Wednesday, February 18, 2026

 Official Publication of Minnesota Home Care Association

  Inside the Informer

  Member News

Dr. Steve Landers Steps Down from National Alliance CEO Role

Dr. Steve Landers stepped down from his role as National Alliance for Care at Home CEO. He will be succeeded by Jennifer Sheets. Dr. Landers was the inaugural CEO of the newly formed Alliance and led the organization through a transformational period. As a heart-driven physician who started his career providing care in the home to patients and families, he has been the essential leader needed to unite the home care and hospice communities and build a powerful movement with one strong voice. MHCA has expressed our gratitude for his leadership.

Sheets is a distinguished healthcare executive bringing nearly 25 years of experience spanning ICU nursing, hospital leadership, home health, hospice, healthcare technology, and M&A. She also brings a deep knowledge of the Alliance’s strategic direction and a clear vision for building on our momentum and advancing our shared mission, having served as a board member throughout the integration process. She remains active in national legislative and regulatory healthcare advocacy.

“I am deeply grateful and proud to have served as the inaugural CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home. This has been a true highlight of my lifelong career in home-based care, and I’m eager to see the continued success of the organization under Jennifer and the Board’s leadership,” said Dr. Landers. 

Calling All Advocates for 2026 Day at the Capitol!

Your voice is needed as we educate state legislators about the importance of home care in their district and advocate for issues that impact their constituents! Join us for Day at the Capitol and Advocacy Week, an incredible opportunity to advocate on behalf of critical home care priorities and make a real impact on the home care community in Minnesota. This event will take place on the mornings of March 10 and 12.

“As a long time member of the MHCA Advocacy Committee, I’ve seen the difference we make when we show up! Day at the Capitol is a great chance to meet legislators and really champion home care. Newcomers are always welcome and you’ll get everything you need beforehand, even a mentor to take the lead, so jumping in is made easy.” – Jen Baker, Good Samaritan Home Care

For more information and to register, click here.

Last Chance! Sign up for our Feb 25 Member Meeting 

We will host an emergency preparedness tabletop exercise focusing on safety. All MHCA members are invited and encouraged to attend; Leadership, HR/Personnel Manager, Nurse Leaders, Clinicians, Office Staff, Field Staff, Front Desk Receptionist and anyone else who would benefit from safety education.

Register here for this free education.

Annual Meeting Call for Session Proposals Open

We are looking for speakers focused on enhancing caregiving techniques, improving agency operations, and fostering resilience in both caregivers and clients. Do you have expertise to share? We want to hear from YOU.

Apply here.

MHCF Scholarship Applications are Due March 1

Have you applied for the Minnesota Home Care Foundation’s (MHCF) new Scholarship Program? This program supports direct care, clinical, and administrative professionals by helping cover the cost of continuing education and certification opportunities. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are due March 1, with reviews taking place during the second week of March. Selected recipients will be awarded up to $200 toward an eligible certification or continuing education course. 

For more information and to apply, click here.

Feeling Stressed About Regulatory Compliance? We Have a Program For That!

Does navigating the ever-changing world of regulatory compliance feel overwhelming? MHCA’s new Regulatory Consulting Program was created to help members strengthen compliance, reduce risk, and feel confident heading into surveys. This customized, corrective support is designed to meet your organization where it is—offering practical guidance that’s tailored to your specific operations and regulatory challenges.

The program delivers targeted consulting services tailored to each organization’s needs, focusing on three key areas: chart audit reviews, QAPI audit reviews, and mock surveys (for Medicare-certified and comprehensively licensed agencies).

Click here to learn more about the services and to register!

New Fueled Growth Partners Webinar Dates

Fueled Growth Partners has two upcoming Live Life Healthy Webinar dates. This is a great opportunity for MHCA members to learn how to enhance employee benefits, increase take-home pay, and reduce employer costs — all at ZERO net cost.

Please check out the webinars scheduled below:

March 3, 2026 — Live Life Healthy Webinar

March 10, 2026 —Live Life Healthy Webinar

Learn how to increase your cash flow and help MHCA keep your membership costs down. Book a meeting with Fueled Growth/Live Live Healthy.

  MEMBER CORNER

We Want to Hear From You: AI Listserv and Annual Meeting Poll

AI Listserv

If you haven’t had a chance yet, now’s the perfect time to answer our poll! Would you like MHCA to offer an AI/Tech Listserv? Take two minutes and let us know! Click here.

Annual Meeting

Help us improve our Annual Meeting, including where to hold it! Take our poll here.

Guidance on Sharing H2H Program Materials

Pediatric Home Service (PHS) has received a Minnesota Department of Human Services Hospital-to-Home grant to launch Journey Home, a new program focused on improving the transition from hospital to home for medically complex children who are receiving in-home nursing care for the first time.

Journey Home strengthens the discharge process by engaging nursing and interdisciplinary teams earlier, adding rapid deployment support, and expanding caregiver education, care management, and social work resources. The program aims to reduce avoidable hospitalizations and emergency department visits while improving family confidence and stability at home.

To learn more or refer a patient, visit the link here or contact the PHS nursing team at 651-642-1825.

  State news

Minnesota Revalidate 2026 Process

Minnesota Revalidate 2026 targets the 13 high-risk programs that were previously identified for an off-cycle revalidation by May 31, 2026. This includes Community First Services and Supports Agency and Personal Care Provider Organizations, Integrated Community Supports, and Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention Agencies. 

