Member Resources

• Voluntary Recall of Bicillin® L-A • Massachusetts Unemployment Rate Remains Unchanged at 4.8%

Governor Healey Announces Immediate Measures to Enhance Safety in Assisted Living Residences

• Boston Globe Editorial on One Big Beautiful Bill Act • EOHHS Nursing Facility User Fee Regulation Hearing • REMINDER: ePrescribing Requirements • Informal Dispute Resolution Meeting • CMS Announces Medicare Revalidation Deadline Extension

The CMS security team has authorized an increase of the iQIES system timeout to 30 minutes. Previously, users would be automatically logged out of the system after 15 minutes of inactivity. This change is now in effect.

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.

Nursing facilities are reminded to remain diligent in their infection control practices to limit the spread of COVID-19 to residents and staff. At the expiration of the PHE, DPH released guidance on Organizational Policies and Procedures for Mitigating Respiratory Illness. Nursing facilities must continue to identify and monitor respiratory illness metrics to indicate when there are increased levels which may necessitate implementing these infection control measures. One possible metric is the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) Wastewater COVID-19 Tracking which measures the SARS-CoV2 levels.

The Department of Public Health is holding a public hearing and comment period on proposed amendments to the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F) regulation to increase the fee charged to licensed health care facilities for architectural plan review of facility construction documents for new construction and renovations to existing facilities from $8.25 to $10.50 per $1,000 of construction costs. The public hearing will be held on July 28, 2025 at 1pm.

AHCA has informed MSCA that it has received notice from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that the agency is extending the deadline for the mandatory SNF provider enrollment off-cycle revalidation from August 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026. CMS will be issuing formal public notice in the coming days on this extension.

On July 14, 2025, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) issued Administrative Bulletin 25-16 updating the fees effective July 1, 2025 for fiscal year 2026. This change implements the new state budget requirement that EOHHS increase the nursing facility provider tax to the maximum amount under federal law, which totals 6% of total annual nursing facility revenue.

Governor Maura Healey has appointed Dr. Kiame Mahaniah as Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS).

Mass Senior Care would like to extend an invitation to Veterans to join Alliance Health and other member communities to participate in Dream Flights. This incredible program honors Veterans by giving them the chance to fly in a restored World War II-era biplane.

The 2026 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program application cycle is now open! Participating in the Quality Award Program offers organizations valuable external perspectives, actionable feedback, stronger team collaboration, increased resilience, and improved performance – all leading to better care and quality of life for residents.

• CMS to Extend Mandatory SNF Provider Enrollment Revalidation Deadline to January 1, 2026 • DPH Proposed Amendment to Health Care Facility Architectural Plan Review Fee • 2026 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards • SNF Provider Preview Reports – Now Available

• Important Update: TPS, CHNV Parole, and Work Authorization Reverification • Proposed Regulations for Certified Medication Aides Open for Public Comment • Governor Healey Appoints Dr. Kiame Mahaniah as EOHHS Secretary • PFML Reminders and Updates for Employers

EOHHS Issues Nursing Facility User Fee Administrative Bulletin: July 1, 2025 Fees

• Impact of One Big Beautiful Bill • Senior Whole Health to Implement a Prior Authorization Procedure for MassHealth NF Rate Add Ons • CMS Publishes Updates to PBJ Manual and FAQs

• REMINDER: August 1 Mandatory SNF Medicare Provider Enrollment Revalidation • EOHHS Opens DCC-Q Portal for Data Entry: Deadline July 31

A federal judge has blocked the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) attempt to shorten Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. On July 1, 2025, District Court Judge Brian M. Cogan ruled that DHS’s February 2025 order – which would have moved up the expiration date from February 3, 2026 to August 3, 2025 – violated the Administrative Procedure Act. As a result, the partial vacatur has been halted, and at this time, no appeal has been filed.

On July 14, 2025, the CMS will release the new iQIES Electronic Plan of Correction (ePOC) system functionality to participating Nursing Homes and State Agencies. Once ePOC functionality is enabled in iQIES, the current ePOC system will be disabled.

In addition to the new $102 million in new Medicaid nursing facility funding contained in the FY2026 budget signed into law by Governor Healey, the new state budget requires the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to increase the nursing facility provider tax to the maximum amount under existing federal law, which totals 6% of total annual nursing facility revenue.

On July 4, 2025, Governor Healey signed into law the FY 2026 budget totaling $61 billion, which includes $102 million in new Medicaid nursing facility funding, and also includes a provision to increase the nursing facility provider tax to the maximum amount under existing federal law.

• EOHHS Issues Updated RY25 DCC-Q Final Filing Template to Correct for Formula Errors • Judge Blocks Early Termination of Haitian TPS; DHS Rescinds TPS for Honduras and Nicaragua • CMS Alert: Medicare Fraud Scheme Involving Phishing Fax Requests

• Trump Administration Announces End of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians • CRITICAL ACTION ALERT: Call Governor Healey to Urge Her to Support Quality Nursing Facility Care!

