Onlinehttps://www.mehca.org/ Powered by: Forest Blog Copyright 2006 Host ForestJoin Us on Monday to Learn About a Nursing Home Telehealth Funding Opportunity0 Workforce
 


Join Us on Monday to Learn About a Nursing Home Telehealth Funding Opportunity.


As part of Maine's Rural Health Transformation Program, there is funding to support innovative telehealth, connecting nursing home residents with specialty healthcare services, including psychiatry and behavioral health support.

To join the virtual meeting on Monday, November 2 at 10am, follow this Teams invite:

Microsoft Teams meeting:
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2575427807534579?p=53Wxl7lyGQimb9MuWC
Meeting ID: 257 542 780 753 457 9
Passcode: Gi7Sx2BX


To learn more: Maine Rural Health Transformation Program | MCD Global Health
]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3410https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3410Anna Black341020261029103209MDS and RCA Trainings in November 2026 0November 2026 Trainings available from OMS.  To register click on the link and fill out the required information to sign up.  
 
 November 2026 Training Summary:
  • MDS RCA Training for Residential Care Facilities*  Session #1 - Nov 4, 2026, 10:00 AM -12:00 PM
 
  • Nursing Facility Forum Call - November 5, 2026, 01:00 PM – 2:00 PM
 
  • MDS RCA Training for Residential Care Facilities* Session #2 - Nov 10, 2026, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
 
  • MDS RCA Training for Residential Care Facilities* Session #3 - Nov 17, 2026, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
 
  • ADL Documentation for Residential Care PNMI & Adult Family Care Homes - November 18, 2026 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
 
*Please note: Each Training is different.
 
Staff Contact: mcarland[at]mehca.org
 ]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3409https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3409Maureen Carland340920261026114454Welcome New Member!0Join us in welcoming the following new member:
 
Maine Geriatrics, 22 West Cole Road, Biddeford, ME 04005 T. (207) 780-6565 F. (207) 878-6565 Contact: Ms. Isabella Scott, Administrative Assistant  
 
Staff contact: dchicoine[at]mehca.org
]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3408https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3408Dianne Chicoine340820261022105259January 2027 Care Compare Preview Reports Now Available in iQIES0Nursing Home Care Compare with the January 2027 refresh. The reports draw on MDS data from Q2 2025 through Q1 2026, NHSN influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel from Q4 2025 through Q1 2026, claims-based measures from Q4 2023 through Q3 2025, and the SNF Healthcare-Associated Infections measure from Q4 2024 through Q3 2025.

Note that two COVID-19 measures, vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel and the percent of patients/residents who are up to date, will no longer be publicly reported starting with this refresh.
The review window closes November 14, 2026. Only corrections made before that deadline will show up on Care Compare; anything updated afterward will appear in iQIES QM reports only. Now is a good time to pull your report, compare it against your internal data, and flag any discrepancies with your MDS team.

For help accessing your Provider Preview Report, contact the iQIES Service Center at iqies@cms.hhs.gov or 1-800-339-9313. Questions about SNF QRP public reporting can go to SNFQRPPRQuestions@cms.hhs.gov, and AHCA members can also reach out to regulatory@ahca.org.
 
Staff contact: mcarland[at]mehca.org
 ]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3407https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3407Maureen Carland340720261020124330SNF PEPPER Webinar Recording Now Available (FY25 Reports)0 The recording works well as a quick review for leaders who already know PEPPER, and as an introduction for newer administrators, DONs, and MDS coordinators. Consider watching it as a team and then comparing your center’s report against the national, state, and MAC jurisdiction benchmarks.
Watch the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CPpkbQYPJU
 
Staff contact: mcarland[at]mehca.org
 ]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3406https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3406Maureen Carland340620261018121328AHCA/NCAL Convention 0, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL)?officially welcomed more than 4,000 attendees to Delivering Solutions 26, its annual Convention & Expo dedicated to the long term and post-acute care profession. 
The annual convention is an opportunity for attendees to reconnect with colleagues, exchange ideas, and explore new solutions regarding the continued delivery of high-quality care for seniors and individuals with disabilities.
 
