlines what IV-certified LPNs may or may not perform under Ohio law.
Additional guidance is available on the Ohio Board of Nursing Scope of Practice webpage, RN and LPN FAQs, as well as through the Momentum Magazine resources. These materials provide clarification on IV therapy activities, delegation, and supervision requirements, and are valuable tools for both individual nurses and facilities to ensure compliance with Ohio regulations. Providers should consult the Nurse Practice Act, established by the Ohio General Assembly and codified in Chapter 4723 of the Ohio Revised Code for the most current requirements and scope of practice regulations. Top LeadingAge Ohio’s Technology Network continues to bring members together for practical, peer-driven learning led by IT professionals from member organizations. Open to all members—not just technology staff—the network is designed to make complex topics approachable and relevant across roles and settings.
The next session, April 8 at 9:30 a.m., will focus on responsible AI use, including sustainability, ethical considerations, governance, and cybersecurity. Participants will hear directly from peers navigating these issues in real time, with discussion grounded in day-to-day operations and mission-driven care.
AI-training available: LeadingAge Ohio’s Laurinda Johnson provides a comprehensive AI training workshop to member staff on the basics of utilizing AI platforms, such as Copilot and ChatGPT. This training is intended for non-clinical use cases. If your organization is interested in learning more, contact Laurinda at ljohnson@leadingagehio.org. There's always something happening at LeadingAge Ohio, view all upcoming events here and mark your calendar today!
- March 27, 10 a.m. - Marketing Roundtable hosted by LeadingAge Indiana
- April 2, 10 a.m. - Advocacy Committee
- April 7, 9 a.m. - Southwest STARS Awards
- April 8, 9:30 a.m. - Technology Network Meeting: AI Risk and Governance
- April 8, 11 a.m. - Survey Tips & Tactics: Medication Storage, Labeling, & Controlled Substance Oversight
- April 8, 12:30 p.m. - New LeadingAge Ohio Program + Instrumentl Information
- April 14, 4 p.m. - Cleveland Spring Regional Networking Event
- April 15, 2 p.m. - Home Health and Hospice Subcommittee
- April 16, 2:30 p.m. - Survey Success Collaborative: Building Strong Foundations for 5-Star Outcomes
Top In a March 25 letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), LeadingAge joined LeadingAge California, the National Alliance for Care at Home, and the California Association for Health Services at Home to commend the agency’s efforts to combat fraud while urging a measured and balanced approach to enforcement.
The coalition emphasized that home health and hospice services are essential supports for millions of older adults and families each year. Safeguarding program integrity, they noted, requires identifying and stopping fraudulent activity, but also recognizing and supporting providers who consistently comply with program rules.
In a joint statement, LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan cautioned against broad characterizations of the sector. “Sweeping generalizations about home health and hospice risk undermining trust and unfairly impact the vast majority of providers delivering compassionate, compliant care every day,” she said. “We urge CMS to pursue enforcement strategies that are both strong and balanced.”
Stay up-to-date on recent developments via LeadingAge’s fraud serial post. A multitude of on-ramps are needed to bring new employees into aging services organizations, so LeadingAge has developed a range of tools and resources that will help to cast a wide recruitment net, including:
Top LeadingAge Ohio raised targeted concerns this week on Senate Bill 154, urging lawmakers to strengthen privacy protections and address operational realities as the state considers expanding electronic monitoring in long-term care settings. Testifying before the Senate Health Committee, Public Policy Director Eli Faes emphasized that while providers support transparency and resident choice, the current draft requires additional clarity to avoid unintended consequences for residents and providers alike.
Faes pointed to risks tied to shared rooms, where monitoring devices may capture another resident’s care or conversations without consent, creating potential HIPAA exposure. He also flagged infrastructure challenges, noting that consumer-grade cameras can strain facility internet capacity and disrupt service for residents and staff. LeadingAge Ohio supports the bill’s intent and said targeted revisions—particularly around consent, data access, and cost recovery—would better align the policy with real-world care settings. Listen to the full testimony beginning at timestamp 32:48. This week, LeadingAge Ohio met with the Department of Medicaid on its ongoing efforts to refine its nursing home ventilator program. In previous meetings, Medicaid had outlined concerns related to the dramatic increase in individuals being served under the ventilator program using non-invasive ventilators, as well as MDS data that demonstrated that some individuals who were being served by the ventilator program were otherwise coded as low-acuity.
The focus of this week’s meeting was on recoupments being issued by Ohio’s managed care plans, and provider concerns that these recoupments were not justified by the current rule. Additionally, LeadingAge Ohio provided preliminary feedback to the Department on a draft proposed rule that would dramatically revise the program, increasing staffing requirements and creating an add-on payment for non-invasive ventilation, as well as instituting prior authorization for 100 percent of non-invasive ventilation services.
LeadingAge Ohio has assembled a group of members who are reviewing the rule, which has not yet been shared publicly, and welcomes members to participate in this process. If your organization is part of Ohio’s ventilator program, please contact Susan Wallace at swallace@leadingageohio.org to be included in the review. Nominations for the 2026 Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame are open through March 31, offering an opportunity to recognize individuals age 60 and older whose leadership and service continue to strengthen their communities and the state. Honorees reflect a broad range of contributions—from advancing innovation in aging services to remaining active, respected members of society who continue to contribute in meaningful ways.
Eligible nominees must be native-born Ohioans or have lived in the state for at least 10 years. Posthumous nominations are accepted within five years of death. All submissions are reviewed by a selection committee, with nominators notified of final decisions. Selected individuals may be featured in event and promotional materials as part of the recognition process. Additional details and nomination information are available through the Ohio Department of Aging’s website. Top A new bicameral bill introduced by Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) on March 23, 2026, seeks to ban private equity ownership of hospitals and nursing homes by making them ineligible for Medicare certification and funding.