• Governor Healey Signs Into Law FY 2026 Budget • EOHHS Adopts Emergency Regulation

• EOHHS Issues RY25 DCC-Q FINAL Filing Instructions • Certified Medication Aide Regulations Go Before Public Health Council July 9 • DPH Issues Memorandum: Den Dialysis Guidance

• EOHHS Provides OTP Rate Add-On for Delivery of Medications to NFs • Action Needed: MassHealth Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Provider Directory • Massachusetts DPH Announces New LGBTQIA+ Training Initiative

Member Update: Conference Committee Files FY2026 Budget Recommendation

2025 Unit Manager Training Program Tuesdays in September: 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30 2 In-Person Sessions and 2 Virtual Sessions: September 9, 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM, In-Person, Whitney Place at Medway September 16, 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Virtual September 23, 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Virtual September 30, 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM, In-Person, The Willows at Westborough Click Here to Register Register for Zimmet Healthcare’s Annual Conference! The Zimmet Healthcare Annual Conference is a premier event for professionals

On July 14, 2025, the CMS will release the new iQIES Electronic Plan of Correction (ePOC) system functionality to participating Nursing Homes and State Agencies. Once ePOC functionality is enabled in iQIES, the current ePOC system will be disabled. Nursing Home providers that currently utilize ePOC will need to request the Provider ePOC Administrator role in iQIES after you sign up for HCQIS Access Roles & Profile (HARP) access.

Earlier this year, OSHA issued a memorandum announcing an immediate suspension, or “stay,” of its COVID-19 recordkeeping and reporting requirements under 29 CFR 1910.502. This change, effective until further notice, relieves nursing homes, assisted living communities, hospitals, and other health care settings from maintaining a dedicated COVID-19 log or reporting COVID-19 fatalities and hospitalizations as previously required.

On June 26, 2025, the Department of Public Health (DPH) issued a clinical advisory in response to the rising number of invasive Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections and reported clusters in long-term care facilities across the Commonwealth.

Effective May 1, 2025, members eligible for Family Assistance who have a qualifying hospitalization and require nursing facility level of care may be eligible to receive the same level of benefits as MassHealth Standard or CommonHealth through the Family Assistance Long Term Services and Supports Pathway (FA LTSS Pathway).

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has filed an Emergency Adoption to 101 CMR 346.00: Rates for Certain Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders Programs for the purpose of improving access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), including methadone, for nursing facility residents with substance use disorders. It encourages Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) to deliver medications directly to nursing facilities where facility staff can administer them to residents, reducing the need for daily transportation.

Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome new members to our Association. Our members have demonstrated their commitment to the senior care provider community by joining Mass Senior Care and we are grateful for their support.

The Massachusetts Senior Care Foundation’s annual Scholarship Program assists long term care staff in meeting their personal and professional goals through furthering their education. Since 1985, the Foundation has awarded nearly $3 million dollars in scholarships to more than 1,600 deserving long term care staff, known as “Foundation Scholars.” The annual program, funded through the generosity of long term care providers and related organizations, supports the Foundation's mission to promote the development of a skilled and committed workforce. The Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2025 awards.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) has announced the 2025 Silver – Achievement in Quality Award recipients. MSCA is proud to recognize four member facilities that have earned this achievement.

• Invasive Group A Streptococcus Infections • MassHealth Issues Family Assistance Pathways NF Bulletin • MassHealth Provider Online Service Center Pre-login and Post-login Page Refresh • ePOC Transition to iQIES • OSHA Suspension of COVID-19 Record Keeping and Reporting • Updated MassHealth Provider Service Center Hours

• Informal Dispute Resolution Meeting • 2025 Scholarship Application Now Available

• Nursing Home Compare and Five Star Update • 2567s and Plan of Correction • CMS Announces Launch of Fraud Defense Operations Center

Don't Miss Out!

CMS recently posted an updated version of the draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Item Sets v1.20.1v3 and draft Item Matrix v1.20.1v3. These are located in the Downloads section on CMS’ Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual page.

CMS has posted the updated Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual (SOM) as outlined in QSO-25-14-NH.

The June 2025 Quarterly Confidential Feedback Reports for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) Program are now available to download via the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES).

On June 18, 2025, CMS released QSO-25-19-ALL Release of CMS-2567: Statement of Deficiencies and Plan of Correction. CMS is updating their practice to align with the Nursing Home CMS-2567 process already in regulation. The Nursing Home CMS-2567 regulation allows the 2567 to be released within 14 days of transmission to the facility. This update does not change the current process for nursing homes.

On June 18, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released QSO-25-20-NH Updates to Nursing Home Compare. In the memo, CMS notes several changes to how items are displayed on the website related to performance data for nursing home chains, standard survey cycles for the inspection rating, updated long-stay antipsychotic measures, and removal of the COVID-19 vaccine measures.

Nursing facilities are reminded to remain diligent in their infection control practices to limit the spread of COVID-19 to residents and staff. At the expiration of the PHE, DPH released guidance on Organizational Policies and Procedures for Mitigating Respiratory Illness. Nursing facilities must continue to identify and monitor respiratory illness metrics to indicate when there are increased levels which may necessitate implementing these infection control measures.