Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll issued on Wednesday their FY2026 budget recommendation totaling $59.6 billion in non-surtax spending. This represents a 2.6% percent increase over the current year, in line with estimated inflation. To balance the budget, the Governor’s spending plan relies on one-time revenues of $1 billion and implements a series of MassHealth program rate cuts and administrative program savings. In light of the overall budget constraints, Mass Senior Care is pleased to report that the Governor has recommended $102 million in new funding in quality nursing facility care. The Governor is also requesting authority to increase the nursing facility user fee to the maximum amount under federal law, which would result in an overall $22 million increase in the fees paid by facilities.
Mass Senior Care appreciates the Governor’s recommendation to increase Medicaid nursing facility spending as it represents the first time in decades that a Governor has started the budget cycle with a request to the legislature to invest in nursing facility quality care.
This is a positive start as the FY2026 budget now moves to the House of Representatives for its review and action. Mass Senior Care will work to build on the Governor’s recommendation. Mass Senior Care believes a total of $280 million is necessary to fully implement the provisions of the recently enacted long term care reform law.