Special Webinar Series on Medicaid Compliance

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Medicaid Compliance...But Were Afraid to Ask [Special Lunch & Learn Webinar Series]  Various Dates - April through June 2014 Free to NYCON Members; $75 for Nonmembers Register Today Medicaid Compliance... Medicaid Compliance Plans ... Medicaid Self Auditing...Medicaid Self-Disclosures... Medicaid Audits ... Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse...Office of the Medicaid Inspector General ... OMIG...If these words and phrases are part of a typical day at your nonprofit, we have designed the perfect series of webinars for you. In four 90-minute sessions we will be covering: Medicaid Compliance 101 & the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) Knowing Thy (Compliant) Self: How to Conduct a Medicaid Self Audit Self-Disclosure is Not a Four Letter Word!: Protocols & Procedures of Medicaid Self Disclosure Preparing For, and Surviving, an OMIG Medicaid Audit Participants will hear directly from experts in the field (including David R. Ross, former Acting Medicaid Inspector General for the State of New York, and David Rottkamp, CPA and leader of Grassi & Co.'s not-for-profit practice area) and get the practical information they need to provide appropriate oversight and management of Medicaid-funded programs, understand the role of the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, and much more. See detailed session descriptions below. April 9th, 2014     11:00am to 12:30pm Medicaid Compliance 101 and the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) Changes to the oversight of the Medicaid program led to the creation of the OMIG. Learn about the OMIG's powers and duties, as well as its requirements for compliance plans and annual compliance certification for certain types of providers. Also learn about the importance of compliance and other compliance-related issues. Join our experts to hear about reducing Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse before the Medicaid program is billed, and how to have systems that will identify when errors are made so that corrections can be initiated and made by providers. Provider misconduct, also known as "unacceptable practices," will be illustrated along with the various sanctions available to the OMIG, including exclusion from the Medicaid program and enrollment termination. A question and answer period will be provided. REGISTER   Webinars are free for NYCON Members Non-Members $75 per session or $275 for all four.  *If you would like to attend all four, please choose "Series Ticket" type. You will be automatically registered for each session through June. All webinars are from 11am to 12:30pm   May 15th, 2014     11:00am to 12:30pm Know Thy (Compliant) Self: How to Conduct a Medicaid Self Audit Part of any provider's compliance program is their compliance plan, and the key part of any compliance plan is the concept of risk assessment and self auditing. This means identifying where errors are most likely to be made, and then reviewing your Medicaid claims and documentation for compliance with applicable requirements. Hypotheticals for risk assessment and self audit will be discussed. As participants will hear, self auditing can be the best preventative medicine. A question and answer period will be provided. REGISTER   Webinars are free for NYCON Members Non-Members $75 per session or $275 for all four.  *If you would like to attend all four, please choose "Series Ticket" type. You will be automatically registered for each session through June. All webinars are from 11am to 12:30pm   June 5th, 2014    11:00am to 12:30pm Self-Disclosure is Not a Four Letter Word! Protocols & Procedures of Medicaid Self Disclosure Under Obamacare, providers are required to report, repay and explain all Medicaid overpayments received. Learn what "overpayments" are, the sixty day rule, and the federal False Claims Act, which imposes potentially severe civil liability on providers for failing to self-report, repay and explain overpayments received. Learn how to handle routine overpayment situations and also when to seek advice on non-routine matters. A question and answer period will be provided. REGISTER   Webinars are free for NYCON Members Non-Members $75 per session or $275 for all four.  *If you would like to attend all four, please choose "Series Ticket" type. You will be automatically registered for each session through June. All webinars are from 11am to 12:30pm   June 19th, 2014    11:00am to 12:30pm Preparing for and Surviving an OMIG Medicaid Audit This workshop will provide you with an overview of how an OMIG Medicaid audit is conducted and how the audit process works. Learn how to prepare for the audit, how to interact with the auditors when they arrive, and when to seek counsel. Potential defenses to audit findings will also be briefly covered. A question and answer period will be provided.  REGISTER   Webinars are free for NYCON Members Non-Members $75 per session or $275 for all four.  *If you would like to attend all four, please choose "Series Ticket" type. You will be automatically registered for each session through June. All webinars are from 11am to 12:30pm

Nonprofit Advocacy Matters | March 10, 2014

