Registration is now open for the 2025 LeadingAge Annual Meeting, taking place November 2–5 in Boston. This year’s event invites aging services professionals from around the world to come together in a city built on bold ideas to share innovations, explore new strategies, and create ripples of impact across the sector. Co-hosted with the Global Ageing Network, the conference will also include a special opportunity to attend the Global Ageing Network Summit on Saturday, November 1—a once-in-a-decade pre-conference gathering focused on global collaboration and learning. Visit the LeadingAge Annual Meeting website to explore sessions, view the schedule, and complete your registration.
LeadingAge Ohio members traveling to Boston, along with our colleagues from LeadingAge Indiana, are also invited to the yearly State Night Out event! This year’s event will be held at Ned Devine’s Irish Pub – Parris Lounge & Hall on Sunday, November 2 from 5:30 to 7:30PM. Enjoy a relaxed evening of networking, food, and fun with friends from across the region. Register today on the State Night Out event page. As the national conversation around immigration intensifies, aging services providers are asking: What does this mean for our workforce? In this episode of Another Word for Living..., host Susan Wallace sits down with Amanda Mead, Director of Workforce Policy at LeadingAge, to unpack the intersection of immigration policy and workforce development. Together, they explore the current landscape, what’s on the horizon, and the critical resources available to help providers navigate change and support a diverse, sustainable workforce.
Tune in to gain timely insights and practical takeaways for your organization. LeadingAge Ohio is exploring offering a Multiple Employer Plan (MEP) as a member benefit. An MEP is a retirement plan shared by multiple, unrelated employers under a single plan. A LeadingAge Ohio-sponsored MEP would:
- Help members attract and retain top talent with robust retirement offerings.
- Reduce the compliance and fiduciary burden on individual members.
- Deliver economies of scale that lower fees and improve investment options.
- Allow for individual member plan design flexibility with contributions, matches, vesting schedules, etc.
To aid in this exploration, we are asking organization leaders to complete this brief survey by Friday, July 31.
Learn more about MEPs here. Top You Asked: Are there resources to help establish a policy for blood glucose meter use and disinfection?
We Answered: Yes. The FDA has released guidance for manufacturers outlining appropriate products and procedures for cleaning and disinfecting blood glucose meters. The FDA’s "Letter to Manufacturers of Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems Listed With the FDA" includes detailed disinfection recommendations.
An excerpt from the guidance reads:
“The disinfection solvent you choose should be effective against HIV, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis B virus. Outbreak episodes have been largely due to transmission of Hepatitis B and C viruses. However, of the two, Hepatitis B virus is the most difficult to kill. Please note that 70% ethanol solutions are not effective against viral bloodborne pathogens and the use of 10% bleach solutions may lead to physical degradation of your device.”
A list of EPA-registered disinfectants effective against bloodborne pathogens is also available.
For additional guidance, visit the CDC’s Infection Prevention during Blood Glucose Monitoring and Insulin Administration page, which offers key infection control practices for point-of-care testing. Top Monday’s Advocacy in Action call included the LeadingAge national policy team for a timely federal update as organizations begin to forecast the impact of the “Big Beautiful Bill” Act (BBBA) on their operations and budgets.
The discussion focused heavily on the status of the FY25 federal budget, including the Medicaid provider tax caps and looming cuts tied to the Budget Control Act. Bills aimed at repealing Medicaid cuts have been introduced, and while their passage remains uncertain, members were urged to continue sharing how funding changes would affect their operations. Notably, the BBBA triggered a “pay-go” rule which would automatically create a 4 percent sequestration cut to federal programs– including Medicare–if Congress does not act by the end of the year.
Workforce shortages also remained top of mind, with the LeadingAge team pointing to efforts to expand federal programs that support workforce development, including visa pathways and training incentives for aging services professionals.
Members can watch a full recording of the July 21 session on the LeadingAge Ohio Learning Center, and are encouraged to register for the next Advocacy in Action call, scheduled for August 18. The countdown is on for the 2025 LeadingAge Ohio Annual Conference & Trade Show—the premier gathering for aging services professionals from across the state. Whether you're a provider, vendor, sponsor, or advocate, this three-day experience is your chance to connect with peers, recharge your passion, and explore new strategies to elevate care for older Ohioans.
Why Attend?
