E-News Update Articles

On Monday, the Joint Committee on Ways and Means held its 7th hearing to review Governor Healey’s state Fiscal Year 2026 H.1 budget recommendation, focusing on the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) department budgets, including MassHealth.

With intense competition for state funding amidst ongoing federal funding uncertainties, it’s more important than ever that our voices are heard! With almost 300 calls made to date, we urge you, your residents, their family members, and staff to please call your facility’s elected officials and thank them for protecting access to quality nursing facility care, and respectfully urge them to support in the FY 2026 budget the $280 million necessary to implement the resident care and workforce sections contained in Chapter 197 of the Acts of 2024.

CMS has posted the draft Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User’s Manual version (v)1.20.1​, which will be effective beginning October 01, 2025.

President Trump yesterday dramatically reversed course and announced a 90-day pause in the higher reciprocal tariffs he announced last week, dropping his country-specific tariffs down to a universal 10% rate for all trade partners except China which will increase to 125 percent. This tariff level will remain in effect through July 8th while the United States and its trading partners seek to reach a permanent agreement on tariff levels.

Mass Senior Care Association is pleased to offer Associate Members sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor booths for the upcoming 2025 Spring Conference & Trade Show on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA! Don't miss out - there are only five event sponsorships remaining!

Join us as we gather for our 2025 Spring Conference & Trade Show on Wednesday, May 14th at the DCU Center in Worcester! In addition to learning from dynamic speakers addressing issues impacting long term care providers, over 50 sponsors and exhibitors will be at the Trade Show and Luncheon to share the latest products and services, giving you the opportunity to network with these vendors and your colleagues.

Member Update: CareSource Acquires CommonHealth Care Alliance (CCA); Register Now for Important Immigration Webinar on April 14th

Member Update: Federal Court Vacates CMS Minimum Staffing Mandate for Nursing Facilities; Joint Ways and Means Committee Hearing on FY2026 MassHealth Budget Funding: Federal Medicaid Cuts Imperil Funding

Member Update: President Trump Issues Executive Order Enacting Reciprocal Tariffs; CMS Issues Final 2026 Medicare Advantage Program Rule: Fails to Include Measures to Improve Beneficiary Access to Care Via Artificial Intelligence Guardrails; Senate Enacts Budget Resolution – Medicaid Program Funding Remains at Risk

The Trump Administration has notified states that it is immediately terminating a number of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants that were expected to bring in nearly $100 million to Massachusetts over the next year.

The House of Representatives is now entering the final stages of crafting its FY2026 budget recommendations, and it’s crucial that we act now! With intense competition for state funding amidst ongoing federal funding uncertainties, it’s more important than ever that our voices are heard! We therefore urge you, your residents, their family members, and staff to please call your facility’s elected officials and thank them for protecting access to quality nursing facility care, and respectfully urge them to support in the FY 2026 budget the $280 million necessary to implement the resident care and workforce sections contained in Chapter 197 of the Acts of 2024.

Due to the Payroll Based Journal quarterly deadline, the iQIES Service Center is projecting an increase in the volume of calls and emails between now and May 15, 2025.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) on March 26th issued an update to its recently announced policy regarding Identity Proofing that would have required certain elderly and disabled individuals to apply for benefits in person at a local SSA office.

Mass Senior Care Association is pleased to offer Associate Members sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor booths for the upcoming 2025 Spring Conference & Trade Show on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA! Don't miss out - there are only five event sponsorships remaining!

Nominations for the 2025 AHCA/NCAL Awards Program are now open. AHCA/NCAL members are strongly encouraged to nominate those inspiring leaders and unsung colleagues who go above and beyond to provide exceptional service in the long term care profession.

Last week, President Trump signed the Executive Order Preserving And Protecting The Integrity Of American Elections which requires people to present a passport, a Real ID, a military identification card, or another government-issued ID that indicates US citizenship when registering to vote or updating voter registration using federal forms.

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.

Don't miss out on these important webinars!

The March 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).

Member Update: Freeze on Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP); Requirement to Report Nursing Home HCP Influenza Vaccination and Rest Home HCP Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccination; Register Now for Upcoming Education Programs!

Member Update: Federal Judge Pauses the Trump Administration’s Plan to End TPS for Venezuelans

Member Update: Trump Administration Terminates $100 Million in Funding for Massachusetts State Public Health Programs; Social Security Administration Updates Recently Announced Identity Proofing Requirements: In-Person Requirement Will Not Apply to Disability Insurance, Medicare, and SSI Applications; Assisted Living Residences (ALR) Waivers to Expire March 31st; Executive Order Requiring Documentary Proof of U.S. Citizenship for Voter Registration; CHIA Issues 2024 Nursing Facility Management Company/Central Office Cost Report Form

Mass Senior Care Association is pleased to offer Associate Members sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor booths for the upcoming 2025 Spring Conference & Trade Show on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA!

AHCA has developed a comprehensive training program titled Learning the Minimum Data Set – Training for the Interdisciplinary Team – a boot camp training for every team member who is involved in the resident assessment process.

In March 2025, the Office of the Inspector General released on report State Survey Agencies Need Additional Guidance to Assess Nursing Home Emergency Preparedness Programs.

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.