To learn more about the event, read AHCA's press release here: Delivering Solutions 26 Kicks Off in Boston
And view the week's full schedule here: Full Schedule 
]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3405https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3405Anna Black340520261015132410AHCA/NCAL Elects Board of Governors, Directors at Delivering Solutions 260The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) elected AHCA’s Board of Governors and NCAL’s Board of Directors for the 2026-2027 term. 
 
Chris Wright of Connecticut was elected for a second term as AHCA Chair, and Sarah Silva of Oregon was elected for a second term as NCAL Chair.

To learn more about AHCA's Board of Governors, follow this link: AHCA/NCAL Elects Board of Governors, Directors at Delivering Solutions 26
]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3404https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3404Anna Black340420261015132021Recovery Friendly Workplaces0Recovery Friendly Workplace? 
 
Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) helps businesses build supportive, stigma-free welcoming workplaces for people in recovery from substance use disorder.
 
Becoming a Recovery Friendly Workplace is a smart workforce strategy. By reducing barriers to employment and recognizing the skills and potential of people in recovery, you can expand your talent pool, improve employee retention, reduce absenteeism, and build a healthier workplace culture.
 
The best part? There is no cost to participate.

RFW Maine provides employers with training, resources, and guidance to help create a recovery-friendly culture that works for their organization.

When qualified workers are hard to find, overlooking people because of their recovery journey means overlooking valuable talent.

Learn more or get started: rfwmaine.org

Or join the Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative's November zoom to hear updates from employers already engaged. 
Link for more info on the November meeting: Summary - Governor's Office Opioid Response Seminar Series (November ME#802/880)
]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3403https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3403Anna Black340320261015131343Align to Partner with Activated Insights for CoreQ0 For Align customers, nothing changes day to day. The same team, the same relationships, and the same service continue, now with more behind them. Align will continue to serve its customers directly, with Activated Insights supporting and strengthening that work.
This partnership also marks a personal milestone for Align. After nearly 30 years of building and leading the company, founder and president Neil Gulsvig is preparing for retirement. Neil has made a lasting contribution to senior care through both MyInterview and Align, and his commitment to Align’s employees and customers shaped this path forward.
“From the beginning, my priority has been the people who make Align what it is, our employees, customers, and partners,” said Neil Gulsvig, founder and president of Align. “In Activated Insights, we found a partner that shares that commitment and will help our customers thrive for years to come.”
“Align has built something special, a team and a set of relationships that are deeply trusted across senior care,” said Todd Austin, President and COO of Activated Insights. “We are proud to partner with Align to strengthen that work and support its customers as the needs of the industry continue to evolve.”
We are grateful to Neil for nearly three decades of leadership and service to his team, his customers, and the senior care industry. His impact will be felt for years to come.
 
Staff contact: mcarland]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3402https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3402Maureen Carland340220261014091357CMS Warns Providers About Unofficial CLIA Invoices0October 7 special alert, CMS says CLIA-certified laboratories in several states have received third-party solicitations styled as bills or invoices that could be mistaken for official CLIA communications. Reports have come from Iowa, Texas, and Minnesota. The third party is not affiliated with CMS, and its document is not an official CLIA fee or government notice. 

What Should Members Do? ?
Review before paying. Check the sender, the purpose of the notice, and any fee or payment instructions. Official CLIA communications come from CMS or the State Survey Agency. 

Share the alert with staff responsible for the facility’s CLIA certificate, billing, compliance, and administration. 

Confirm the laboratory’s email address is current with CMS so official electronic CLIA communications reach the right person. 

Verify questions through an independent source. Contact your State Agency CLIA office or email the CMS CLIA Program at LabExcellence@cms.hhs.gov?. Certification and survey information is available at no cost through CMS’s QCOR lookup. 
CMS also reminds laboratories that it no longer mails paper CLIA certificates or fee coupons and no longer accepts paper checks for certification or survey fees. A mailed request for payment warrants careful verification. 

The memo does not create new regulatory requirements. It is a timely prompt to make sure anyone who receives or approves CLIA-related correspondence knows how to verify it before payment. 
Questions may be sent to regulatory@ahca.org.?
 
Staff Contact: mcarland[at]mehca.org
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 ]]>https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3401https://www.mehca.org/default.asp?Display=3401Maureen Carland340120261014075156