- Robust Education: Dive into expert-led sessions covering today’s most pressing topics—from regulatory updates and clinical best practices to leadership growth and workforce innovation. With targeted content for all service lines—skilled nursing, home health, hospice, senior housing, and more—you’ll gain real tools to bring back to your team.
- Vibrant Trade Show: Meet face-to-face with solution partners who understand the challenges you face and are ready to support your success.
- Can’t-Miss Events: The Annual Awards Luncheon, Ice Cream Social, and fan-favorite Game Night offer time to unwind, connect, and celebrate the shared mission that unites us all.
This is your moment to help shape the future of aging services in Ohio. Visit www.LAOConference.org to secure your spot and be part of something bigger.
The LeadingAge Ohio room block at the hotel event venue is full. Visit the conference website for nearby alternative hotels. The LeadingAge Ohio Political Action Committee (PAC) invites members, partners, and guests to join the annual PAC Golf Outing fundraiser on Monday, September 29, 2025, at The Golf Club of Dublin in Dublin, Ohio. Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just out to enjoy a day on the course, the outing promises friendly competition, great company, and a chance to support LeadingAge Ohio’s advocacy efforts.
The event will begin with a shotgun start at 10:00AM, with registration opening at 9:00AM. Foursomes and individual golfers are welcome, and registration will remain open through Friday, September 26. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for those interested in further supporting the PAC’s mission.
View full event details or register. For questions, contact Corey Markham, Director of Education and Business Development, at cmarkham@leadingageohio.org.
Please note that contributions to Political Action Committees must be made by individuals, partnerships, or LLCs, not corporations, and are not tax-deductible. All contributions are voluntary and will not influence membership standing or benefits. As workforce shortages persist across the aging services sector, immigration policy—both current and proposed—continues to influence the availability and stability of care teams. To better understand the experiences of members, LeadingAge Ohio has launched a short, two-minute survey aimed at capturing how immigration-related issues are affecting Ohio providers. Whether your organization currently employs foreign-born staff, is exploring sponsorship, or has yet to be impacted, your input is critical. Your feedback will help inform advocacy priorities, guide educational offerings, and shape workforce development strategies.
In addition, LeadingAge has released an updated immigration enforcement preparedness resource. This guide is designed to help members prepare for potential interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and ensure organizational readiness. Members are encouraged to review the resource and share any feedback to further strengthen support efforts.
Click here to take the 2-minute survey and inform our understanding of current workforce shortages and upcoming workforce initiatives. Questions? Contact Randi Hamill, Director of Workforce Development and Initiatives, at rhamill@leadingageohio.org. Are you looking to grow your care team? Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with qualified candidates at one of Hondros College of Nursing’s upcoming career fairs. These in-person events are free for LeadingAge Ohio members and are a great way to meet nursing students and recent graduates pursuing careers as Medical Assistants, STNAs, LPNs, and RNs.
Career fairs will be held at multiple campuses throughout August, including:
- Akron – Tuesday, August 19, 11:30AM–1:00PM
- Cincinnati / West Chester – Wednesday, August 13, 11:30AM–1:00PM and Thursday, August 14, 12:00PM–1:30PM
- Cleveland / Independence – Wednesday, August 20, 11:30AM–1:00PM
- Columbus – Thursday, August 21, 4:00PM–5:30PM
- Dayton – Tuesday, August 19 and Thursday, August 21, 11:30AM–1:00PM
- Detroit – Thursday, August 21, 11:30AM–1:00PM
- Indianapolis – Thursday, August 14, 11:30AM–3:00PM
- Toledo / Maumee – Thursday, August 21, 12:00PM–3:00PM
Each organization is asked to register for only one session and one slot to allow all partners an opportunity to engage. Click on the RSVP button for your preferred location in the invitation you received or reach out directly to Hondros for more information.
While you’re reconnecting with Hondros, it’s also a good time to remind staff about the 11% LeadingAge Ohio member tuition discount—which rises to 16% for Hondros alumni. The more member employees who use this benefit, the more the discount can grow. Staff can enroll at any of the six Ohio campuses with no wait list and flexible start dates throughout the year. To help promote this opportunity internally, download and share the Hondros member benefit flyer.