Last week the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a notice announcing its intent to end categorical parole programs (CHNV) for citizens of Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. The notice will be effective 30 days from the scheduled 3/25/25 date of publication in the Federal Register.

The Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) released its Annual Report on the Performance of the Massachusetts Health Care System. The 2025 report documented an 8.6% growth rate in total health care expenditures in 2023, which is well above the state’s established cost growth benchmark of 3.6%.

Massachusetts is home to 348 nursing facilities caring for and employing over 100,000 individuals. With the 85+ population expected to grow by 40% over the next decade, the demand and need for nursing facility care is rising. Nursing facility residents rely heavily on their dedicated caregivers for daily support, but nursing facilities are facing a major financial and workforce crisis. We therefore urge you, your residents, their family members, and staff to please call your facility’s elected officials and thank them for protecting access to quality nursing facility care, and respectfully urge them to support in the FY 2026 budget the $280 million necessary to implement the resident care and workforce sections contained in Chapter 197 of the Acts of 2024.

Academic Platforms, in collaboration with The American Health Care Association, is revolutionizing the way senior living facilities train their Nurse Assistants. Academic Platforms is a Mass Senior Care Associate Member, and their hybrid Nurse Assistant course seamlessly integrates online learning with hands-on clinical experience, ensuring students receive quality education while maintaining flexibility in their work schedules.

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.

The federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) today announced it is cutting nearly a quarter of its workforce and consolidating several of its departments as part of a major restructuring of the agency.

Member Update: Social Security Administration Announces Identity Proofing Changes Effective March 31st; MassHealth Issues Billing Timelines Reminder; REMINDER: May 1st Mandatory SNF Medicare Provider Enrollment Revalidation: AHCA Webinar on March 28th

Member Update: Department of Homeland Security Terminates Parole Processes for Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua; Employee Resources on Immigration Enforcement: Know Your Rights; Informal Dispute Resolution Meeting; Medicare SNF Cost Report Revision – AHCA Webinar on April 1, 2025

Member Update: Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care Facility Admission or Home Health Services: List of Accredited Carriers; Commonwealth Care Alliance Financial Situation Deteriorates: State Prepares Remedial Actions; Nursing Facility Partners Needed for Nurse Aide Certification Exams; Immigration Enforcement and Workplace Compliance May Include I-9 Audits by ICE; AHA and Health-ISAC Joint Statement on Social Media Post

The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living’s Gero Nurse Prep course significantly increases RNs’ gerontological nursing competency test scores. Registrants can save $200 on Gero Nurse Prep through May 15, 2025 with promo code GROWRNS (all caps).

CMS last year announced its upcoming transition and training plan for State Survey Agencies (SSAs) to the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES). CMS recently updated its memo on March 7, 2025, noting the iQIES Nursing Home launch is now scheduled for July 2025.

We urge you, your residents, their family members, and staff to please call your elected officials and thank them for protecting access to quality nursing facility care, and respectfully urge them to support in the FY 2026 budget the $280 million necessary to implement the resident care and workforce sections contained in Chapter 197 of the Acts of 2024.

We look forward to seeing you at our May 14th Spring Conference and Trade Show at the DCU Center in Worcester where you will have opportunities to participate in educational sessions, network with peers, engage with exhibitors to learn about the latest products and services and earn CEUs. Attendee registration will be available soon, please mark your calendar and plan to join us on May 14th!

The Care Planning Team of the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and All other Dementias has released a new toolkit for people living with dementia, dementia care partners, families, community-based service providers, and health care providers.

Our administrators provide an invaluable service to consumers and families across the Commonwealth. Mass Senior Care extends its heartfelt gratitude to all Administrators for their dedicated efforts in delivering quality, compassionate care to residents and their families every day!

Member Update: Massachusetts Division of Insurance Issues Filing Guidance to Insurers In Regard to Prior Authorization for Post-Acute Care Facility Admission or Home Health Services; CHIA Releases Annual Report on Massachusetts Health Care System Performance; Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) Commission – First Meeting

The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has created a new Leave Allotment View for Leave Administrators.

As previously reported, on July 31, 2024, Governor Healey signed An Act Relative to Salary Range Transparency into law to increase equity and transparency in pay in the Commonwealth. The Attorney General’s Office has released initial guidance highlighting employer requirements and employee rights.

Mass Senior Care Association is pleased to offer Associate Members sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor booths for the upcoming 2025 Spring Conference & Trade Show on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA!

Member Update: DPH Clinical Advisory – Measles; Social Security Fairness Act Results in Increase in Social Security Benefits for Certain Nursing Facility Residents: MassHealth Treatment for Eligibility

Member Update: Implementation of Appendix PP Delayed until April 28

Member Update: Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office Hosting Webinars on Wage Transparency Law; MassHealth Issues Eligibility Operations Updating Application for Seniors and People Needing LTC; Annual Life Safety Code (LSC) Surveys

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter on Thursday, March 13th at 10am for the monthly health care provider cybersecurity call.

The House last week passed on a party line vote a Republican budget resolution that recommends $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and a $2 trillion reduction in federal spending over the next decade. The House budget plan directs the Energy and Commerce Committee, the Committee that has jurisdiction over Medicaid and Medicare, to reduce spending by at least $880 billion over the next ten years.