You Asked... We Answered

You Asked: Is the Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) still on hold?

We Answered: No. CMS relaunched PEPPER in September 2026 for Skilled Nursing Facilities and August for Home Health Agencies. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) encourages providers to establish and maintain a compliance program to safeguard their operations against fraud and abuse. As part of this program, providers should conduct regular audits to ensure Medicare service charges are accurately documented and billed. The Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) supports providers in guiding their auditing and monitoring activities.

PEPPER.CBRPEPPER.org is the official site for information, training and support related to the Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER). Resources include the PEPPER portal, training and resources, FAQ’s.

Maximize Your Membership: Technology Support From LeadingAge and LeadingAge Ohio

Technology Network and Center for Aging Services Technologies 

LeadingAge and LeadingAge Ohio are helping members put technology resources to work across aging services. On Oct. 14 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., the virtual Technology and Innovation Network will welcome Scott Code, VP of LeadingAge’s Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST). Code will introduce CAST resources available to members, discuss current projects and priorities, and explain how CAST can support technology professionals and organizations using technology across aging services. Network meetings are conversational, giving members time to ask questions and learn from peers. Join the Technology and Innovation Network meeting.

Technology Day

On Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., LeadingAge Ohio will continue the conversation with AI for Senior Living: Practical Tools, Compliance, and Competitive Advantage at Quest Conference Center, 9200 Worthington Road, Suite 400, Westerville. The full-day program will cover AI use cases, implementation, data and predictive analytics, cybersecurity, governance, privacy and compliance, followed by a panel of Ohio providers discussing how their organizations are using AI, where they remain cautious and what they have learned. View the full agenda and register for Technology Day.

ICYMI Advocacy in Action: What S.B. 315 Means for Medicaid Providers

LeadingAge Ohio’s September Advocacy in Action provided an overview of S.B. 315, the Ohio Medicaid Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention Act, which takes effect Oct. 6. The presentation covered key changes involving claims, provider enrollment, electronic visit verification (EVV), fraud detection, payment integrity, and prior authorization, along with steps Medicaid providers can take as implementation begins.

Members who missed the call or want to revisit the discussion can watch the September Advocacy in Action recording. As a reminder, Advocacy in Action is moving to a new schedule: Calls will now be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 11:30 a.m.

Kick Off Annual Meeting at State Night Out

Start the 2026 LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Expo with colleagues from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky at State Night Out on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at SPIN Philadelphia. Hosted by LeadingAge Ohio, LeadingAge Indiana and LeadingAge Kentucky, the evening offers time to reconnect with colleagues, meet new peers and enjoy a relaxed start to the week before Annual Meeting programming gets underway. State Night Out is open to provider members and business firms, with registration available for $50 for provider members and $150 for business firms through Wednesday, Oct. 21.

If Philadelphia is on your calendar, now is also a good time to finalize your 2026 LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Expo registration. The Annual Meeting runs Oct. 25-28 and brings together aging services professionals from across the country for education, peer exchange and the E2 expo. Register for Annual Meeting before the price increase, then add State Night Out to your Philadelphia plans.

More Resources, Member Solutions As National Workforce Development Month Wraps

The last day of September marks the end of this year’s National Workforce Development Month (NWDM) observance, but LeadingAge’s focus on finding, developing, and sharing workforce solutions developed by staff, state partners, and members, continues.

• A new report, summarizes an April 22 convening of aging services experts hosted by the Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition in partnership with the LeadingAge LTSS Center @ UMass Boston. The report outlines nine recommendations to standardize career pathways for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and make them portable across state lines. These pathways could benefit CNAs and LeadingAge members. 
• After fewer than three years in business, Global Care Recruiters (GCR), an innovative enterprise launched by four LeadingAge Minnesota members to address one of aging services’ biggest pain points—workforce recruitment—is thriving. And, with its implementation of partnership with LeadingAge Minnesota, announced in July, more growth is on the horizon, says Traci Larson, president and CEO of Elk River, MN-based Guardian Angels, one of the cofounders.
• Lori Dierolf, vice president of human resources at member United Church of Christ Homes, explains how her team developed an in-house training program to build a sustainable certified nursing assistant (CNA) workforce—creating career pathways, strengthening recruitment efforts, and supporting quality care. Growing Our Own CNAs, an on-demand QuickCast, is free for LeadingAge members.
• Interested in pursuing the workforce roundtable discussions approach pioneered by LeadingAge Kansas to gain on-the-ground insights and help create solutions? LeadingAge’s members-only backgrounder and guide can help you get started.