Questions about tuition discounts or partnerships with Hondros? Contact Molly Homan at mhoman@leadingageohio.org. There's always something happening at LeadingAge Ohio, and we don’t want you to miss a moment. From educational opportunities to networking events, our calendar is packed with ways for members to stay informed, engaged, and connected.
Explore what's ahead and make plans to join us—whether you're looking to expand your knowledge, connect with peers, or get involved in shaping the future of aging services in Ohio.
View all upcoming events here and mark your calendar today!
Top Check out this new 6-minute QuickCast on the LeadingAge Learning Hub: 5 Tips for Successful PBJ Filings. Hear proven strategies for how nursing homes can make the payroll-based journal (PBJ) reporting process easier. This QuickCast is free for members after logging in using your LeadingAge account information.
Need to set up a LeadingAge account? Learn more here. Top The Ohio Department of Aging will soon begin its 2025–2026 Resident and Family Satisfaction Surveys for nursing and assisted living facilities. Conducted by Vital Research and Scripps Gerontology Center, these surveys gather confidential feedback to improve the quality of care and help families make informed decisions. Results will be shared with providers and posted publicly on the Ohio Long-Term Care Quality Navigator.
Resident interviews begin in August 2025 and will continue through March 2026. Family surveys will follow by mail, phone, or online from September through April. Facilities must update resident and representative contact information and work with Vital to schedule interviews. All identifying information must be submitted through the secure online portal, not email, to comply with privacy laws.
Facilities can find survey instructions, outreach templates, and a detailed timeline here. The full notification letter is available here. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has launched a new quarterly podcast, Healthy Perspectives with Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, designed to shed light on the vital role of public health in the lives of Ohioans. From preventing illness and injury to responding to public health emergencies, the podcast offers timely conversations on topics that affect communities across the state.
“My goal with this podcast is to share a more in-depth look at vital and topical health issues through conversations with expert guests,” said Dr. Vanderhoff. “We want to reach as many Ohioans as we can with information that advances their health and well-being.”
Healthy Perspectives is available now on ODH’s YouTube channel, with new episodes planned each quarter. The Ohio Department of Aging’s annual health and wellness event at the Ohio State Fair is back with a new name, a new location, and more partners than ever. The Healthy Aging Expo will take place on Tuesday, July 29 from 9:00AM to 3:00PM in celebration of Senior Day, when admission to the fair is free for anyone age 60 and older.
Attendees will enjoy free health screenings, interactive demos, and giveaways. LeadingAge Ohio will be on-site providing free 15-minute advance care planning consultations. Fairgoers who complete their directives at the booth will receive a sticker and personalized support to help document their wishes.
For more details and the full list of partners, read the Healthy Aging Expo press release. Top A new analysis from KFF (formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation) reveals that while Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment and plan availability have steadily increased, competition in local markets remains limited. In 2025, beneficiaries will have access to an average of 34 MA plans, nearly double the number available in 2018, with options typically offered by about eight firms per county.
Despite this growth, 90 percent of beneficiaries live in counties where just one or two insurers account for at least half of all enrollees. The study also found that in 2024, nearly 80 percent of counties had highly concentrated MA markets, with UnitedHealthcare and Humana dominating enrollment in most areas.
This high concentration may limit true choice for beneficiaries and poses broader implications for competition and pricing in the Medicare Advantage program. Read the full KFF report on Medicare Advantage market concentration for more details. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums are expected to increase by approximately 6 percent in 2025, up from a 4.5 percent growth rate in 2024, according to a recent survey published by Mercer. The report signals continued upward pressure on health care costs for American workers in the year ahead.
Employers cited multiple factors driving the increase, including general inflation, rising hospital and prescription drug prices, and broader use of artificial intelligence in medical billing and claims systems. To help manage costs, many organizations are considering narrower provider networks, higher deductibles, and other plan design changes—while still working to offer competitive benefits in a tight labor market.
Despite these cost pressures, Mercer’s survey also found that many employers are expanding benefits in key areas such as mental health services, child and elder care support, and reproductive health access.
More details are available in Mercer’s 2026 Benefit Strategies Report, which outlines the trends shaping health benefit planning for the year ahead. Top The Ohio Department of Medicaid has released updated provider rates for nursing facilities, effective July 1, 2025. The posted rates include detailed breakdowns of ancillary, capital, direct care, and tax components, along with any applicable add-ons and penalties.
