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Did you know that Long Term Care Facilities may qualify for up to $3,000 in CMP?

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CMP: Civil Monetary Penalties

A CMP is a sanction imposed against long term care facilities for committing fraud or an Immediate Jeopardy situation. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) study the case and decide if the SNF requires civil monetary penalties or its exclusion from the Medicare and Medicaid program.

Here are the references on how the penalties are calculated depending on the infraction.

A CMP is an efficient measure to regulate long term care facilities from harmful behaviors, but it can also turn into a productive, indirect tool to improve their provided services.

The collected capital accumulates in an interest-bearing account the state reinvests in supporting skilled nursing facilities when meeting specific requirements.

CMPs Before and After Covid-19

In the past, the Civil Monetary Penalties Funds were sometimes challenging to access. Facilities could apply for a CMP grant, but the grant proposal needed to have enough documentation to be approved.

If the application could not prove its evidence-based outcomes, the facilities would have fewer chances to obtain the claimed resources. Since Covid-19 overwhelmed the country’s long term care health systems, the funds are more easily available for skilled nursing facilities. 

Laura Cartwright says in the interview above:

“All you had to do was fill out this form. It asks what technology is wanted, how much it costs, and we got up to $3,000.” 

How Laura Cartwright From Nazareth Home Earned the CMP Grant

Laura Cartwright is an RN and specialist in quality and education at the Highlands Campus for the Nazareth Home in Kentucky. Before getting her RN license, Laura studied and worked in fine arts, and it was still before even working as a nurse when she learned about the CMP grants and all the funds the states were concentrating out of Civil Monetary Penalties.

CMP Funds Application Process

In April 2020, the CMS put out the emergency grants to help facilities face the difficulties of Covid-19.

As soon as Laura learned about it, she sent the state’s application for a $3,000 technology grant designated to the residents’ communication and councils’ improvement.

They found the Kentucky grant representative’s contact to apply for the CMP grant and got informed about every application process step.

You can find your state contact for CMP reinvestment at the bottom of this article.

To be considered for the funding, each application must include the following information:

  • Facility’s name
  • Number of residents
  • Devices information
  • Cost per device 
  • The total number of devices requested. 
  • Total funds requested 

Communicative Technology CMP Grant

Because of the situation’s urgency, Nazareth Home went ahead and financed the equipment they needed on their own before the reimburse would be approved. 

Their proposal required communicative devices to connect residents with their families and loved ones during the pandemic’s isolation in the long term care facility.

The purchase consisted of eight iPads for each one of their campuses, along with their corresponding cases. The acquisition cost $2,950, right on the cusp of the available $3,000.

The major hitch the SNF had to face was being able to buy all the tablets at once. Laura explains how they needed iPads for too many people, but there was a limit of iPads they could get at a time. They had to go through a vendor they had a partnership with to get all the products they needed soon.

In the end, Laura managed to get 16 iPads for both Nazareth Home campuses, and by the middle of May, the reimbursing check arrived.

Long Term Care Facilities Need for Communicative Equipment

Communicative devices help long term care facilities connect with their families, turning into a helpful tool to combat social isolation’s adverse outcomes.

Combating the Covid-19 pandemic has required the skilled nursing facilities to self-isolate for long periods and follow other crucial recommendations to stop the spread of the virus within their communities.

A Guide Through COVID-19 for Long Term Care Facilities

Learn about the CMS and CDC recommendations to slow the spread of the Covid-19 in SNFs in the following ABILITY INFECTIONWATCH webinar

The WHO  (World Health Organization) and governments worldwide agree on the crucial importance of social isolation in fighting the virus spread.

The problem is that social isolation may carry severe health issues. Research  has linked confinement and loneliness to a variety of physical and mental conditions: 

  • High blood pressure 
  • Heart disease
  • Obesity
  • Immune system weakening
  • Anxiety 
  • Depression 
  • Cognitive decline 
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Death

Skilled nursing and senior care facilities have isolated their residents from the community, family, and friends to protect them. In many cases, they have been isolated even from the rest of the residents. Strict measures of this sort have led to a significant decline in the residents’ health.

For more detailed information about the social isolation outcomes and solutions, take a look at our interview with Kevin McCormick:

Combating Depression and Social Isolation in Long Term Care

Technology to Connect People

From the different possibilities the CMS offers to help long term care facilities, the Communicative Technology Grant is the most common among the applications. The CMS and facilities understand the power of communication to overcome social isolation, and the CMP fund has already financed a significant amount of these projects across the country.

