Study Raises Concern About PPE For Nursing Homes As Coronavirus Cases Grow

Posted: Oct. 30, 2020

A new report by Colorado Public Interest Research Group, or CoPIRG, found some nursing-home facilities are now experiencing major shortages of PPE, just as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are on the rise, Colorado Public Radio reports.

The report characterized the problem as worse than earlier on in the pandemic and revealed shortages of masks, gowns, gloves and eye protection, among other supplies.

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HHAC Releases Positions on Ballot Initiatives

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Make sure your voter registration is up to date! Registration in Colorado is allowed up until election day. There are 11 statewide ballot measures.

HHAC’s legislative committee voted to support the following:

Amendment B – Repeal of the Gallagher Amendment

• Repeals the Gallagher Amendment of 1982, which limited the residential and non-residential property tax assessment rates so that residential property taxes amount to 45% of the total share of state property taxes and non-residential property taxes amount to 55%. If passed, it will stop the continued ratcheting down of residential property taxes and will help state and local budgets from taking an additional hit in the next fiscal year.

Prop EE – Taxes on Nicotine Products

• Increases taxes on tobacco, creates a new tax on nicotine products such as e-cigarettes; dedicates funds to education, housing and health programs.

The legislative committee voted to oppose the following:

Prop 116

• This initiative would cut the state’s income tax rate from 4.63 percent to 4.55 percent. The state budget would take an additional hit if passed.

Prop 117

• This would add a new TABOR-like provision to state law, requiring the state government to get voter permission before it creates major new “enterprises,” which are partially funded by fees.
  

Don't Miss HHAC's Annual Meeting -- 8 AM Next Friday, Oct. 16

HHAC will have its annual membership meeting virtually next Friday, Oct. 16, at 8 a.m., in conjunction with the association's annual conference, also virtual. 

Speaking will be President Linda Bagby, President-Elect Nancy Stokes, and Executive Director Don Knox. HHAC's lobby team, including Eliza Schultz, Elisabeth Rosen, and Betsy Murray, will share out news from the statehouse and regulators, and they'll be available for your questions. 

We'll do a PAC fundraiser and raise a cup of coffee to the 50th anniversary of the home care association and the 40th anniversary of the hospice association. Business meeting connection information will be available soon. 

A special thanks to Crag Business Group for being our anniversary and annual meeting sponsor!

From left: Kassner, Klus, Adeosun, Lentz

Three Sessions Not To Miss At Next Week's HHAC Conference

HHAC's virtual conference is next week. Here are three sessions not to miss!

• Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) in Colorado Medicaid: Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is mandated in Colorado for all appropriate services. After an overview of what EVV is and how Home Care and Hospice agencies may assure that they are compliant there will be time for direct questions that may be of interest for the collected participants. (Please send any questions involving specific members or an agency's enrollment directly to [email protected] for assistance in a non-public forum.) Speaker: John Lentz, Policy Advisor, Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Finance
• Palliative Care in Colorado: Trends, Gaps, and Opportunities to Improve Care: This workshop will review the 2019 Colorado statewide palliative care study. Every hospice, hospital, and other identified provider of palliative care was contacted to complete a survey. This was the 3rd Colorado statewide palliative care study conducted since 2007. Current study methods, results, and recommendations will be discussed, and compared to previous studies. Speakers: Cordt Kassner, CEO, Hospice Analytics, and Jenn Klus, MPH, Oncology Systems Consultant, Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
• Right Place & Right Time Caregiver Education: Older adults, home care workers, and Home Care businesses are quickly moving to the center of the healthcare conversation. Home care workers are in short supply and are desperately needed on the front lines of the Care Team. We must strive to support this workforce with the expectation of quality improvement in care, independent living, and comfort despite health complications. Speaker: Helen Adeosun, Co-Founder & CEO, CareAcademy

Visit the conference website to learn more & to register!