View Full Newsletter |
|
|
LeadingAge Ohio kicked off the 2025 STARS Awards Celebration at Judson Senior Living this week, where we gathered to honor the dedicated frontline staff who make a difference in the lives of older Ohioans. Their compassion, resilience, and commitment to care were on full display—and so was the energy of member communities there to support!
Brian Milligan of Kendal at Oberlin was awarded the inaugural STARS Heartstrings Award, which honors a direct care professional whose work leaves a deep and lasting impression—not just through skill, but through kindness, empathy, and genuine connection.
We are excited to be at The Ohio Eastern Star Home next week to celebrate STARS from the Central Ohio region, and will be rounding out the Northwest, Southwest, and Mid-East events through the rest of the month.
Questions about LAO’s Awards and Recognition programs? Reach out to Randi Hamill, Director of Workforce Development and Initiatives, at rhamill@leadingageohio.org. May is Older Americans Month, and in Ohio we are honoring nearly 3 million residents age 60 and older who continue to impact our communities in powerful ways.
This year’s theme, “Flip the Script on Aging,” invites all of us to challenge outdated assumptions and embrace a fuller, more honest view of aging. It’s a reminder that aging isn’t an ending—it’s a chapter of continued growth, contribution, and connection. From civic engagement to career reinvention, older adults are living out stories that defy the script society has long assigned them.
At LeadingAge Ohio, we believe sharing those true stories builds connection and combats ageism. Throughout May, our podcast Another Word for Living will feature voices from across our member communities—residents whose lives offer insight, humor, and hard-won wisdom. Their reflections aren’t just personal; they’re a testament to the impact of older adults on our shared future. Top You Asked:
Can someone trained as a dining assistant for long-term care facilities under OAC 3701-17-07.2 also serve in a Residential Care Facility (RCF)?
We Answered:
Yes, according to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), individuals trained as dining assistants can work in an RCF. The RCF would be responsible for ensuring the individual meets the applicable requirements set forth under Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3701-16-06 related to staff members and volunteers. Additionally, the RCF would be responsible for ensuring it complies with all regulations related to OAC 3701-16-10 (Dietary Services/Supervision of Therapeutic Diets) and OAC 3701-16-09 (Personal Care Services/Supervision of Therapeutic Diets). Additional information on the dining assistant program can be found on the ODH Dining Assistant Training webpage. Top April’s episode of Another Word for Living highlighted the importance of clear communication around end-of-life decisions—a conversation that’s never easy, but always necessary. LeadingAge Ohio members have access to a practical resource to support these conversations.
The Advance Directives Packet: Choices, Living Well at the End of Life is available for download at no cost on the LeadingAge Ohio website; print copies can be ordered in bulk for use with residents, patients and families. Created in collaboration with the Ohio State Medical Association, Ohio Hospital Association, and Ohio Osteopathic Association, this packet is designed to help individuals make informed decisions about their care and includes copies of Ohio’s Living Will, Power of Attorney for Healthcare and Donor Registry Enrollment form.
Members receive 10% off the packet at www.OhioAdvanceDirectives.com.
Follow and listen to the podcast to hear how this tool fits into the broader picture of care planning Do you know a changemaker, a compassionate caregiver, or a team that’s redefining excellence in aging services? Now’s your chance to shine a spotlight on their impact! The LeadingAge Ohio Annual Awards celebrate bold innovation, outstanding leadership, and the everyday heroes who go above and beyond for Ohio’s older adults.
Winners will be honored at the 2025 Annual Meeting & Conference this Fall — don’t miss the opportunity to recognize those who inspire us all.
Nominations will be accepted through May 23, 2025.
Questions? Contact Randi Hamill at rhamill@leadingageohio.org. There's always something happening at LeadingAge Ohio, and we don’t want you to miss a moment. From educational opportunities to networking events, our calendar is packed with ways for members to stay informed, engaged, and connected.
Explore what's ahead and make plans to join us—whether you're looking to expand your knowledge, connect with peers, or get involved in shaping the future of aging services in Ohio.
View all upcoming events here and mark your calendar today!
Top The parties have completed their submission of written legal arguments in the lawsuit filed by LeadingAge state affiliates (including LeadingAge Ohio) and state Attorneys General (Plaintiffs) challenging the CMS nursing home minimum staffing rule, including the specific staffing standards themselves, as well as the enhanced facility assessment and the requirement for states to collect and report information on the percentage of Medicaid payments spent on compensation for direct care workers.
Here's a summary of the current status in the legal challenge to the CMS nursing home minimum staffing rule:
- District Court Proceedings (Northern District of Iowa):
- Cross-motions for summary judgment were filed on March 3.
- Opposition briefs were exchanged on April 3.
- Final reply briefs were submitted by both sides on April 24.
- The briefing process is now complete, and the court will deliberate.
- Eighth Circuit Appeal:
- Plaintiffs appealed the denial of a preliminary injunction issued on January 16.
- Opening brief filed March 4.
- Government's response filed April 3.