Facilities may use CMP funds for (among others) the following reasons: 

  • Projects that support resident and family councils and other consumer involvement in assuring quality care in facilities
  • Assistance to support and protect residents of a facility that closes
  • Residents relocation expenses when a facility is closed
  • Facility improvement initiatives. 

Laura Cartwright found the opportunity to provide residents a mental health and life improvement in the Communicative Technology Grant.

The grant served to purchase iPads the residents could use to FaceTime with their families. The money covered the iPads, their cases, and cleaning solutions. The funds could be used for any kind of adaptive equipment they could prove destined for their residents’ telecommunication, like, for example, cameras for video calls.

Laura noted, some iPads were dedicated only to the Covid-19 unit. Nobody else could use them, and they were regularly cleaned. The facility always kept all devices safely cleaned with the proper antiviral, alcohol wipes. The tablets became the only way residents could contact their families and friends during uncertain times of isolation and loneliness. In some cases, the iPads became some residents’ entire social lives.

CMP Grants For Telehealth

As another communicative implementation for the residents’ care, the staff also used the iPads for telehealth.

While one nurse practitioner had to quarantine at home for caution, she continued assisting residents by working from home. 

Thanks to the CMP Grant, we could keep direct communication between her and the patients she would need to interview and check on. Even if we can do a more integrated assessment in person, we had nurses at both ends of the call coordinating to share all the needed assessments, ensuring the service was complete as usual.

Laura CartWright, RN

In-person Visits

Nazareth Home is currently free of Covid-19 cases, but they still give communicative approaches to the iPads use. 

While still preserving strict social distancing measures, they are beginning to open up to family councils. These reunions are getting very popular in health care centers because they allow patients to keep a safe distance from visitors. 

The problem long term care facilities residents face is that they often have hearing problems because of their advanced age. A resident with hearing limitations cannot keep up with a conversation wearing masks six feet away. During in-person visits, residents still use iPads to FaceTime with the visitors so that the video call audio makes their encounter possible.

CMP Visitations Grant

The CMS has also released a new initiative to finance measures that ensure these visits’ safety.

Apart from the Communicative Technology Grant, the CMS is also offering funds for other productive initiatives. 

The In-Person Visitations Aid CMP Grant allows long term care facilities to invest the CMP funds to purchase equipment that improves outside visitations’ safety. The application must fall in the qualifications by proving the manufacturer’s products safe. Facilities can use this grant to purchase tents and screens that allow a safe encounter with outsiders.

Learn more about the CDC instructions for visitors management

CMP Funds’ Outcomes for Nazareth Home

By applying for the CMP grants, Laura Cartwright helped Nazaret Home residents overcome the pandemic isolation struggles.

Nazaret Home

Nazareth Home is a Catholic-based SNF founded by the Sisters of Charity. Along with its sister campus in Clifton, Nazareth Home suffered the challenges Covid-19 has brought to health care facilities during the pandemic. They had to deal with cases on both campuses in Kentucky and figure out how to get it out of their community to ensure the facilities’ safety. 

Thanks to the CMP funds, Nazareth Home is now more equipped to face a situation that has taken all care facilities worldwide by surprise. 

How to Apply for the CMP Grant

Even the more prepared health systems had to take urgent measures to fight this crisis. These CMS emergency programs are a great help for long term care facilities. The process aims to be accessible enough for facilities to qualify for the funds and quickly reimburse expenses.

 

All facilities need to do is finding their state contact for CMP Reinvestment in the following list and follow the easy instructions to provide the forms and documentation required.