Providers can review the full Provider Rate Component Data Report (NF) for July 2025 by viewing this PDF. Please note that the attached screenshot is only a portion of the overall rate update; providers should consult the full report for complete details.
For additional information and resources related to nursing facility provider enrollment, support, and reimbursement, visit the Ohio Medicaid Nursing Facilities provider page. On July 23, 2025, the Ohio Department of Medicaid published a Nursing Facility (NF) Fact Sheet that effective immediately the Optional State Assessment (OSA) is no longer required. This change was anticipated following the state budget process, which set a schedule for the transition to PDPM which made the OSA obsolete moving forward. HB96 outlines a plan for two-thirds of the score to be based on a provider’s 1/1/2025 case mix score, while one-third will be based on the nursing component of the patient-driven payment model (PDPM).
Please visit Medicaid's Nursing Facilities page to view the NF Fact Sheet under the “Case Mix” section. The SNF Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. These reports contain provider performance scores for quality measures, which will be published on the compare tool on Medicare.gov and the Provider Data Catalog (PDC) during the October 2025 release.
The October 2025 release includes the initial public reporting of three new assessment-based measures: Transfer of Health (TOH) Information to the Provider – Post-Acute Care (PAC), Transfer of Health (TOH) Information to the Patient – Post-Acute Care (PAC), and COVID-19 Vaccine: Percent of Patients/Residents Who Are Up to Date.
Data contained within the Provider Preview Reports (including the new TOH measures) are based on quality assessment data submitted by SNFs from Quarter 1, 2024 through Quarter 4, 2024.
- The new COVID-19 Vaccine: Percent of Patients/Residents Who Are Up to Date measure is based on data only from Quarter 4, 2024.
- The Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Healthcare Personnel measure from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reflects data from Quarter 4, 2024 through Quarter 1, 2025.
- The CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage among Healthcare Personnel (HCP) measure reflects data from Quarter 4, 2024.
- The Potentially Preventable 30-Day Post-Discharge Readmission and Discharge to Community claims-based measures reflect data from Quarter 4, 2022 through Quarter 3, 2024. The Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary claims-based measure reflects data from Quarter 4, 2021 through Quarter 3, 2023 and will be refreshed in January 2026.
- The SNF Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) measure reflects data from Quarter 4, 2023 through Quarter 3, 2024.
Providers have until August 14, 2025, to review their performance data. Only updates/corrections to the underlying assessment data before the final data submission deadline will be reflected in the publicly reported data on Medicare.gov and PDC. If a provider updates assessment data after the final data submission deadline, the updated data will only be reflected in the Facility-Level Quality Measure (QM) report and Patient-Level QM report. Updates submitted after the final data submission deadline will not be reflected in the Provider Preview Reports or on Medicare.gov. However, providers can request a CMS review of their data during the preview period if they believe the displayed quality measure scores within their Provider Preview Reports are inaccurate.
For questions related to accessing your facility’s Provider Preview Report, please contact the iQIES Service Center by email at iqies@cms.hhs.gov or call 1-800-339-9313. For questions about SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Public Reporting, please email SNFQRPPRQuestions@cms.hhs.gov. Two days ahead of the deadline, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) shared an FAQ document to respond to questions they’ve received since sending out the notice regarding claims overpayment and recoupment. On June 25, ODM sent a letter to facilities notifying nursing homes of the Department’s plan to recoup inappropriate payments that were made for a variety of reasons, including duplicative payments and overpayments related to Part B crossover payments, share of cost and non-covered days, among others. Providers were given until July 25 to reconcile hundreds of records and file any reconsiderations.
LeadingAge Ohio has been fielding questions from members, particularly in instances when recoupments exceed payments received by providers, and has asked the Department of Medicaid for an extension for initial reconsideration requests. If you have concerns about overpayments, please reach out to Susan Wallace at swallace@leadingageohio.org with a summary of concerns. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided notifications to facilities that were determined to be out of compliance with Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements for CY 2024, which will affect their FY 2026 Annual Payment Update (APU). Non-compliance notifications are being distributed by the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and were placed into facilities’ CASPER folders in QIES, for Hospices and into facilities’ My Reports folders in the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES), for IRFs, LTCHs and SNFs, on July 21, 2025. Facilities that receive a letter of non-compliance may submit a request for reconsideration to CMS via email no later than 11:59 pm, August 26, 2025.
