News

Delaware Health Care Facilities Association Releases Statement Following Finalization of Federal Staffing Mandate

April 23, 2024 — DHCFA Release 4.22.2024_ Fed Staff Mandate Wilmington, DE– Delaware Health Care Facilities Association released the following statement following the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) finalization of a federal staffing mandate for nursing homes. The following statement is attributable to Executive Director Cheryl Heiks: “We are dismayed that the Biden Administration is moving... Read More

Reminder: Delaware Medicaid Adult Dental Program Copayments Started December 1

January 31, 2024 — During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), Delaware Medicaid did not institute Adult Dental Program copayments. However, the Adult Dental Program copayments started on December 1, 2023. The adult dental copay is $3, payable directly to the provider.  For more information, visit de.gov/medicaidrenewals.

REMINDER ON ISO-100 TRAINING

January 11, 2024 — From Robert Smith, DHCQ: Individuals can only take the ISO-100 training once, which was not realized when the regulations were written.  Currently DHCQ is accepting that at least two active, full-time employees have completed FEMA training in ICS-100 and NIMS-700a until we update the regulations. Currently in the regulations: 8.6.2 Copies of the FEMA certificate... Read More

Fingerprinting Update

November 28, 2023 — Division of Health Care Quality (DHCQ) will be hosting two temporary locations for ink fingerprinting. Fingerprinting will be by appointment only. No walk-ins will be accepted.  The temporary fingerprinting locations and procedures are as follows: New Castle County: DHCQ, 263 Chapman Road, Cambridge Building, Suite 200, Newark, DE 19702 Sussex County: Adams State Service Center,... Read More

Abbott BinexNow Test Kit Program

August 4, 2023 — REPORTED BY AHCA/NCAL Skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities continue to receive or are eligible to receive free monthly shipments of Abbott BinaxNOW over the counter (OTC) COVID-19 test kits from the department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This program, which has been in place since 2020, will continue through at least the... Read More

Long Term Care Podcast With Guest Paul Smiley, Gilpin Hall

March 31, 2023 — Paul Smiley, Executive Director of Gilpin Hall, spoke with host Peter Murphy Lewis about “Resisting the Avalanche of Homogenization at Gilpin Hall” on Long-Term Care Heroes Episode 89, March 13.  Subscribe here to listen: https://ltcheroes.com/episode-89-resisting-the-avalanche-of-homogenization-with-paul-smiley-of-gilpin-hall/ Peter spoke at DHCFA’s Education Afternoon and Holiday Social in December, interviewing Foulk Living’s Leslie Johnson (See article here), DHCFA’s... Read More

COVID-19 NHSN Booster Reporting and COVID-19 NHSN Vaccination “Up to Date”

February 15, 2023 — By Kris Mastrangelo, OTR/L, LNHA, MBA, Harmony Health Care The COVID-19 National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Booster Reporting is a reporting program developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is designed to provide real-time data on COVID-19 cases, outbreaks, and testing in health care... Read More

Foulk Living’s Executive Director Johnson Guests on LTC Heroes Podcast

February 1, 2023 — It is no secret that the long-term care industry has been struggling with staff shortages since the pandemic. However, Foulk Living is an exception, as team members enjoy every single day on the job. This success can be attributed to strong leadership that prioritizes the physical and emotional health of caregivers and provides a relaxed... Read More

QuantiFeron-TB Gold Plus testing offers accuracy in health monitoring for patients

November 21, 2022 — By Dr. Rita Khoury, Lab Director, Aculabs Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). A person infected with MTB might end up with TB disease with clinical, radiographic, and microbiological evidence of tuberculosis, or will have no clinical evidence of TB disease and would be considered latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI); however, about... Read More

CMS Issues FY 2023 SNF Final Payment Rule_AHCA Response Statement

August 1, 2022 — On July 29, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that updates Medicare payment policies and rates for skilled nursing facilities under the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) for fiscal year (FY) 2023. In addition, the final rule includes updates for the SNF Quality Reporting Program... Read More