E-News Updates

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit yesterday denied the Trump administration's request to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians on July 24, 2026, ordering that TPS protections remain in effect through at least Monday, July 27, 2026.

Mass Senior Care is pleased to share that Tara Gregorio, President and CEO, has been appointed to the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Community Advisory Council, which was announced by the Healey-Driscoll Administration on July 23, 2026.

On July 20, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new Safety Special Alert Memo (QSSAM-26-04-NH, reinforcing the importance of protecting the voting rights and autonomy of residents in long-term care facilities. To support member efforts to assist residents with voter registration, Massachusetts Senior Care Association (MSCA) is pleased to launch the Vote 2026 campaign. 

This week, the Secretary of State assigned ballot question numbers for the November 3, 2026 State Election. Of note to MSCA members is Ballot Question 5, titled “State Revenue Limit & Rebate,”will appear on the statewide ballot as one of nine questions.

MassHealth yesterday notified nursing facilities via email that Behavioral Health Community Partner (BHCP) supports and services for residents determined through the PASRR Level II process to have a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) will transition to different BHCP providers over the coming months.

The Massachusetts Division of Insurance has approved significant health insurance premium increases for 2027 in the merged individual and small-group market, affecting nearly 700,000 Massachusetts residents and small businesses.

Effective August 17, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will transition Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) reporting to iQIES, its secure, cloud-based system for managing quality and compliance data. Beginning on that date, all PBJ staffing data must be submitted through iQIES.

To help facilities navigate the Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) and Independent Informal Dispute Resolution (IIDR) processes, MSCA has developed an IDR/IIDR Tip Sheet to assist providers in preparing accurate and complete submissions.

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. DEADLINE EXTENDED: the Foundation is accepting applications for its 2026 awards until July 31st.

Register Now!