Budget Season Opens in Earnest President Obama kicked off the official annual budget and spending season with the release of his fiscal year 2015 budget proposals and House and Senate committees are now getting busy attending to spending priorities. The President’s budget, released on March 4, mostly follows the spending limits that Congress approved in December. It once again calls for limiting the value of itemized deductions (including the charitable deduction) for higher-income taxpayers. It also includes increased spending on some programs that are of interest to nonprofits. Congress is not expected to act on the President's budget blueprint, but it could factor into appropriation discussions. The budget deal reached in December answered the question of how much the federal government will spend in FY 2015, an issue that has frustrated recent appropriations decisions. With that question resolved, the spending committees are pursuing “regular order,” the process of picking which programs to fund and by how much. While optimistic by past experience, the chairs of the Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate are pushing their colleagues to move the 12 spending bills out of committee by June and approved by either chamber of Congress by early August. Tax Reform Draft Made Public Like the President’s FY2015 budget blueprint (see above article), House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) released a draft tax reform plan that is full of interesting details and ideas, but by all accounts has no chance of becoming law this year. The proposal calls for lowering top tax rates for individuals and corporations and modifying or eliminating thousands of existing tax provisions. It proposes changes to standard and itemized deductions that Camp projects will reduce itemizing to only five percent of taxpayers. It would also levy an excise tax on some nonprofit salaries that exceed $1 million, impose pay-out requirements for Donor Advised Funds, alter how unrelated business income taxes are calculated, and eliminate most forms of supporting organizations. Go to the National Council of Nonprofits website to see our statement and asummary of the Camp tax reform proposal. Proposal to Regulate Social Welfare Nonprofits Draws Record Response A record-setting 143,730 respondents submitted comments to the Internal Revenue Service on proposed regulations relating to political activities of 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations. By most analyses, the comments are predominantly negative, whether submitted by conservatively or progressively leaning individuals and organizations. The draft proposals seek to define the types of political activities that 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations can engage in without running the risk of losing their tax-exempt status. They do not ban any such activities, provide a spending limit, or remove donor confidentiality for partisan spending that would otherwise be made public by entities organized under different sections of the Tax Code. Comments submitted by the National Council of Nonprofits focus on the unintended and harmful impact that the proposed regulations would have on the legitimate and essential nonpartisan advocacy activities of 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits such as nonprofit lobbying, work on ballot measures (initiatives, referenda, and bond measures), and nonpartisan election-related activities such as voter guides, candidate forums, and voter registration activities. Cities Seek to Tax Employers, Employees Across the country, cities are looking to expand their revenues beyond property tax receipts by imposing new taxes and fees on individuals and businesses, including nonprofits. Cities ranging from New York City to Johnstown, Pennsylvania reportedly are considering implementing commuter taxes. The Adjustment Planto address the debts of bankrupt Detroit confides that the “City is considering the enactment of a local ordinance that would require employers to withhold City income taxes of reverse commuters.” Washington, DC, which is prohibited by Congress from levying a commuter tax, is considering a recommendation from a recent Tax Revision Commission to impose a “local service fee” on non-governmental employers, including nonprofits, of $100 per employee. The Commission reportedly opted for the fee approach as a better alternative to seeking payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) from nonprofits. Taxes, Fees, PILOTs Fees: The Honolulu City Council voted to reject a proposed ordinance to extend a trash collection fee to charitable nonprofits. Lisa Maruyama, president of theHawai`i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, voiced the concerns of the nonprofit community: "It's a slippery slope of fees that actually contribute to nonprofit overhead and increased business costs. This type of overhead expense is very hard to recoup in fundraising initiatives." PILOTs: The Speaker of the Connecticut House is threatening to turn up the pressure on nonprofit hospitals and universities to provide more money to their local governments. He is describing a plan to alter the State’s revenue sharing plan to reduce payments that go to communities to cover revenues lost from property tax exemptions by those institutions. Although no legislation has yet been introduced, the Speaker claims to have bi-partisan support for a proposal that could require universities and hospitals to pay property taxes and then submit a request to the State for reimbursement for all or some of the amount. PILOTs: Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, has effectively agreed to all of the town’s terms – payment of $200,000 annually to cover the costs of emergency police and fire services it receives – and the Town Council members apparently are having difficulty taking “yes” for an answer. Bryant and Smithfield have been locked in heated negotiations for years, culminating in a controversial law enacted last year by the General Assembly empowering the town to charge fees if Bryant doesn’t capitulate. Government-Nonprofit Contracting Update Maryland Nonprofits Excluded from Applying for Contracts Smaller nonprofits that historically have performed services on behalf of governments may be excluded from competing for state contracts if small-business legislation is enacted. The measure would mandate that contracts valued between $15,000 and $100,000 must be set aside in a Small Business Reserve (SBR) by all state agencies and only awarded to those certified as small businesses. Nonprofits would not be eligible for the preferential treatment because they are not independently owned and operated. We would like to hear from any other states that have – or that have rejected – similar programs that prevent nonprofits from competing for state contracts to serve their local communities. Legislatures Continue to Tweak Solicitation Regulation State legislatures continue to tweak their solicitation laws in an effort to increase accountability, and occasionally, to reduce burdens on nonprofits. A bill pushed by the Maine Attorney General would eliminate registration and disclosure requirementsfor charitable nonprofits and professional fundraising counsel, leaving only professional third-party solicitors still required to register and report. Maryland appears likely to adopt a rewrite of the state’s solicitation registration law to increase the Attorney General/Secretary of State’s oversight of nonprofits and raise certain fees for charities. Maryland Nonprofits, the State Association in Maryland, supports the bill on the grounds that it would “provide resources and authority to address glaring shortcomings in the state’s ability to protect charitable donors from fraud, effectively monitor compliance with state rules on charitable solicitations, and when necessary intervene to prevent the misuse of charitable assets.” In Oregon, both the House and Senate have passed the bill authorizing the Attorney General to impose increased penalties, including fees, on nonprofits that fail to comply with reporting and other regulatory requirements. The measure, which was expressly amended to restrict the creation of additional and burdensome reporting requirements, now goes to the Governor for his signature. See the recent Nonprofit Advocacy Matters for more background on these and other proposals. Additional State and Local Issues States Find Ways Around Food Stamp Cuts Private or Public: That is the Question Telemarketing Costs Reviewed in New York Promoting Contracting Reforms in Florida Here’s Why We’ve all heard the declaration: Your nonprofit can/should/must engage in advocacy! The typical reasons given are that you serve a population that doesn’t have a voice or the public needs your good sense. Rarely does the speaker of the opening declaration explain “why” in terms that matter to the mission and day-to-day responsibilities of the busy nonprofit professional. Until now. Dennis McMillian, President of the Foraker Group, opened his March message to members of the state association of nonprofits in Alaska with a message worth sharing. In The Case to Engage in Public Policy, Dennis used facts to make his point clear for residents of his state: “Nationally 31% of charitable nonprofit revenue comes from government grants. Alaska gets twice that much! That fact alone should make it clear that public policy is not just a good thing to do, many organizations must engage in it to survive.” He went on to explain: “Even nonprofits that depend on earned revenue or charitable giving are not immune to today's policy challenges. Never have stakes been so high. Individually and collectively we must act – we must do a better job of advocating for ourselves.” And then there is this universal truth that all nonprofits should acknowledge: “Some elected officials don't understand why nonprofits are important, others lack respect for what we do. For example, recently some of our legislators were heard making statements that nonprofits are "not effective,” that "salaries are too high,” we "waste money,” we "don't know how to run our businesses,” and that we need to be "taught" to do more for less. Unfortunately, these officials don't know what they don't know. If we don't speak for ourselves, they may assume their perceptions are true.” In other words – for Alaskans and nonprofits throughout the United States – advocating on behalf of your nonprofit is an essential tool for advancing mission. Federal Issues Budget and Spending Tax Reform Draft IRS Proposed Regulations State Issues Local Taxes: DC, MI, NY, PA Taxes, Fees, PILOTs: CT, HI, RI Government-Nonprofit Contracting: MD Solicitation Laws: ME, MD, OR Hunger Aid: CT, NY, PA Nonprofit Independence: CT Telemarketing: NY Contracting Solutions: FL Advocacy in Action   ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦  Worth Reading Foundations Can Rewrite History by Focusing on the States, Tim Delaney, Nonprofit Quarterly, March 5, 2014, demonstrating that while much attention is focused on federal proposals in Washington, DC that often are dead on arrival, “the real action is in the states” when it comes to legislating: last year Congress passed fewer than 80 laws, while state legislatures adopted 40,000. Worth Quoting Respect from Washington “Representing 10 percent of the nation’s adult workforce and contributing more than $800 billion to US