Communications Roadmap for Crisis Readiness Live Event

When a crisis hits, will your communications strategy be ready? Senior living organizations face a wide range of risks, from natural disasters and data breaches to financial and operational challenges. On October 8, Michael Gross of AKCG Public Relations Counselors will share practical guidance for preparing your team, managing media relations, and responding with confidence. Learn more and register.

Applications Open for 2027 Ohio Scholars in Aging Program

The Ohio Department of Aging and Ohio Association of Gerontology and Education are accepting applications for the 2027 Ohio Scholars in Aging Program. Open to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at accredited Ohio institutions, the program combines aging-related policy education, career development and hands-on experience with leaders across Ohio’s aging network.

Participants complete a 45-hour internship or community project, attend in-person and virtual learning sessions, spend a day with an Area Agency on Aging and present at the OAGE Conference April 8-9 at Ohio University. Students who complete all program requirements receive a $2,500 stipend. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13. Review program details and apply through OAGE.

Read the original announcement from the Ohio Department of Aging.

CMS Seeking ACO REACH Participant Experiences

Have you been involved or provided services in partnership with an ACO REACH participant? The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation is interested in learning more about the experience of senior living organizations that either lead or engaged with ACO REACH entities as provider partners to learn what aspects of the model supported coordination between these two groups and areas where further work could be done to improve opportunities for partnerships between seniors living organizations and ACO REACH entities. Please contact Nicole Fallon with LeadingAge if you are interested in participating in this discussion. 

Survey Tip of the Week: QAPI Priorities

Under §483.75(e)(1), facilities must set priorities for its performance improvement activities that focus on high-risk, high-volume, or problem-prone areas; consider the incidence, prevalence, and severity of problems in those areas. Priorities should also address areas affecting resident outcomes, safety, autonomy, choice, and quality of care. CMS provides the following definitions:

• High-risk areas: Care or service areas associated with significant risk to the health or safety of residents. Errors in these care areas have the potential to cause adverse events resulting in pain, suffering, and/or death. Examples include tracheostomy care; pressure injury prevention; administration of high-risk medications such as anticoagulants, insulin, and opioids.
• High-volume areas: Care or service areas performed frequently or affecting a large population, thus increasing the scope of the problem, e.g., transcription of orders; medication administration; laboratory testing.
• Problem-prone areas: Care or service areas that have historically had repeated problems, e.g., call-bell response times; staff turnover; lost laundry.

 Facility policies and procedures must address how data will be identified, and the frequency and methodology for collecting and using data from all departments. Additionally, facilities must also conduct distinct Performance Improvement Projects (PIPs) appropriate to the scope and complexity of their services and available resources, as reflected in the facility assessment required at §483.71. At least annually, the facility must conduct a PIP focused on a high-risk or problem-prone area identified through its own data collection and analysis.

Do You Have Exciting News? We Want to Hear About It!

To submit a news item, simply email Laurinda Johnson at ljohnson@leadingageohio.org. We can’t wait to celebrate your success!

Fairlawn Retirement Community Breaks Ground on Campus Expansion

LeadingAge Ohio member Fairlawn Retirement Community recently broke ground on a major campus expansion in Archbold after raising more than $6.6 million through its Fabric of Life campaign. The campaign has surpassed 65% of its $10.2 million goal, supported by residents, families, donors, churches, businesses and other community partners.

The first phase will add two long-term care neighborhoods with 36 private resident rooms and private showers, along with shared gathering areas designed to support privacy, dignity and quality of life. Fairlawn, a faith-based nonprofit serving the Archbold community since 1964, is continuing fundraising for the project. Learn more about the Fabric of Life campaign.

Enroll for Winter 2027 Core of Knowledge

Enrollment is now open for the Winter 2027 session of the Core of Knowledge, a program designed for Administrators-in-Residence that fulfills the academic requirement set by the Board of Executives of Long-Term Services and Supports (BELTSS) for qualifying to sit for the state licensure board examination to become a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA).

The three-week course will be held January 11–28, 2027, Monday through Thursday, at the OCLC Conference Center. This is one of only two opportunities to complete the required coursework in 2027.

The deadline to register is December 11, 2025. Learn more and register for the 2027 Winter Core of Knowledge. For additional information, contact Corey Markham at cmarkham@leadingageohio.org.