- Plaintiffs' reply brief filed April 24.
- Briefing is complete, and the appeal awaits a ruling.
The courts are now reviewing the legal arguments, and decisions on both the summary judgment and the preliminary injunction appeal are pending. Questions about this pending suit may be forwarded to Susan Wallace at swallace@leadingageohio.org. Top On April 29, 2025, Susan Wallace was invited to join a state operating budget panel discussion focused on skilled nursing facilities before the Ohio Senate Medicaid Committee. Susan was joined on the panel by representatives from the Ohio Health Care Association and the Academy of Senior Health Sciences. Susan’s presentation focused on performance improvements as a result of the quality incentive payment; the transition to PDPM and the proposal to update the case mix adjustment to a blended model; and updating the capital portion of the reimbursement formula to incentivize environmental quality. Wallace fielded questions from the committee regarding the PDPM blend, noting that incorporating speech / language pathology helped to account for the higher costs of individuals with dementia. Chair Romanchuk requested examples from other states on how they structure dementia add-on payments.
Wallace will be testifying on LeadingAge Ohio’s other budget priorities before the Senate Health Committee on May 13. Top On April 28, in advance of a series of markups in the House, House Republicans released the text of several reconciliation bills. Eleven House committees received budget reconciliation instructions from H.Con.Res. 14, the House- and Senate-passed fiscal year 2025 budget resolution. LeadingAge is reviewing bills as they come out for pertinent provisions for LeadingAge members, though the most relevant– the Energy and Commerce markup, which will include any Medicaid provisions– is rumored to be on May 7. The bill text would be out no later than the night of May 5.
The Ways and Means bill, which will include tax provisions including any proposal related to state or municipal bonds’ tax exempt status, is expected to be the last of the House reconciliation pieces to be marked up. This is expected late May or even early June.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had indicated he wanted to get the reconciliation bill out of the House by Memorial Day, which will not be feasible if the Ways and Means or any other markup slips too late into May. After all the committee markups, the bills have to go through the House Budget Committee and be voted on by the full House. The Senate would then take up the bill and while the Senate is expected to have a more truncated Committee process, they still have a number of rules to follow to ensure the bill is reconciliation eligible.
Three committees, Education and Workforce, Judiciary, and Financial Services, each with jurisdiction over aging services-related programs and funding, will mark up their bills this week. Short summaries of these bills are below:
- House Education and Workforce Committee. The Committee was directed to identify changes in laws within its jurisdiction to reduce the deficit by at least $330 billion over the next 10 years. The Committee’s reconciliation bill includes the Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act from the last Congress, which LeadingAge supports. The bill would allow Pell Grants for short term training programs, such as those needed by direct care workers, lasting less than the current fifteen weeks required by the Pell Grant program. The Education and Workforce Committee will markup its bill on April 29.
- House Judiciary Committee. The Committee was directed to allow for up to $110 billion for immigration enforcement and deportation funding. The Committee, which has jurisdiction over immigration policy, made public the text of its part of the reconciliation package. The bill would establish a number of fees, including a minimum $1000 asylum application fee that cannot be waived or reduced. This is notable because historically there has been no fee associated with applying for asylum, a policy that ensures the asylum process remains accessible to those seeking protection from persecution. The bill would also establish a $1000 fee for parolees and a $550 for employment authorization documents for many applicants. The Judiciary Committee will markup its bill on April 30.
- House Financial Services Committee. The Committee was directed to identify changes in laws within its jurisdiction to reduce the deficit by at least $1,000,000,000 over the next 10 years. The Committee will consider a proposal to rescind any remaining unobligated balances of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP). LeadingAge believes the vast majority of GRRP funds have been obligated. HUD made GRRP awards to multifamily providers from the fall of 2023 through the fall of 2024. The program was suspended by the Trump Administration in January 2025 but restarted after a preliminary ruling by a federal judge on April 14, 2025; HUD has since restarted processing awards.
Top The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated several key nursing home surveyor resources to align with guidance outlined in QSO-25-14- NH memo, which became effective April 28, 2025. These changes are intended to support consistent survey practices and ensure providers and surveyors are using the most current regulatory interpretations.
Updated Resources:
- LTCSP Initial Pool Care Areas – Updated with the revisions outlined in the QSO memo.
- Appendix PP – State Operations Manual – The previous standalone version has been removed. Instead, an advance copy of the updated Appendix PP is now available within the QSO-25-14-NH memo.
- Survey Resources Folder – Now includes the full QSO-25-14-NH memo and updated guidance documents.
These resources can be obtained on the CMS Nursing Home webpage and under the downloads section on this CMS webpage.
Read more from McKnights here
*LeadingAge Ohio will host another 6-month Survey Collaborative to ensure members are survey-ready with these expansive changes. To be put on the list to receive information, email Corey Markham at cmarkham@leadingageohio.org. The deadline to submit Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) data for Fiscal Year Quarter 2—covering the reporting period from January 1 to March 31, 2025—is Wednesday, May 15, 2025.