GDP, nonprofits also serve as an economic engine for job creation in communities across America.” - Strengthening and Supporting the Social Sector to Grow the Middle Class, White House Budget Fact Sheet accompanying the President’s FY 2015 Budget, March 4, 2014. Worth Quoting "Nonprofit leaders are the best business people in the state. They are able to deliver world-class services, balance the books, and run a marketing campaign -- usually all on a shoe-string budget." - Washington Governor Jay Inslee speaking to an audience of 200+ nonprofits at Washington Nonprofits' Legislative Reception, February 12, 2014. Worth Studying 25 Maps and Charts That Explain America Today,Washington Post, February 24, 2015, offering a fascinating pictorial collection of demographic information ranging from the economic and digital divides to tax and social policies across the country. Nonprofit Events Mar. 14, Nonprofit Leadership Conference,Maine Association of Nonprofits Mar. 27, Nonprofit Day at the Capitol, Mississippi Center for Nonprofits Apr. 29-30, Positioned for Progress Conference, Mississippi Center for Nonprofits Help Us Tell the Nonprofit Story The Advocacy in Actionsegment of this newsletter is dedicating to highlighting the many innovative and effective ways that charitable nonprofits advance their missions through advocacy. Nominate a nonprofitfor inclusion in a future newsletter. Share this newsletter with your staff, board, and nonprofit colleagues Did you receive this email from a friend? Sign up now to receive this free e-newsletter every other Monday. © Copyright 2014 National Council of Nonprofits. All rights reserved  1200 New York Avenue, NW | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20005 | www.councilofnonprofits.org

The Provider - Weekly Update

The Provider News from the Institute for Human Services and Nonprofits in the Southern Tier 1984-2014 - Celebrating 30 Years of Putting Your Capacity to Work! IHS Quick Links Institute for Human Services Provider Online 2-1-1 HELPLINE Girls on the Run of the Southern Tier NeedaRide Become a member! Enjoy reading this newsletter? Want to get some prime space in it? Would you like to gain some discounts on IHS educational opportunities?     Become a member today! Not sure if you are a member?  Find out here.    Not a member and interested in becoming one?  Check here forbenefits and pricing.   Please contact us with any questions you may have or for a consultation. Dial 2-1-1 HELPLINE today!  Learn more about some of the resources available in our community!       Help us celebrate 30 years of IHS!  We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the IHS conference, and will be taking orders for our printed human service directories.  Contact us for more information.> Looking for volunteers or for volunteer opportunities?  2-1-1 HELPLINE's Give Help site is our volunteer database full of opportunities!  Contact us with your volunteer needs and check out the site for more information. Featured Opportunities:  Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake - have fun for a great cause! - new! Ready Set Grow is seeking board members.  Learn more about their board and contact them with your interest. Become a Driver for Steuben Coordinated Transportation    Girls on the Run Volunteers are needed for the 5K Planning and Fundraising Committees. Volunteers are also needed to help at the 5K onJune 8.  Interested or know of someone who may be?  Contact us! National Volunteer Week Mini-Grants Available -  Deadline Next Wednesday!   Are you planning a volunteer event as part of National Volunteer Week during April 6-12th? Could you use some additional funds to enhance your project's impact? If you have answered "YES" to either of these questions then you may want to think about applying for a mini-grant from 2-1-1 HELPLINE Give Help at the Institute for Human Services! Read more.>                   Apply here.> Wellness Wednesday     Tackle those Stressors, Avoid Burnout! With so much going on at the office and home, it's no wonder multiple stressors start to accumulate. Rather than being overwhelmed in trying to tackle them all at once, start with one or two and find a coping method that works best for you. Implement these 5 steps into your life to avoid burnout: Identify your stressors Take breaks Change your thinking Do something physical Balance your down time Nonprofit Tidbit Don't get tired of helping others.  You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up. ~Galations 6:9 CEV Get Connected!   Join us on these social media sites. Institute for Human Services: 2-1-1 HELPLINE: Girls on the Run of the Southern Tier: Welcome to our latest IHS members! Welcome to our newest IHS members and thank you to our current IHS members for renewing their membership!     -Chemung ARC -Second Genesis Music Arts After School Program -Foster Grandparent Program of Livingston, Steuben and Wyoming Counties Interested in becoming an IHS member?  Learn more about becoming one today!  Contact us for more information. Member Agency in the Spotlight - Ready, Set, Grow Child Care Center Ready, Set, Grow Child Care Center (RSG) is one of our newest IHS members.  They provide high quality care and education to infants, toddlers, and preschool age children.  RSG has been providing care since 1971.  The center just went through a rebranding process, and is proud of the new logo and tagline. Read more about Ready, Set, Grow Child Care Center.> Check out their website.> Please join us for our 2014 IHS Annual Conference IHS 30th Anniversary: Putting Your Capacity to Work!   