“Hello Team Members, this is Matt Dewey the President of Caring Professionals Homecare and I need your help. By this Friday at 5:00pm I need you to send an e-mail to info@mycaringpro.com from your primary e-mail address. Simply put your name in the subject line and provide us with your current address and phone number. Starting next week we will be using e-mail to send you important updates. If you do not have an e-mail, please call us right away at 651-789-2299. Thank you for your help. And remember, we need this information via e-mail by 5:00pm this Friday. Have a great week!”

The legislature and administrative officials having been meeting over the weekend to finalize the details of the budget deal that would end the Minnesota government shutdown. Although the negotiators missed their self-imposed deadlines, they remain optomistic that an agreement will be reached soon and that the shutdown will end this week.

The State Capitol Complex and the negotiations remain “closed” to the public. With very little specific detail being shared before a final agreement is announced, we have heard that the HHS bill includes the following things that were agreed to at a “global” level:
• Provide $556 million in additional “revenue” for HHS above the legislative targets. This would bring the legislative “cut” target down from $1.6 billion to about $1.05 billion.
• A statement that the global agreement would protect 140,000 Minnesotans from losing health care, indicates that the MA Early Expansion that the legislature had proposed eliminating will be bought-back. This expansion allowed for Medical Assistance coverage for adults without dependent children.
• Also, the position that the agreement protects against long-term care cuts that would have forced 1,500 elderly and disabled people into more expensive nursing homes rather than home and community-based services, indicates that the alternative Personal Care Assistant (PCA) program may be included for funding. This program would help alleviate the impact on those clients that will lose PCA services because of eligibility changes.
• We are hearing that the agreement protects against cuts to mental health treatment funding that result in increased numbers of people with mental illness in our jails, emergency rooms and psychiatric hospitals. I believe this is most likely the proposed cuts to Adult Mental Health Grants, and indicates that cuts of that magnitude will not be included in the final agreement.
• A statement that the agreement protects against a drastic reduction in medical education and research funding tells us that proposed MERC funding cuts will be reduced from the legislative proposals, but some level of cuts will remain.
• The position that the agreement protects against a 50% cut to women’s primary health care services (family planning) is most likely referring to the proposed cuts to the Family Planning Special Project Grants, indicating that level of cuts are not in the final agreement.
• Finally, a statement that the agreement protects substantial funding for Department of Health Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) which aims to help Minnesotans live longer, healthier lives by reducing the burden of chronic disease and reduce long term healthcare costs indicates that SHIP funding will remain, but not at its previous level.
We are viewing the above list as a preview of the final HHS bill, as these items represent highlights in the legislation. The detailed program funding for the remainder of the agreement will be announced soon. As soon as we have more information, we will communicate it to you.

On Monday, June 27, 2011, Caring Professionals Homecare sent out a voicemail blast to all employees and clients (nearly 550 people in total) stating the following as it relates to the potential State of Minnesota government shutdown:

“Hi, this is Caring Professionals Homecare with an important update for all clients and employees.

As you may already know, the State of Minnesota does not have an approved budget to fund the operations of state government for the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2011. While courts are deciding what is considered critical services and while we wait for a final approved budget, please DO NOT PANIC.

We would like to our staff to continue working with their assigned clients and document hours worked on timecards as normal. Caring Professionals Homecare remains financially sound and will keep operating during these uncertain times. We will update you accordingly. Thank you.”

-Caring Professionals Homecare Administration

Some Good News on State of Minnesota Government Shutdown:

 Governor Dayton has amended his position on provider payments during a possible shut-down –it would appear that we should fall under this amended list that was sent to the AG.  Let’s hope the court agrees with his recommendation (they probably will) –we may not be impacted by the shut down based on this latest update.  See text below and actual link to the official website of Governor Dayton:

 Tomorrow, Gov. Mark Dayton will file a supplemental response to the petition of the Attorney General in Ramsey County District Court that expands the list of critical human services that would be continued in the event of a government shutdown.
 
The Governor’s original response, filed June 15, noted that benefits to individuals in health and economic assistance programs are critical because they are necessary to prevent an immediate threat to public health and safety. The original response did not include provider payments necessary to support these services.
 
“After consultation with seniors and other vulnerable Minnesotans served by our programs, we recognize the lack of assured provider payments could indeed lead to life threatening situations,” Commissioner Lucinda Jesson said. “The Governor’s legal filing and contingency plans will be refined to reflect this.”
 
In addition to provider payments, Gov. Dayton will also advise the Court that he intends to allow newly eligible people to enroll in those programs.
 
Programs covered by this announcement include Medicaid (Medical Assistance), MFIP/DWP, General Assistance, Minnesota Supplemental Aid, Refugee Cash Assistance, Group Residential Housing, MinnesotaCare, Food Support, Minnesota Food Assistance Program, and Adoption Assistance. 

 http://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/pressreleasedetail.jsp?id=102-13681

 Matthew C. Dewey  I President

We at Caring Professionals Homecare hope everyone has a fun, safe and warm spring!

