E-News Update Articles

The revised Phase 2 and the Phase 3 requirements of participation (RoP) went into effect on October 24, 2022. Many members have indicated that they are still working on implementing these changes and would benefit from education related to the RoPs.

Yesterday, the Biden Administration announced a 6-week campaign to improve COVID-19 booster uptake rates including a focus on nursing homes.

The FY 2023 SNF PPS Final Rule that was published in the Federal Register August 2022, requires CMS-certified skilled nursing facilities to report annual Healthcare Personnel influenza vaccination summary data through the NHSN HPS Component for the 2022-2023 influenza season.

Mass Senior Care reminds members that in accordance with the Order of the Commissioner of Public Health (COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Order No. 2022-18 (issued September 30, 2022): All temporary nursing licenses will expire on December 31, 2022. The Biden Administration announced a 6-week campaign to improve COVID-19 booster uptake rates including a focus on nursing homes. The CDC National Healthcare Safety Network Vaccination Unit is providing a refresher webinar on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, from 1:30 - 2:30 PM Eastern Time to review the up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination definition for LTC facilities reporting data through the COVID-19 Vaccination Modules.

DPH released updated information on Declaration of Jeopardy for Outbreaks or Clusters in Long-Term Care Facilities, MassHealth issued on CommBuys an amendment to its Nursing Facility Provider Transitions Program Request for Applications (RFA) clarifying the minimum qualifications for funding consideration, DPH shared an important update regarding COVID-19 therapeutics, and MassHealth has issued an eligibility operations memo.

Yesterday, the DPH shared that effective November 14, 2022, several COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Orders were rescinded. However, please note that although these orders have been rescinded, they have been replaced by longer term and more sustainable updates to statutes and regulations.

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has issued an email to provide information on how certain eligible Nursing Facilities can receive reimbursement for trips for MassHealth members traveling to MassHealth covered services.

Mass Senior Care extends its congratulations to Governor-Elect Maura Healey and Lt. Governor-Elect Kim Driscoll on their historic victory in Tuesday’s gubernatorial election.

We celebrate and honor our veterans and their families for their dedication, bravery and sacrifice.

COVID-19 has exacerbated the mental health needs of frontline healthcare workers who have experienced the pandemic as both a personal crisis and a workplace crisis, having been deemed essential workers.

We are very pleased to announce that Governor Charlie Baker will speak at our November 17th Annual Meeting and we hope you will join us in thanking the Governor for his eight years of dedicated service to the Commonwealth and to helping to protect nursing facility residents and staff.

MassHealth has issued a (1) COVID-19 Preparedness Program Payments Bulletin specifying the criteria for nursing facilities to qualify for a one-time quality improvement supplemental payment in February 2023 and (2) Request for Assistance for Applications (RFAs) regarding a new Nursing Facility Patient Transition Program to facilitate a smooth transition of patients in need of post-acute, short-term care from acute hospital settings.

MassHealth has issued the COVID-19 Preparedness Program Payments Bulletin specifying the criteria for nursing facilities to qualify for a one-time quality improvement supplemental payment in February 2023.

Through the Civil Monetary Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP), CMS has released the Head to Toe Infection Prevention (H2T) Toolkit.

Mass Senior Care is very pleased to share that yesterday, DPH released updated guidance on the LTC Personnel COVID-19 vaccination requirement. DPH has modified the LTCF COVID-19 personnel vaccination requirement to align with CMS requirements which requires all long-term facility staff to have completed the COVID-19 vaccination primary series.

The AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program’s intent to apply (ITA) deadline is approaching on November 15, 2022

DPH changed its nursing home worker vaccination policy to align with CMS’ requirement that staff receive the initial vaccination series, which virtually all Massachusetts nursing home staff have completed. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) will be holding a conference call for long-term care facilities on Wednesday, November 9 at 11:00 a.m. The 2022 Mass Senior Care Annual Meeting & Trade Show is on Thursday, November 17th at the DCU Center in Worcester.

The EOHHS has opened up a grant opportunity to strengthen partnerships between hospitals and Aging Service Access Points (ASAPs), for the purposes of supporting and coordinating patient transitions from hospitals to home and community-based settings (HCBS).

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter on November 10th at 10 am for our monthly health care provider cybersecurity call. As always, we will be joined by representatives of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Commonwealth Fusion Center who will provide updates on recent cyber threats and trends. This call will include a presentation on cloud security.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will host a webinar on Thursday November 10, 2022, from, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM titled, Managing Respiratory Illness Season in Long-Term Care Facilities.

Mass Senior Care is very pleased to share that today DPH released updated guidance on the LTC Personnel COVID-19 vaccination requirement. DPH also released guidance on the LTCF COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine.

Mass Senior Care testified in opposition to the state’s bivalent booster mandate and instead urged EOHHS to align its vaccination regulation to be consistent with CMS which requires nursing home staff and all health care workers, including hospital staff, to be fully vaccinated. Also, the Mass Department of Public Health shared an advisory that due to widespread capacity constraints and workforce challenges all hospitals have been escalated to Tier 2, effective immediately.

Section 31 of chapter 42, of the acts of 2022, signed by Governor Baker on April 4, 2022, continued the authorization of nursing practice by graduates and students in their last semester of nursing education programs in accordance with guidance from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN) until 180 days after the Commonwealth’s Public Health Emergency ends. Also, join us for our 2022 Annual Meeting & Trade Show on Thursday, November 17th at the DCU Center in Worcester.

On October 24, 2022. CMS updated survey resources on the CMS Nursing Home website

Skilled nursing facility reports are now available to review. It is strongly recommended that nursing facilities review this data by November 14, 2022 and contact CMS if you have questions.

