News from NCALA

2012 Fall Conference & Trade Show
Exhibitor Info and Registration

Medicaid PCS Issue Status and Updates

The North Carolina Action Collaborative for Excellence (ACE) in Long-term Care announces its five-part Learning and Action Network Series. To register for the first learning session, visit the NC ACE Program at www.ccmemedicare.org.

New statistics compiled and available for Assisted Living in North Carolina.

Six sessions of the Adult Care Home Resident Discharge Team webinar will be held during the next two weeks. There is still space available. The Adult Care Home Resident Discharge Team webinar is designed to instruct the staff of county departments of social services (DSS), Local Management Entities (LME), and adult care home/family care homes in meeting the requirements of House Bill 677, which requires every county to establish a Adult Care Home Resident Discharge Team (ACHRDT) if the county has an adult care home licensed under Chapter 131D of the General Statutes. Please see the ACHRDT Dear Director letter for dates of the webinar and information on how to register. Questions regarding the Adult Care Home Discharge Team webinar can be directed to Charles Williams, Division of Aging and Adult Services, at (919) 855-3465, or by e-mail at charles.williams@dhhs.nc.gov.

PHCAST (Personal Home Care Aide State Training)
PHCAST is a comprehensive state training and competency program for personal home care aides. It addresses aides working in home care settings, but also provides a more comprehensive framework for training and competency for direct care workers. PHCAST incorporates advanced Nurse Aide I job categories included on the Nurse Aide Registry, including the Geriatric Nurse Aide, Medication Aide, and new Home Care Nurse Aide categories. The project will also result in a recommended training for direct care workers who provide hands on care that does not require Nurse Aide I registry. The training model being developed through the PHCAST project can provide additional training opportunities and options for organizations seeking NC NOVA designation.

NCTracks is the new system the state is moving towards to pay Medicaid claims. The NCTracks Communications Team recently posted a May/June newsletter, a project brochure and a high-level NCTracks fact sheet to the OMMISS Web site. You are encouraged to review this information. It is meant to educate, inform, and prepare you for the changes you can expect with the transition from legacy DHHS systems to NCTracks. Between now and the July 2013 implementation date, more information on system functionality and features, training opportunities, changes to the enrollment process, and much more will be provided.

Medicaid Alert! Attention All Providers: Upgrading the NC Medicaid EHR Incentive Payment System
The Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) announces upgrades to the NC Medicaid Incentive Payment System (NC-MIPS) to help eligible professionals (EPs) and eligible hospitals (EHs) apply for and receive Electronic Health Record (EHR) incentive payments in 2012. The new NC-MIPS is expected to go live on June 5, 2012 for Adopt/Implement/Upgrade (AIU) attestations and on June 27, 2012 for Meaningful Use (MU) attestations.
Read more at DMA …
Read more at NC-MIPS …

Legislative Changes in 2011 That Will Affect Adult Care Homes and Family Care Homes