State Contacts for CMP Reinvestment

State Representative Phone Email
Alabama Dennis Blair (334) 206-5366 Dennis.Blair@adph.state.al.us 
Alaska Mary Perius (907) 334-2488 Mary.Perius@alaska.gov 
Arizona Diane Eckles (602) 364-2675  Diane.Eckles@azdhs.gov 
Arkansas Sandra Broughton (501) 320-6182 Sandra.Broughton@dhs.arkansas.gov
California Carly Carroll (916) 449-5582 Carly.Carroll@cdph.ca.gov
Colorado  Randy Kuykendall (303) 692-2945  Randy.Kuykendall@state.co.us
Connecticut  Donna Ortelle (860) 509-7520 Donna.Ortelle@ct.gov
Delaware  Renee Purzycki  (302) 421-7444 Renee.Purzycki@delaware.gov
District of Columbia  Veronica Longstreth (202) 442-4737 Veronica.Longstreth@dc.gov
Florida  Marsha Webb (850) 228-7109 Marsha.Webb@ahca.myflorida.com
Georgia  LaKeisha Levy (404) 463-8987 Lakeisha.Levy@dch.ga.gov
Hawaii  Keith Ridley (808) 692-7227  Keith.Ridley@doh.hawaii.gov
Idaho  Debby Ransom (208) 334-6626 RansomD@dhw.idaho.gov
Illinois  Aimee D. Isham  (217) 782-2363 Aimee.Isham2@illinois.gov
Indiana  Nancy Adams (317) 233-7119 NAdams1@isdh.in.gov
Iowa  Sally Oudekerk  (515) 256-4643 Soudeke@dhs.state.ia.us
Kansas  Lacey Hunter (785) 296-1269 lacey.hunter@ks.gov
Kentucky  Gina Riddell (502) 564-2888 CMPAPPLICATION_OIG@ky.gov
Louisiana  Cecile Castello (225) 342-4997 Cecile.Castello@la.gov
Maine  Elizabeth Church (207) 287-9335 Elizabeth.Church@maine.gov
Maryland  Shaliek Maxwell-West (410) 402-8189 shaliek.maxwell-west@maryland.gov
Massachusetts  Dr. Katherine T. Fillo (617) 753-7328 Katherine.Fillo@state.ma.us
Michigan  Cheryl A. Klima (517) 241-7334 Klimac@michigan.gov
Minnesota  Munna Yasiri (651) 431-2264  Munna.Yasiri@state.mn.us
Mississippi  Michelle Austin (601) 364-1106  Michelle.Austin@msdh.ms.gov
Missouri  Shelly Williamson (573) 522-6228 shelly.williamson@health.mo.gov
Montana  Todd Boucher  (406) 444-2038  Tboucher3@mt.gov
Nebraska  Catherine Gekas Steeby (402) 471-9058 Catherine.Gekassteeby@nebraska.gov
New Hampshire  Doreen Shockley (603) 271-9011 Doreen.Shockley@dhhs.nh.gov
New Jersey  Jeanette Bergeron (609) 826-3749 Jeanette.Bergeron@doh.nj.gov
New Mexico  Maurella Sooh (505) 476-9039 Maurella.Sooh@state.nm.us
New York  Sheila McGarvey (518)-408-1267 Sheila.Mcgarvey@health.ny.gov
Nevada  Leticia Metherell (775) 684-1030  lmetherell@health.nv.gov
North Carolina  Becky Wertz (919) 855-4580 Becky.Wertz@dhhs.nc.gov
North Dakota  Bridget Weidner MPH (701) 328-2352 bweidner@nd.gov
Ohio  Amy Hogan (614) 752-3076 Amy.Hogan@medicaid.ohio.gov
Oklahoma  Luvetta Abdullah (405) 271-5278 LuvettaA@health.ok.gov
Oregon  Cathy Orias (503) 373-2185 Catherine.M.Orias@dhsoha.state.or.us
Pennsylvania  Marion Boggs (717) 724-6543 Mboggs@pa.gov
Rhode Island  Gretchen Bell (401) 462-1501 Gretchen.Bell@ohhs.ri.gov
South Carolina  Mary Jo Roué (803) 545-4293 Rouemj@dhec.sc.gov
South Dakota  Chris Qualm (605) 773-5273 Chris.Qualm@state.sd.us
Tennessee Shaquallah Shanks (615) 741-6823 Shaquallah.Shanks@tn.gov
Texas  Vanessa M. Rios (512) 707-6114 CmpApplication@hhsc.state.tx.us
Utah  Joel Hoffman (801) 538-6559  Jhoffman@utah.gov
Vermont  Suzanne Leavitt (802) 241-0346  Suzanne.Leavitt@state.vt.us
Virginia  Courtney Richter (804) 225-4218 courtney.richter@dmas.virginia.gov
Washington  Candace Goehring (360) 725-2401 Goehrcs@dshs.wa.gov
West Virginia  Tina Maher (304) 558-0050 DHHROHFLACAdmin@wv.gov
Wisconsin  Pat Benesh (608) 264-9896 Patricia.Benesh@wi.gov
Wyoming  Laura Hudspeth 307) 777-7123 Laura.Hudspeth@wyo.gov

For more on recent trends in long term care, read our blog and subscribe to the LTC Heroes podcast.