Providers are strongly encouraged to submit their data early to avoid last-minute issues, as extensions are rarely granted. To assist with timely submission, several technical support resources are available through the iQIES system.
Live phone and email support will be offered through 8:00 p.m. ET on May 15. Users can also schedule a call, submit a service ticket, or use the live chat feature via CCSQ Support Central.
To expedite support, CMS recommends having the following information ready:
- For password issues or file rejections: your CMS Certification Number (CCN) and QIES User ID.
- For submission inquiries: your staffing summary report, individual daily staffing report, and/or Submission ID.
Be proactive—early submission helps ensure timely assistance from the Service Center, if needed. The April 2025 refresh of the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) data is now available on the compare tool on Medicare.gov and Provider Data Catalog (PDC).
The data are based on:
- Quality assessment data submitted by SNFs to CMS from Quarter 3, 2023, through Quarter 2, 2024
- CDC measures use data from Quarter 4, 2023, through Quarter 1, 2024 for the Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Healthcare Personnel measure, and Quarter 2, 2024 for the COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage among Healthcare Personnel (HCP) measure
- Claims-based measures use data from Quarter 4, 2021, through Quarter 3, 2023, and the SNF Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Requiring Hospitalization measure data is from Quarter 4, 2022 through Quarter 3, 2023
Visit the compare tool on Medicare.gov and PDC to view the updated quality data. For questions about SNF QRP Public Reporting, email SNFQRPPRQuestions@cms.hhs.gov. Citations under F656, Comprehensive Care Plans, are frequently issued during annual surveys when medication interventions are missing from the resident’s care plan. The State Operations Manual Appendix PP states that each resident will have a person-centered comprehensive care plan developed and implemented to meet his or her preferences and goals, and address the resident’s medical, physical, mental, and psychosocial needs. Deficiencies have occurred when admission orders were not present on the care plan and when there had been new orders for a drug class not already reflected in the care plans. The Long-Term Care Survey Process directs surveyors to review the following as part of the Unnecessary Medications, Chemical Restraints/Psychotropic Medications, and Medication Regimen Review:
- Review the most current comprehensive and most recent quarterly (if the comprehensive isn’t the most recent assessment) MDS/CAAs for areas pertinent to the medications ordered, such as adverse consequences and behaviors. Also, review all medications currently ordered or discontinued, going back to the most recent signed recapitulation.
- Review the care plan for medications, especially high-risk medications, and individualized approaches to care, including non-pharmacological interventions.
CMS has updated the survey resources on the CMS Nursing Home webpage in accordance with the revised QSO-25-14- NH memo. LeadingAge Ohio encourages facilities to monitor compliance using the surveyor guidance found in the State Operations Manual Appendix PP. Additionally, the survey pathways can be found in the Survey Resources zip file on the CMS Nursing Home webpage and under the downloads section on this CMS webpage. LeadingAge has developed webinars and resources on the requirements of participation which are located on the LeadingAge learning hub. LeadingAge continues to add QuickCasts on the regulatory groups. Updated resources have also been added on the Nursing Home RoP Tools and Resources webpage.
For more information about the requirements of participation and citations occurring in Ohio, please join us on the monthly STAT: Survey Tips and Tactics call. Register now for the May 14 call at 11:00AM. LeadingAge Ohio is sharing tips to assist members during the survey process. Send questions you would like addressed in future Tips of the Week to Stephanie DeWees at sdewees@leadingageohio.org. Top Are you looking for new talent? You're invited to participate in Hondros’ upcoming career fair to meet face-to-face with qualified Hondros College of Nursing candidates. This event is a great opportunity to recruit talent at all levels of the nursing fields including MAs, STNAs, LPNs, and RNs. Don't miss this great opportunity!
Career Fair participation provides the following benefits:
- No cost to connect with potential employees
- Save time and money by meeting candidates in one location
- Receive resumes from highly-qualified job candidates
- Make new contacts through networking
- Increase visibility for your company
For questions about the LeadingAge Ohio and Hondros collaboration, including discounts on tuition and participating in career fairs, contact Molly Homan at mhoman@leadingageohio.org. Reliable vendors are hard to come by, and even harder to keep if payments are late. AP automation makes it easier to build trust, stay organized, and keep your vendor relationships strong. AP automation is a game-changer for senior living communities looking to streamline payments, improve accuracy, and build stronger vendor relationships. Read this blog from LeadingAge Ohio Partner, Corpay, by clicking here. LeadingAge Ohio holds valuable education webinars and in-person events throughout the year. Opportunities are added weekly. See the complete Schedule of Events. Top
|
|
Upcoming Events
|
May 7, 2025
12:30PM - 2:30PM | Ohio Eastern Star Home - 1451 Gambier Road Mount Vernon, OH 43050
|
| May 8, 2025
10:00AM - 2:00PM | Friendship Village of Dublin | 6000 Riverside Drive | Dublin, OH 43017 |
| May 14, 2025
11:00AM - 12:00PM | Virtual |
|
|
|
|