This bill, co-sponsored in the Senate by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), joins another bill introduced on the same day to provide legal protections to healthcare whistleblowers who report misconduct and neglect at private equity-owned healthcare facilities. These two bills track closely with Sen. Murphy’s recently released report, Aided and Abetted: How the Trump Administration is Helping Private Equity Take Over Health Care.
LeadingAge does not support a ban on private equity ownership and will be monitoring this bill closely. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released its latest annual data snapshot on state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs), highlighting key trends in convictions, recoveries, and enforcement activity.
According to the report, MFCUs continue to deliver strong returns on investment—recovering $4.64 for every combined state and federal dollar spent. Criminal recoveries reached $1.3 billion in 2025, reflecting a modest increase, though some recoveries stem from investigations initiated in prior years.
Personal care attendant services accounted for the highest number of criminal convictions (326), followed by 63 convictions tied to fraud in non-residential mental health facilities. On the civil side, judgments and settlements were most frequently associated with pharmaceutical manufacturers (121 cases) and clinical laboratories (95 cases), often involving violations such as unlawful kickbacks.
The report also highlights the role of managed care organizations in identifying and referring potential fraud cases to MFCUs. While referrals remain strong, the share of referrals resulting in opened investigations has declined over the past five years—from approximately 26% in 2021 to about 19% in 2025.
Overall, the findings reinforce that sustained investment in MFCUs yields meaningful results in both recoveries and convictions. The report suggests that the current framework is effective in addressing fraud without adding unnecessary policy or administrative burden for compliant providers.
View the report here.
Stay up-to-date on recent developments via LeadingAge’s fraud serial post. Top Recent survey activity has included citations under the Reasonable Accommodation of Needs F-tag 558, with a common theme of residents’ needs and preferences not being consistently accommodated. A frequent concern involves residents being unable to access their call lights, as well as residents not being assisted out of bed in accordance with their preferences. The Long-Term Care Survey Process directs surveyors to observe situations where residents seated in chairs or wheelchairs in their rooms do not have their call light within reach, limiting their ability to request assistance and maintain independence.
Under §483.10(e)(3), residents have the right to reside and receive services in a facility that reasonably accommodates their needs and preferences, unless doing so would endanger their health or safety or that of others. This requirement intends to ensure the environment and care practices support each resident’s individualized needs, dignity, and functional independence.
During resident interviews, surveyors will ask questions to determine whether the environment and care provided accommodate resident needs and preferences, including:
- Is your room set up so you can easily get around the room, get to and from the bathroom, use the sink?
- Do you have any concerns with your roommate’s personal items taking over your space?
- Have there been any recent issues with the call light working? What did the facility do when the call light wasn’t working? Can you reach it?
- Are the call lights located in the resident’s room (in bed or other sleeping accommodations), toilet and bathing facilities?
- If you have been on the floor near your bed, toilet, or bath, were you able to reach the emergency call light?
- Do you have enough light in your room to do what you want or need to do?
The State Operations Manual Appendix PP further emphasizes that common areas should accommodate residents’ physical limitations. Furnishings in common areas may enhance residents’ abilities to maintain their independence. Resident seating should have appropriate seat height, depth, and firmness, and have arms that assist residents to independently rise to a standing position. Top LeadingAge Ohio welcomes Laurel Lake Retirement Community to its growing network of nonprofit, mission-driven aging services providers. Established in 1989, Laurel Lake operates as a not-for-profit life plan community, reinvesting resources back into its campus, services, and the people it serves—reflecting a long-standing commitment to quality care and community benefit.
Located in Hudson on 150 scenic acres, Laurel Lake offers a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing. The campus is designed to support daily life in meaningful ways, with amenities such as a therapy gym, fitness center, and indoor heated therapy pools, alongside spaces for creativity and connection like an art studio, library, chapel, and community gardens. Outdoor features—including nature trails, fishing lakes, and landscaped courtyards—provide additional opportunities for residents to stay active and engaged.
Learn more about Laurel Lake Retirement Community on their website, and view the announcement on LinkedIn. Top LeadingAge Ohio holds valuable education webinars and in-person events throughout the year. Opportunities are added weekly. See the complete Schedule of Events. Ziegler has released early findings from its recent CFO HotlineSM on governance in senior living, offering a snapshot of how organizations are approaching board structure, oversight, and decision-making. The survey reflects input from finance leaders across the field and highlights continued attention to governance as a core operational priority for mission-driven providers.
The findings point to growing expectations around accountability, financial stewardship, and strategic alignment between leadership teams and boards. As organizations navigate ongoing financial and operational pressure, governance practices remain central to effective decision-making and long-term sustainability. The full set of findings is available in the CFO HotlineSM Governance in Senior Living report. Top A recent concern raised with the Ohio Department of Medicaid points to assisted living providers directing residents to enroll in a single MyCare Ohio plan. While providers may choose which plans to contract with, that decision does not change a plan’s obligation to pay for services already in place. Under the MyCare Ohio provider agreement, individuals who transition from Medicaid fee-for-service into MyCare must be able to continue receiving services from their existing assisted living or nursing facility provider—even if that provider is out of network. This requirement reflects that the setting is both the person’s home and their provider, reinforcing continuity and stability in care.
There is no end date tied to this requirement. As long as the individual continues to meet the level of care, the MyCare plan must reimburse the provider at the Medicaid fee-for-service rate. This applies whether the individual actively selects a plan or is auto-assigned. Providers should ensure residents and families receive accurate information about their options and protections during enrollment, particularly as MyCare expands into additional counties and more individuals become eligible.
Access the MyCare Ohio provider agreement (see Table D.1, assisted living section) near the bottom of the document for full details. Top
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