If you have not done so, check your MNITS mailbox for a letter stating you are required to go through a revalidation. If you have an outstanding enrollment request, delete that, and put all changes in one request to send with the revalidation. 

It’s important that you begin this process as soon as possible.

You should be prepared to upload the following to the MPSE portal:

1. Current License/certification
2. Certificate of Liability and Workers Comp coverage
3. Surety Bond, if required
4. Fingerprint-based Criminal Background Study for direct and indirect owners with an ownership of 5% or more are required IF they are new. If your provider type requires a fingerprint-based criminal background check for managers, employees or board of directors, this must be completed prior to submitting your revalidation. There is a required background study fee of $44 to submit each background study. There is also a fingerprint fee, which will vary depending on where the fingerprinting is obtained. These fees are separate from the application fee. Board of Directors need this comprehensive background study for CFSS and EDIBI programs.

MPSE Portal
When you are in the portal, you will be directed at what forms to complete based on the program revalidating for. Tab through and complete each section. DHS is hosting MPSE Technical Assistance Sessions. Agencies will be able to attend daily MPSE portal technical assistance sessions, held 1 – 1:30 p.m. on Microsoft Teams. The Monday, Wednesday, and Friday sessions will focus on questions relating to the off-cycle revalidation for high-risk service providers, and Tuesdays and Thursdays are available for general navigation questions. Revalidation navigation can be questioned at any session throughout the week. Click the link here to join the sessions; there is no fee or registration required and the link to join is the same for each session.

Fees
Pay the fee and upload the fee confirmation and the confirmation number. CMS requires states to charge an application fee if one was not already paid to another state or to Medicare. CMS also determines the application fee, and it is subject to change every calendar year. In 2026, the fee is $750 per practice location. DHS must receive your application fee before they can process your enrollment application.

Site Visits
Once this is completed, you will receive a notice that your site visit to confirm providers are operating as enrolled and meeting program requirements will be in the next 60 days. These are tips for a successful site visit with an Office of Inspector General (OIG) representative, who will have an ID badge:

1. Have your Business Hours posted.
2. Ensure you know which phone number is on file. If they arrive and no one is in the office, they will call the office number that is listed. If the designated manager can not come in at that time, the screener will return that week.
3. Have the following available for them to review: 

• Services offered
• Operational stats
• Required enrollment documentation
• Physical plan 
• Documentation storage
• Owner file
• Board of Directors’ members and meetings

Revalidation Complete Letter: After the provider passes the screening and unannounced site visit, DHS will complete the revalidation and send the Revalidation Complete Letter.

MHCA will continue to update members as the revalidation process continues.

MN-ITS Mailbox Update

On February 13, DHS posted an update reminding providers to frequently check a new folder in their MN–ITS mailbox for pre-payment review documentation requests. The message read as follows:

“We have begun placing letters in providers’ MN–ITS mailboxes requesting documentation for claims in the pre-payment review process. You should check your MN–ITS mailbox often to see if you’ve received any requests. You will find the letters in the PREPAYDOCREQUEST folder of your MN–ITS mailbox if you have received a request. The PREPAYDOCREQUEST folder will only appear in your MN–ITS mailbox if you have received a request. We may suspend future payments if you don’t reply to our request.”

Unauthorized Text Messages to Providers about Revalidation

The Department of Human Services (DHS) clarified this week that they have not authorized any vendors to assist with Minnesota Revalidate 2026 and does not use text messaging to communicate with providers. If you receive text messages from vendors about provider revalidation, they are an unauthorized source.

The department communicates with providers through provider news and updates, MN–ITS mailbox, email or U.S. Postal Service. If you are uncertain about the legitimacy of a provider revalidation request, call the Provider Resource Center at 651-431-2700 or 800-366-5411.

DHS Complex Transitions New ICS Referral Form

In recent months, the DHS Complex Transitions team has begun accepting expanded referrals for individuals who need additional support transitioning from Institutional Care Settings (ICS). The process was initially implemented through email, but DHS has now finalized a new referral form to streamline submissions for individuals, providers, and community partners.

The updated referral process can be used to request assistance from the Complex Transitions team for individuals who require extra support transitioning to community-based services due to program closures, evictions, service disruptions in residential settings, or other circumstances related to provider program integrity.

Click here to access the referral form.

  Educational Opportunities

MHCA Partnerships

Fueled Growth Partners is a company that provides a net zero cost supplemental health care plan with amazing benefits, while providing revenue to MHCA. Below are two upcoming Live Life Healthy Webinar dates. This is a great opportunity for MHCA members to learn how to enhance employee benefits, increase take-home pay, and reduce employer costs — all at ZERO net cost.

March 3, 2026 — Live Life Healthy Webinar Fueled Growth Partnership

March 10, 2026 —Live Life Healthy Webinar Fueled Growth Partnership 

If you’d prefer to schedule a personal presentation and get a no cost/commitment proposal based on your employee data click here.

On-Demand Opportunities

Click on the logos below for a list of courses offered!

Save the Date

August 3-4, 2026 – Blueprint for OASIS Accuracy, Plymouth

August 5, 2026 – COS-C Exam, Plymouth

Minnesota Home Care Association
P: 651.635.0607  |  F: 651.635.0043  |  www.mnhomecare.org  |  membership@mnhomecare.org

STAY CONNECTED

Mission: MHCA represents and supports Minnesota home care providers committed to high quality home care services.
Vision: MHCA will shape the home care landscape to improve and sustain quality home care services.