Currently, in order to be eligible for Personal Care Assistance (PCA), the state of Minnesota requires that the person receiving care is either dependent on one Activity of Daily Living (ADL) or that the person exhibits what is called Level 1 behavior. Dependency on an ADL now requires hands-on physical assistance to complete the task or cuing and constant supervision to complete the task. ADLs include the following:

- Grooming
- Dressing
- Bathing
- Transferring
- Mobility
- Positioning
- Eating
- Toileting

Level 1 Behavior is behavior that requires the immediate response of another person, has occurred in the last 12 months, and involves at least one of the following:

- Physical aggression towards self
- Physical aggression towards others
- Destruction of property

Starting July 1, 2011, Minnesota will require a person to be dependent on two ADLs in order to receive PCA services. According to the PACER Center, the state is expected to reassess all recipients of PCA services between January 1 and June 30, 2011, except for those who receive PCA services through a waiver program or the Alternative Care Program.

Please check out our new audio testimonial: My Caring Pro Testimonial

1. Great PCA and nursing staff! Caring Professionals has some of the best trained PCA’s and nurses in the state. Our employees are highly motivated and bring smiles to our clients every day.
2. Clients come first. Caring Professionals prides itself on our quality of care and the service we provide to all of our clients.
3. Friendliest office in the Twin Cities. Whether you call in and talk to our office manager Sheila or meet with Amanda or Honest from HR, you will always feel welcome.
4. Management cares and it shows. Engagement in the community and volunteering time at non-profit organizations like Friends of Africa Education (www.foae.org) are some of things we do to help improve people’s lives outside the office.
5. Our new location is coming soon. Being located on Grand was nice, but the new location has dedicated parking for visitors and will be next to the new light rail line between Minneapolis and St. Paul.
6. Day or night, we can help!
7. Experience is key. Our management team has over 120 years of combined industry experience and all of them have been involved since the founding of the company.
8. Our annual picnic is awesome. Recognizing clients and employees is important to us. It’s also fun when there is food involved.
9. Caring Professionals Home Care is licensed, bonded and insured. Signing up with our service, you can rest assured that you are in good hands.
10. Continual strife for improvement. Suggestions and comments from clients and staff alike are always welcome as we seek better ways of providing great service.

The National Council On Aging (NCOA) has launched a national educational campaign to help seniors understand what’s in the new health reform law and how it will affect them. The NCOA reports that its facts are drawn from the law itself and from numerous non-partisan sources. In addition to pubishing various articles, the NCOA provides a recording of four webinars on their website. Access to these webinars can be found at the following link:

http://www.ncoa.org/public-policy/health-care-reform/straight-talk-for-seniors-on.html

If you’re living with a disability, private health insurance may be hard to come by. Even if you can afford to buy it, it probably doesn’t cover all of your needs. Worrying about where to get coverage and the cost of your care is the last thing you want to do. The Affordable Care Act is expanding your options for health insurance and making them more affordable. Additional information on what is changing and when can be found at healthcare.gov. The site also has an interactive timeline that outlines all of the upcoming changes.

Local and national media is increasingly reporting on the health care needs of our aging population.  Caring Professionals Home Care has been and continues to be one of the premier home health care providers in Minnesota serving the needs of this state’s citizens.  Over the next two years, we expect some significant changes in how our government manages health care.  Here are some interesting facts:

- The number of Americans over age 65 is expected to grow 3% each year over the next decade.

- In the same period, senior citizens will grow from 13% of the population to over 16%, an increase of 14 million people.

- Over 83% of people who die of heart disease are 65 years and older. A 65 year old person is twice as likely to have a stroke than a 55 year old person.

- As reported by Forbes, over 80% of middle aged and senior citizens prefer treatment in their own home to inpatient treatment at a healthcare facility.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) recently published proposed payment changes for 2011. While there are various pieces to it, the net effect is about a 4.75% decrease in Medicare payments to home health agencies next year, with a similar additional reduction in 2012.

Caring Professional’s pledge to its current and prospective clients is that we will continue to provide high quality service in this challenging environment.  We also encourage our clients to contact their representatives in Congress and let them know how they feel about the importance of home healthcare.  To get started, you can click on the following link: http://www.helpuschoosehome.com/takeaction.php

At Caring Professionals Home Care we strive to provide the best possible service to our clients.  To deliver superior service, all of our employees receive in person training and have to complete mandatory online courses.  In addition, Caring Professionals pays above average industry wages to attract and retain the right candidates.  Last, our company has implemented a rigorous code of conduct program and we hold all of our employees to a highest degree of ethical standards.