This year's all day conference will feature three tracks with three concurrent sessions focusing on a range of issues and trends that encompass all levels of nonprofit professionals.  New in 2014 - we will feature nationally known speaker, Dr. John Brothers of Quidoo Consulting.  Topics include: Emerging Leaders; Change Management; The Affordable Care Act; Conflict Resolution; Essential Skills for Supervisors; Board Development and more.  Click here for the conference brochure.> Register here.>  Save the Date for These Upcoming Educational Opportunities STNED, 3/27 - Mike McDonald will be presenting on "Emerging Nonprofit Leaders" at the Food Bank of the Southern Tier from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Please join us to discuss the importance of identifying emerging nonprofit leaders, what tools to use to identify them, and how to create personal development plans.  Register here.> Health Homes - Update and Report for Rural Counties, 4/2 - Join us at IHS from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m to learn about the latest information regarding Health Home Expansion which has meant more services are available to other populations including those living with chronic illnesses. Camille Figueroa of Catholic Charities will be presenting. Register here.> Power of Email Marketing/Social Media Marketing Made Simple, 4/9 - This information packed seminar offers a basic review of the essential strategies and best practices an organization should understand to successfully get started with social media marketing.  Tom Brown, Social Media Marketing Specialist, will be presenting at IHS from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  Register here.>  INSPIRE Symposium Kick Off! 5/9  Stay tuned for more details! The Legalities of Volunteering, 5/17 - You are invited to learn about legal issues confronting nonprofits with respect to their most valuable resources, volunteers.  Laurie Johnston, partner at Miller-Mayer will be presenting from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Southeast Steuben County Library. Register here.> Join us for 'Living Healthy Southern Tier' Starting This Thursday - Room is still available! Some conditions are a part of our life - whether we like it or not! Join us and learn more about living life to the fullest by managing such conditions. Topics covered throughout the 6-week course will include managing fatigue, handling frustration and isolation, managing stress & pain, how to converse with your doctor about choosing treatment plans - and more!  The interactive sessions, beginning on March 6 and concluding on April 10, will be held weekly on Thursdays, from 10:00 am - 11:30 am, at the Southeast Steuben County Library.      Learn more.> Girls on the Run Coach of the Year Named Girls on the Run of the Southern Tier is honored to announce Jill Smith as the recipient of the 2013 Coach of the Year Award!  Jill Smith was recognized at the Spring 2014 Coaches Training on Saturday, March 3, 2014, at the Corning Country Club. The Coach of the Year Award is presented annually to a Coach of Girls on the Run of the Southern Tier who continuously encompasses and represents the values of the program. Coach Smith has not only gone above and beyond in her role as a Coach, but has made significant contributions to the Girls on the Run of the Southern Tier Council through her creativity, enthusiasm, and passion. Read more.>           Interested in volunteering with GoTR? Contact us! Visit Provider Online to Read More... Go to the Provider Online Website for more news, announcements and workshops. These stories include: 2014 Bowl for Kids Sake - Benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Southern Tier Join Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County for their 2014 Gala! Hyatt Named to 2013 Public Health Works! Honor Roll CareFirst Art and Soul Workshop to Provide Alternative Methods of Grieving Town Hall Meeting in Elmira on Social Hosting Assistive Technology Can Open Up the World - from AIM's TRIAD program Nominations Sought for Child Abuse Prevention Recognition Are you a member and want us to post your news? Submit announcements, news, events and more to provider@ihsnet.org. Members can also post themselves through their member portal.  Job Opportunities Go to our Classifieds section to view more! Information Technology Coordinator - IHS AmeriCorps Members - Southern Tier Opportunity Corps Counselor - Pathways Office Assistant - Pathways Water Fitness Instructor - Corning YMCA Sub Bus Driver - Arc of Steuben Intake Coordinator - Trillium Health Care Manager Supervisor - Trillium Health Medical Office Assistant - Trillium Health Supportive Services Coordinator - Trillium Health Clinic Nursing Supervisor - Trillium Health Consumer Service Clerk - Steuben County Receptionist - Steuben County Intensive Residential Team Leader - Chemung ARC START Director - Chemung ARC START Clinical Director - Chemung ARC Family Peer Advocate - Finger Lakes Parent Nework Administrative Assistant - Finger Lakes SPCA Community Transition Facilitator - AIM Independent Living Center PT Clerk/Receptionist - Pro Action Assistant Summer Camp Counselors - Corning YMCA Consumer Service Clerk - Steuben County Recreation Leaders - Chemung County Community Services Aide - Chemung County Recreation Leader - Steuben County Executive Director - Pro Action Health Educator - Steuben County Public Health Preschool Teacher Aid - Corning YMCA Are you 55 and older?  There are jobs available for you through Pro Action!!