The Mass. Chapter of the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) is offering nursing home administrators the opportunity to gather virtually on November 9th to listen and learn from their peers

CMS will host a national stakeholder call on November 1, 2022 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm with CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, and her leadership team.

Join us as we gather in-person for our 2022 Annual Meeting & Trade Show on Thursday, November 17th at the DCU Center in Worcester! In addition to learning from dynamic speakers on relevant workforce topics, you can also network with colleagues and vendors at the Trade Show and Luncheon. A post-conference “Thank You LTC Heroes” cocktail reception at Off the Rails restaurant will immediately follow the afternoon session.

To assist members in preparing for the significant changes coming to the MDS system in October 2023, Mass Senior Care is offering two courses presented by Maureen McCarthy, President & CEO of Celtic Consulting. A discounted rate is available for individuals who want to attend both workshops, please call the Mass Senior Care office at 617-558-0202.

On October 21, 2022, CMS released a Revisions to Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program memo. These revisions are part of the Biden Harris Administration’s priority to improve the safety and quality of care in nursing homes, as outlined in a FACT SHEET: Protecting Seniors by Improving Safety and Quality of Care in the Nation’s Nursing Homes.

Join us as we gather in-person for our 2022 Annual Meeting & Trade Show on Thursday, November 17th at the DCU Center in Worcester! In addition to learning from dynamic speakers on relevant workforce topics, you can also network with colleagues and vendors at the Trade Show and Luncheon. A post-conference “Thank You LTC Heroes” cocktail reception at Off the Rails restaurant will immediately follow the afternoon session.

At its Annual Meeting last week, the AHCA Council of States voted to approve a bylaw amendment to put into effect a dues proposal that would be presented to the Council of States every three years.

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter on November 10th at 10 am for our monthly health care provider cybersecurity call. As always, we will be joined by representatives of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Commonwealth Fusion Center who will provide updates on recent cyber threats and trends. This call will include a presentation on cloud security.

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has scheduled a remote public hearing on Friday, October 28, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. relative to the adoption of the Rate Year 2023 Medicaid Nursing Facility Rate Regulation. Mass Senior Care will be testifying at this hearing and welcome our members to join us in urging EOHHS to update rates to better reflect the cost of quality resident care including skyrocketing wage rates that have grown by nearly 20% since the start of the pandemic.

Hamel-Lydon Chapel, an MSCA Associate Member, is proud to announce this year's 10 recipients and their respective organizations that represent compassionate care and provide exceptional service to patients and families. Recipients each receive an award certificate and $500 award while their healthcare organizations receive $250 for each award granted.

MassHealth has issued an updated All Provider 352 Bulletin on Requirements for Reporting and Returning of Overpayments.

The Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2022 awards. Scholarships from $500 to $2,000 will be awarded to selected applicants to cover direct, out of pocket expenses for tuition, fees, books, and supplies incurred during the period January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is making at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests available to Councils on Aging, Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs), Senior Affordable Housing Providers, Health Care Providers, and other Community-Based Organizations, free of cost, while supplies allow.

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.

This week at its annual Convention & Expo, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) elected AHCA's Board of Governors and NCAL's Board of Directors for the 2022-2023 term. Phil Fogg, president and CEO of Marquis Companies, was re-elected as AHCA Chair, and Gerald Hamilton, co-owner of BeeHive Homes, was re-elected as NCAL chair.

RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts is a MassDEP-funded program that offers free technical assistance to help Massachusetts businesses and institutions reduce waste. RecyclingWorks experts can guide your organization in implementing or expanding existing programs before these changes go into effect.

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. The Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2022 awards.

Federal declaration that a public health emergency exists renewed, Mass Senior Care's response to a Boston Globe editorial, DPH released revisions to the Update to Caring for Long-Term Care Residents during the COVID-19 Response, DPH released updated Guidance for Health Care Personnel with SARS-CoV2 Infection or Exposure, and guidance for wearing face masks in certain settings.

DPH has provided further details regarding DPH's approved request from CMS for an extension of the 1135 waiver of the requirements contained in 42 CFR §483.35(d) Training and Certification of Nurse Aides for Massachusetts nursing facilities, and Mass Senior Care has been notified by the DPH that, effective October 30th, Prometric will no longer process nurse aide recertifications or reciprocity.

Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) has released its World Alzheimer Report 2022. “ADI hopes this substantial and comprehensive report will contribute to overcoming some of the apprehensions surrounding post-diagnosis dementia support and help identify some of the barriers to overcome – but also some opportunities that provide direction and hope.”

Over the past several months, Mass Senior Care staff conducted voter registration drives in member facilities across the state in support of our Vote 2022 Campaign, designed to ensure the long term care community has the opportunity to vote in the upcoming elections. At the November 8, 2022 Election, Massachusetts voters will elect a new Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, constitutional officers, members of Congress and local elected officials. Many of our residents have participated in elections throughout their lives

AHCA/NCAL is holding sales this fall on several educational products

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has scheduled a remote public hearing on Friday, October 28, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. relative to the adoption of the Rate Year 2023 Medicaid Nursing Facility Rate Regulation. Mass Senior Care will be testifying at this hearing.

AHCA is providing a free member webinar on Life Safety and Emergency Preparedness Compliance. Life Safety and Emergency Preparedness are two critical regulatory compliance components that are consistently areas of survey focus.

CMS has rescinded QSO-22-25-CLIA, which prohibited the use of SARS-CoV-2 tests outside of the FDA test’s instructions for use. AHCA/NCAL strongly advocated for the rescinding of the memo as it limited the use of the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card being sent by the U.S.