Like most home care agencies in Minnesota, Caring Professionals depends on reimbursement from the state to provide its services to the community.  Recent announcements from our state government have and will continue to negatively affect our clients and employees.  The Courage Center located in Minneapolis is commissioning  a survey to assess some of the effects of these changes.  Caring Professionals encourages all of its clients and employees to complete this survey which can be found at the following link.

http://www.couragecenter.org/ContentPages/pcasurvey2010.aspx

Today’s demand for health care workers is stronger than the demand for almost any other profession.  Check out the jobs section in your local paper or visit any online job board or career service and you will almost always find several health care positions posted for certified nursing assistants (CNAs), personal care assistants (PCAs) and the like.

“This is an area for which the job outlook is still strong.  On average, we hire about 14 new employees per month,” said Matthew Dewey, Administrator of Caring Professionals Homecare in St. Paul, Minnesota.

When deciding on a career path in this field, one should understand the difference between a licensed CNA and a PCA.  The former is a position that requires licensing from the state and is authorized to provide limited medical services.  On the other hand, personal care assistants or home care aides support their clients in and around the home or with transportation but do not provide medical services.

All types of aides are in great demand, especially in and around the Twin Cities.

“The aging baby boomer population has fuelled this growing need for assistance and has turned healthcare into a huge field with plenty of opportunities,” Dewey said.

About Caring Professionals Homecare:  The company was founded in 2006 and today employs over 200 PCA’s nurses and support staff.  CPH specializes on nonmedical personal home care for which it trains all of its employees in-house.

The Jobs of the Future
Occupations with the largest percentage growth expected through 2018:
• Biomedical Engineers 72%
• Network Systems Analysts 53%
• Home Health Aides 50%
• Personal, Home-Care Aides 46%
• Financial Examiners 41%
• Medical Scientists 40%
• Physician Assistants 39%
• Skin-Care Specialists 38%
• Biochemists, Biophysicists 37%
• Athletic Trainers 37%
Source: Labor Department ‘Occupational Outlook Handbook’

Please join us for some great food at our barbeque on the 11th of June from 11am-2pm. You will be in good company with many of the clients and employees of Caring Professionals Homecare. There will also be some giveaways, so come on over and have some fun! If you would like to come please call and let us know how many people you would like to bring.

Caring Professionals Homecare
Office 651-789-2299

If you owe back taxes, the IRS can now come calling in non-traditional ways – in fact, it might just garnish some of your Medicare reimbursement until you’ve paid back what you owe.            
According to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Transmittal 368, with an effective date of Oct. 1, businesses that owe tax money to the IRS may face levies.
“CMS may reduce federal payments subject to the levy by 15 percent, or the exact amount of the tax owed if it is less than 15 percent of the payment,” the transmittal indicates. “The levy is continuous until the overdue taxes are paid in full, or other arrangements are made to satisfy the debt.”              
If you owe back taxes, the IRS will arrange to take 15 percent of your Medicare reimbursement until your levy has been satisfied, says attorney Michael Schaff with Wilentz, Goldman and Spitzer in Woodbridge, N.J.             
This means that you will continue collecting reimbursement, but the payment will be reduced by 15 percent until you no longer owe the IRS money.             
If the government has garnished part of your Medicare reimbursement, you’ll see the code “WU” in the PLB03-1 data field, along with Medicare’s phone number in case you have questions about the adjustment.

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine estimates that Medicare payments for unplanned re-hospitalizations totaled $17.4 billion in 2004. Based on Medicare billing data for fiscal year 2003-2004, the authors estimate that one in five Medicare patients were re-hospitalized within 30 days of discharge, with only about 10 percent of these re-hospitalizations planned.
The most frequent reasons for re-hospitalization were:
•Heart failure (8.6 percent)
•Pneumonia (7.3 percent)
•Psychoses (4.3 percent)
•Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (3.9 percent)
Half of patients re-hospitalized within 30 days did not visit a physician after discharge to the community, Nancy Foster, AHA vice president for quality and patient safety, said.

More than 90 percent of U.S. nursing homes were cited for federal health and safety violations in 2007, according to an HHS Office of Inspector General report. The report found that deficiencies were cited for 94 percent of for-profit nursing homes, 88 percent of not-for-profit homes and 91 percent of government-run homes.
For-profit homes account for approximately 66 percent of U.S. nursing homes, not-for-profit homes account for 27 percent, and government-run homes account for 6 percent (Pear, New York Times, 9/30).

The most common deficiencies centered on quality of care measures, including treatment and prevention of bedsores and urinary tract infections. The most common quality of life issues involved housekeeping, maintenance, and nutrition, with 43 percent of homes cited for problems with dietary services (Freking, AP/Boston Globe, 9/29).

The report found that about 17 percent of nursing homes had deficiencies that caused “actual harm or immediate jeopardy” to residents. Of the 37,150 complaints inspectors received in 2007 about the condition of nursing homes, 39 percent were substantiated and about 20 percent of those verified complaints involved patient abuse or neglect.