Restrictions on elective surgeries and state-by-state efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 result in a 78.9 percent occupancy level in April, NIC finds.

The webinar, hosted by the Health Resources and Services Administration, is set for July 8 at 4 p.m. (ET).

AHCA/NCAL members tell Provider they are proud to be part of the group charged with finding solutions to managing and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in nursing centers.

A survey of AHCA/NCAL members found that 56 percent of nursing and assisted living communities said lab turnaround time was the biggest hurdle to gauging infection spread.

The survey is the first to compare current residents’ status across independent living, assisted living, memory care, and nursing care properties.

The blanket waiver was intended to temporarily allow the agency to concentrate its efforts on combating COVID-19 and reduce administrative burden on nursing homes so they could focus on patient health and safety, CMS says.

Most importantly, AHCA/NCAL says, CMS includes detailed guidance for documentation, completing Minimum Data Set assessments, and entering claims data needed in order to permit processing of claims using the waivers.

HHS says that estimated lost revenue could be the difference between a provider’s budgeted revenue and actual revenue.

New data from an NCAL survey of its members shows more than half of assisted living centers possess less than a two-week supply of specific personal protective equipment.

New program will assign mentors to help facilities brainstorm strategies, assist with guidance interpretation, and connect them with resources.

The act of bringing providers, residents, families, experts, and policymakers together “is essential in fostering a more collaborate approach to addressing this once-in-a-century crisis,” says AHCA/NCAL head Mark Parkinson.

Also, some providers are receiving notices in CASPER rescinding the F884 citation and Civil Monetary Penalty they were given for not reporting properly about COVID the week of June 1-7.

The change in occupancy in May was less than in the previous month in both independent and assisted living communities.

The stark difference in reimbursement between Medicare and Medicaid keeps many operators subsisting only because Medicare has paid enough to make up for the ever insufficient Medicaid payments.

Mark Parkinson says lack of proper funding for critical protective supplies and testing capabilities puts “our heroic caregivers” and the residents they care for at a severe disadvantage.

The notifications of deficiency and CMP are being sent via the CASPER/QIES system, not in the usual method, so facilities must log in to CASPER to see if they have a citation or not.

New funds have been allocated for providers reimbursed under the Medicaid program, including long term care operators, as part of the administration’s COVID-19 relief effort.

National association requests $5 billion in federal assistance, similar to help for SNFs, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New data targeting the coronavirus should be used to help direct resources to the elderly with chronic diseases and the dedicated staff who care for them, AHCA/NCAL says.

AHCA/NCAL has also updated its reporting and notification guidelines summary according to new regs for notifying residents, representatives, and families of COVID-19 cases in facilities.

In late-breaking news, HHS has clarified that the June 3 deadline for LTC providers to submit revenue data for COVID financial relief is only for providers who are seeking additional Tranche 1 funding.

The numbers show “what we have known for months,” that COVID-19 disproportionately impacts the elderly with chronic diseases and the dedicated staff who care for them, says AHCA/NCAL’s Mark Parkinson.