If you receive a notice of non-compliance and would like to request a reconsideration, see the instructions in your notice of non-compliance and on the appropriate QRP webpage:
F-tag 880 (Infection Prevention & Control) remains the most frequently cited deficiency in Ohio, and improper injection practices is one area of noncompliance contributing to this citation. Surveyors will cite facilities when injectable medications are not prepared or administered according to infection control best practices. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and CMS emphasize the importance of safe injection practices as a critical component of infection control practices.
During medication pass observations, surveyors will be watching closely for proper technique and compliance with the following requirements. According to CMS guidance in the State Operations Manual Appendix PP, failure to comply with any of these practices may lead to additional investigation or result in a citation:
- Injections are prepared using aseptic technique in a clean area, free from potential sources of contamination (e.g., blood, body fluids, contaminated equipment).
- Needles and syringes are used for only one resident (this includes manufactured prefilled syringes and cartridge devices such as insulin pens).
- Medication containers are entered with a new needle and a new syringe, even when obtaining additional doses for the same resident. If noncompliance is found, further investigation is warranted.
- Single dose (single-use) medication vials, ampules, and bags or bottles of intravenous solution are used for only one resident.
- Medication administration tubing and connectors are used for only one resident.
- Multi-dose vials to be used for more than one resident are kept in a centralized medication area (e.g., medication room or cart) and do not enter the immediate resident treatment area (e.g., resident room). If multi-dose vials enter the immediate resident treatment area, they should be discarded immediately after use.
Surveyors will observe for compliance with these requirements during medication administration. Facilities should ensure staff are trained, competent, and consistently using proper technique to avoid F880 citations and, more importantly, protect residents from avoidable harm.
Facilities should also routinely monitor compliance using the surveyor guidance outlined in the State Operations Manual Appendix PP. Additionally, the survey pathways can be found in the Survey Resources zip file on the CMS Nursing Home webpage and under the downloads section on this CMS webpage. LeadingAge Ohio has provided survey tips to help navigate the changes in the revised QSO-25-14- NH memo. The previously provided survey tips can be accessed on the LeadingAge Ohio webpage under the Communications tab, then The Source tab. CMS has updated the survey resources on the CMS Nursing Home webpage in accordance with the revised QSO-25-14- NH memo. LeadingAge has developed webinars and resources on the requirements of participation which are located on the LeadingAge learning hub. LeadingAge continues to add QuickCasts on the regulatory groups. Updated resources have also been added on the Nursing Home RoP Tools and Resources webpage.
For more information about the requirements of participation and citations occurring in Ohio, please join us on the monthly STAT: Survey Tips and Tactics call. Register now for the August 13 call at 11:00AM. LeadingAge Ohio is sharing tips to assist members during the survey process. Send questions you would like addressed in future Tips of the Week to Stephanie DeWees at sdewees@leadingageohio.org. Top Has your organization recently celebrated a major milestone? Opened a new building? Been featured in the news? Whether it’s a groundbreaking, an award, or a great story from your community, we want to help spread the word.
LeadingAge Ohio members are doing incredible work across the state, and we’re proud to highlight those efforts. Share your press releases, social media posts, or media coverage with us and we’ll feature them in the Member News section of The Source. We may also help amplify your story on LeadingAge Ohio’s social media channels.
To submit a news item, simply email Laurinda Johnson at ljohnson@leadingageohio.org. We can’t wait to celebrate your success! Top On July 4, 2025, a landmark piece of legislation was signed into law: The One, Big, Beautiful Bill — a sweeping tax reform package that changed the federal tax landscape.
Join LeadingAge Ohio Partner Citrin Cooperman (formerly HW&Co), on Wednesday, July 30 at 11:00AM for a timely and informative webinar presented by Citrin Cooperman's Washington National Tax team. You will hear analysis from their tax professionals as they discuss what this bill means for you — and how to prepare for the changes ahead.
To register for this free webinar, please click here.
Please note that this free webinar will not offer CPE credits. LeadingAge Ohio holds valuable education webinars and in-person events throughout the year. Opportunities are added weekly. See the complete Schedule of Events. Top
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