VHCA-VCAL has had a tremendously successful year advocating for members and residents. This “Year in Review” highlights all that we’ve accomplished together in 2021.

 Medicaid and Other Funding for Nursing Facilities

• Secured a $15 per resident per day add-on to the Medicaid rate effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.
• Obtained an allocation of Virginia’s share of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for a $5 per day payment to Medicaid-eligible nursing facilities and specialized care providers.
• 5.93 percent inflation increase in Medicaid rates for the state fiscal year that began on July 1, 2021.
• Budget language directing DMAS to work with stakeholders, including nursing facilities and the CCC Plus managed care organizations, to develop a unified, value-based purchasing (VBP) program that includes enhanced funding for facilities that meet or exceed performance and/or improvement thresholds as developed, reported, and consistently measured by DMAS in cooperation with participating facilities. (The VBP program is designed to replace the $15 day add on when it expires.)
• Deferral of the next scheduled rebasing for one year in order to avoid the use of the 2020 cost reports. The next rebasing will be for rates effective July 1, 2024 and will utilize cost reports ending in 2021.

Assisted Living Advocacy

• Advocated for the 10 percent increase in the Auxiliary Grant.
• $530,000 in funding for HVAC/air quality systems in assisted living facilities that serve a disproportionate share of auxiliary grant residents.
• Issued the Cannabis Laws Overview and Issue Considerations to help members navigate issues related to the legalization of recreational cannabis as employers and providers.

Membership

• Provider membership is at an all-time high for the second year in a row with 354 facilities (255 nursing centers and 99 assisted living facilities).

 Public Relations and Communications

• Distributed 8 press releases/“In Case You Missed It” media blasts hailing the efforts of the sector and calling for support of long term care providers.
• Staff and members have been featured in print and online news outlets including The Washington Post, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Roanoke Times, Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star, Virginian-Pilot, Virginia Mercury, Inside NOVA, Augusta Free Press, State of Reform, The Center Square, as well as numerous broadcast and radio outlets including WAVY, WJHL, WFRX, WRIC, WTKR, WTOP, WTVR, WVEC, and WVIR. 

 Continuing Education and Events

• Hosted 22 programs: 11 webinars/webinar series and four in-person events (Managing Medicare Managed Care Intensive, Fall Summit & Expo, Financial Conference, and the Quality Award Workshops).
• The Fall Summit & Expo drew 264 attendees and 78 exhibitors.
• Overall, 1,387 attendees participated in VHCA-VCAL sponsored continuing education programs.
• Offered 117.75 hours of education programming.

 Pledge Partners

• Saw record-setting support for the 2021 Pledge Partners program with 17 organizations committing over $108,000 in sponsorship to VHCA-VCAL.

 COVID-19 Communications and Resources

• Sent over 60 COVID-19-specific communications to members with regulatory and other updates.
• Launched the Vaccine Status Reporting System to help providers meet their ongoing vaccine needs during the transition from the Federal Pharmacy Partnership for LTC and the normal LTC pharmacy infrastructure.
• Hosted a Lunch & Learn webinar on how to implement a vaccine requirement.
• Secured budget language to reinstate eligibility for temporary nurse aides (TNAs) to take the National Nurse Aid Assessment Program examination for as long as the federal 1135 waiver remains in place.

 Regirer Nursing Scholarship

• The Board of Directors approved an increase in the amount of the Regirer Nursing Scholarship to $2,000 per recipient.
• Awarded 26 Regirer Nursing Scholarships totaling $52,000 for current VHCA-VCAL member employees who commit to working in long term care while furthering their nursing education to earn their LPN or RN degrees.

 VHCA PAC

• Hit an all-time high of the number of facilities supporting VHCA PAC raising $130,500 to support political candidates who support VHCA-VCAL priorities.

Advocacy and Outreach

• Ongoing and frequent communication with key state leaders including Gov. Ralph Northam, Secretaries of Health and Human Services Daniel Carey and Vanessa Walker Harris, Secretary of Finance Joe Flores, Secretary of Labor Megan Healy, DMAS Director Karen Kimsey, OLC Director Kim Beazley, and DSS Director of the Division of Licensing Programs Tara Davis-Ragland.
• Hosted a meet-and-greet for the Board of Directors with then candidate for governor Glenn Youngkin to discuss issues facing the LTC sector
• Used the results of our staffing/workforce survey to highlight the magnitude of the staffing crisis before the Joint Commission on Health Care and other policymakers.
• Staff and members served on numerous state workgroups and taskforces representing the sector.