Last Call: Help Shape the Bridging Communities through Employment Grant

• By: Ben Hawkins
• On: 05/29/2025 15:16:47
• In: Workforce

This is your final chance to complete our survey for the Bridging Communities Grant! Your feedback will help us develop meaningful supports for long term care providers working with immigrant and multilingual communities.

The survey closes next week. Please also share it with direct caregivers on your team — their perspectives are essential.

Take the survey now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9LZHSPG

Questions? Contact Ben Hawkins at bhawkins@mehca.org.

New Staff Member Laury Delano to Begin on June 2nd

• By: Angela Westhoff
• On: 05/29/2025 14:08:02
• In: Announcements/Reminders

I am pleased to announce that we have hired Laury Delano as the new Accounts Receivable and Program Specialist. Laury has experience in long term care as the Business Office Director and as a caregiver at Sunnybrook Senior Living Community and as a front desk receptionist at St. Andrew’s Village Retirement Community and Healthcare Facility. We look forward to welcoming Laury to the staff on June 2^nd.

Staff contact: awesthoff@mehca.org

MHCA Announces Lori Vigue is Retiring

• By: Ben Hawkins
• On: 05/29/2025 14:07:03
• In: Announcements/Reminders

After four years at MHCA, Lori Vigue our Administrative Support Professional & Accounts Receivable Specialist is retiring this week. While at MHCA, Lori has provided excellent support to the staff and the members. She’s highly organized, a great team player, and we will all miss her greatly! Please join me in thanking Lori for her hard work and dedication over the last four years and we wish her all the best in this next chapter. She is looking forward to spending time with family, especially her granddaughter, and having more time to enjoy gardening and hiking!  Congratulations on your retirement Lori!







 

Reminder: Free Technical Assistance Available Through Inclusion Maine

• By: Ben Hawkins
• On: 05/29/2025 14:03:55
• In: Workforce

As part of our ongoing workforce initiative, MHCA is proud to offer free technical assistance to members through our partnership with Inclusion Maine. This support is designed to help long term care providers improve recruitment and retention of immigrants, new Mainers, and individuals from linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Inclusion Maine is available for:

• One-on-one consultations tailored to your facility’s needs
• Guidance on inclusive hiring practices and workplace culture
• Feedback on job postings, onboarding practices, and more

Whether you're just starting to consider these strategies or are looking to deepen your work in this area, Inclusion Maine can help.

Interested in technical assistance?
Email Ben Hawkins at bhawkins@mehca.org and we’ll connect you directly with their team.

Staff contact: bhawkins@mehca.org

Thank You for Making the Hall of Flags a Success

• By: Ben Hawkins
• On: 05/29/2025 13:57:52
• In: Legislative/Government Affairs

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the State House on Tuesday for MHCA’s Hall of Flags event. Your participation helped spotlight the challenges and contributions of Maine’s long term care community.

Almost a dozen tables lined the Hall of Flags, creating a space for lawmakers to stop by, pick up materials, and talk with providers. Several tables included games and giveaways, and we appreciated seeing legislators have some fun while engaging with staff and learning more about long term care.

At noon, we held a press conference featuring MHCA President and CEO Angela Westhoff, MHCA Board Chair Michael Tyler, and Meghan Welch of Genesis Health Care. As Angela noted during her remarks, “There are solutions, and long term care providers are doing everything they can to be part of the solution. But without sustained investment, we risk letting a fragile system fall further behind.”

Earlier in the day, MHCA met with Governor Mills to discuss access to care, workforce challenges, and budget priorities. In the afternoon, we followed up with meetings with legislative leadership to continue those conversations.

Thank you again to everyone who made this event possible. Your presence and engagement were essential to the day’s success.

Staff contact: bhawkins@mehca.org

National Assisted Living Week 2025 Theme and Date Announced

• By: Dianne Chicoine
• On: 05/29/2025 08:08:58
• In: National Affiliate News

CMS Updates SNF Billing Guidance Related to Part D Drug Coverage

• By: Maureen Carland
• On: 05/29/2025 07:22:32
• In: Quality/Regulatory

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently reported that Medicare Part D improperly paid for prescription drugs during Medicare Part A skilled nursing facility (SNF) stays. In response, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated the SNF Billing Reference educational tool to help SNF billers identify where to submit claims when prescription drugs are furnished during a SNF short- or long-stay. 

During a SNF Part A stay, drugs prescribed for a Part D-enrolled patient aren’t covered by Part D if Part A or B can pay for them; SNFs should avoid submitting claims to Part D plans in these situations. 
Excerpts of the updated guidance include:
•  Drugs prescribed for a Part D-enrolled patient aren’t covered by Part D if Part A or B can pay for them.
•  Part A covers drugs and biologicals ordinarily provided by SNFs for the patient’s care and treatment.
•  Part A covers a limited supply of drugs to use outside a SNF if it’s medically necessary to help a patient leave the facility and is required until they can get a continuing supply

Medicare drug plan (Part D) coverage may be available to a Part D patient who’s exhausted their Part A inpatient stay benefit but remains in that inpatient setting, if the drug would otherwise be covered under Part D.?Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Manual, Chapter 6, section 20.2.1 has more information. 
 
Staff contact: mcarland@mehca.org

CMS Posts Updated Appendix PP

• By: Maureen Carland
• On: 05/29/2025 06:55:36
• In: Quality/Regulatory

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released an updated version of Appendix PP in the State Operations Manual (SOM), as detailed in memorandum QSO-25-14-NH. These updates, which took effect on April 28, 2025, include significant revisions to surveyor guidance for evaluating compliance with federal regulations in long-term care facilities.
CMS has also published updated resources, including revised Critical Element Pathways (CEPs), available in the surveyor resources folder.  To access these pathways go to Nursing Homes | CMS, scroll down to the Survey Resources (ZIP) open the Survey Resources folder, there you can access the LTC Survey pathways.  
AHCA previously released a webinar titled,?   Preparing for Upcoming CMS Guidance Changes: Key Updates and Action Items for Compliance.   In addition, to prepare for updates, action tools are available on the  AHCA Survey Regulatory Page?.
 
Staff Contact: mcarland@mehca.org

Leadership Symposium Sponsorships Available - Confirm by June 4th!

• By: Dianne Chicoine
• On: 05/28/2025 12:54:59
• In: Special Events

You don't want to miss this valuable sponsorship opportunity to have your business recognized by leaders in long-term care facilities, including owners, administrators, executive directors, and department managers. As sponsorships include registration for 1 or 2 representatives, please confirm your sponsorship by June 4th.
 
Not only will your sponsorship provide you with visibility, but you will also be supporting the association’s efforts to bring high quality education to providers as they continue to care for Maine’s most vulnerable residents.
 
The symposium offers a full day of forward-thinking insights on national and local trends, evolving regulations, and evidence-based strategies to strengthen operations. 
 
Sponsorship opportunities are limited, please reach out to Dianne Chicoine, Director of Business & Information Services (207.623.1146, ext. 201) today!
 
Staff Contact: dchicoine@mehca.org

Welcome New Member!

• By: Dianne Chicoine
• On: 05/28/2025 12:46:39
• In: Announcements/Reminders