E-News Update Articles

National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW) is a great time to celebrate all who live and work in nursing facilities. The American Health Care Association (AHCA) has deemed this year’s theme "Radiant Memories: A Time of Golden Age Radio.” The national observance will take place from Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2024.

Join us for a dynamic and informative program on April 25, 2024! Please visit our website to register!

Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome new members to our Association.

Member Update: Point 32 Health (Tufts Health Plan/HPHC) Voluntary Extends Through August 1st Prior Authorization Waiver Process for Post Acute Hospital Short Stays

Member Update: Reminder: Prior Authorization Waiver Process for Post Acute Hospital Short Stays Ended; Reminder: CMS Guidance on Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Nursing Homes Effective April 1st; AHCA to Host Webinar on Proposed FFY 2025 Medicare SNF PPS Rule; NHSN Training Webinar on Revised Definition of UTD is Today

Member Update: Two Statutory Authorizations Expired March 31st; CMS Proposed FFY 2025 Medicare SNF PPS Payment Rule: Nursing Home Enforcement

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter on April 11th at 10 am for our monthly health care provider cybersecurity call.

The DPH has updated its recommendations for the general public to align with the CDC to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.

On March 26th, two former officials of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, where 76 individuals died during the COVID outbreak settled their criminal cases originally filed in 2020.

Member Update: Senate Conference Committee Members Appointed for FY2024 Supplemental Bill: Includes Extensions Allowing (1) Nursing School Graduate Students to Practice Nursing and (2) Nurses to Provide Skilled Care in an ALR; CMS Issues Proposed FFY 2025 Medicare SNF PPS Payment Rule

Join us for a dynamic and informative 2024 program! The trade show and lunch will feature 50 sponsors and exhibitors and the opportunity to network with these vendors and your colleagues. Please visit our website to register!

The next CMS Skilled Nursing Facilities/Long Term Care Open Door Forum is scheduled for April 2nd, 2:00pm-3:00pm ET.

Please continue to ask your State Representative and Senator to support Mass Senior Care’s FY2025 Nursing Facility Budget Proposal, which would fund vital workforce investments of $128 million in FY2025.

Massachusetts Senior Care Association is pleased to offer Associate Members sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor booths for the upcoming 2024 Spring Conference & Trade Show on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA.

The NHSN Vaccination team will host a second webinar to detail the changes to the surveillance definition of being up to date with COVID-19 vaccines which goes into effect with April 1, 2024 reporting.

MassHealth requires that nursing facilities and chronic disease and rehabilitation inpatient hospitals annually account for the balances of personal needs allowance (PNA) account funds.

Enhancing Resident Care and Reducing Unnecessary Resident Hospitalizations in Nursing Facilities: A 5-Part Virtual Interdisciplinary Hospice Education Series Jointly Sponsored by Mass Senior Care Association and the Hospice & Palliative Care. This 5-part virtual series will focus on incorporating hospice services into nursing facilities to enhance resident care and reduce unnecessary resident hospitalizations at the end of life. Register today!

Member Update: House Conference Committee Members Appointed for FY2024 Supplemental Bill; DPH Updates Recommendations for the General Public to Prevent the Spread of Respiratory Viruses; Change Healthcare Update: Payer Contacts and Resources

Member Update: Informal Dispute Resolution Meeting; Register Now for Upcoming Webinars

Member Update: Register Now for Upcoming Webinars

Member Update: CMS Releases New Guidance on Enhanced Barrier Precautions in Nursing Homes

Massachusetts Senior Care Association is pleased to offer Associate Members sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor booths for the upcoming 2024 Spring Conference & Trade Show on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA.

Please join us again this week in asking your State Representative and Senator to support Mass Senior Care’s FY2025 Nursing Facility Budget Proposal, which would fund vital workforce investments of $128 million in FY2025.

The CMS National Stakeholder Calls summary, recording and transcript from the January 23, 2024 is now available.

This 5-part virtual series will focus on incorporating hospice services into nursing facilities to enhance resident care and reduce unnecessary resident hospitalizations at the end of life.

Nicholas (Nick) Thisse founder and owner of Rehabilitation Associates, a small, family-owned organization operating skilled nursing facilities in Eastern Massachusetts died on Thursday, March 14th.

While RVRS continues to prepare for the new MAVRIC death registration system, the go-live timeframe will be pushed out from April.

The DPH is sponsoring a virtual summit discussing Minimizing Risk and Maximizing Autonomy: Supporting Residents in Their Recovery Journey, hosted by Abt Global and their partner, Healthcentric Advisors.

Join us for a dynamic and informative program with the morning session featuring Steven Littlehale and a team from Zimmet Healthcare offering attendees an analysis of the PDPM Medicaid reimbursement transition in the Commonwealth and other states, along with effective strategies for facilities to utilize data analytics and technology to improve performance.

On March 20, 2024, CMS released QSO-24-08-NH on implementing Enhanced Barrier Precautions(EBPs) in Nursing Homes to prevent the spread of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs).

Member Update: Senate Ways and Means Committee Files FY2024 Supplemental Bill; COVID Vaccine Updated Recommendations; REMINDER: 2023 Nursing Facility Cost Reports Due April 1st

Join Mass Senior Care in celebrating National Long Term-Care Administrator’s Week from March 11-15, 2024!

CMS has issued a concise and helpful fact sheet​ that addresses payment policies associated with administering preventive vaccines to short and long term residents in nursing facilities.

Register Now! Enhancing Resident Care and Reducing Unnecessary Resident Hospitalizations in Nursing Facilities: A 5-Part Virtual Interdisciplinary Hospice Education Series Jointly Sponsored by Mass Senior Care Association and the Hospice & Palliative Care Federation of Massachusetts

National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW) is a great time to celebrate all who live and work in nursing facilities. The national observance will take place from Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2024.

Skilled nursing facilities’ March Quarterly Confidential Feedback Reports for the FY 2025 Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing Program from iQIES is now available.

Massachusetts Senior Care Association is pleased to offer Associate Members sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor booths for the upcoming 2024 Spring Conference & Trade Show on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA.

As part of our ongoing advocacy efforts, we are pleased to share with you the recent op-ed, State must continue to invest in nursing homes, authored by Patrick Stapleton which appeared in the March 8th edition of The Boston Herald.

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.

As previously reported, The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) published a final joint employer rule that was set to go into effect on Tuesday, 3/12 and would have impacted any employer who uses contracted labor including but not limited to temporary nursing services.

On Thursday, March 7, The Brentwood Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Danvers (operated by Marqui Health Services) celebrated the opening of their new Hemodialysis Den.

Member Update: CHIA Releases Annual Report on Massachusetts Health Care System Performance

Member Update: NLRB’s Joint Employer Rule Vacated by Federal Judge; Extension on Authorization to allow nursing practice by use Graduate Nurses and Nursing Students; Webinar Postponed - Connect with Work Authorized Migrants: A Critical Pipeline for New Employees

Member Updates: CMS Announces Medicare Accelerated Payments Eligibility Process for SNFs Impacted by Change Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption; Final Reminder: For Facilities Billing for SUD Rate Add-Ons Signed Attestation Form is Due March 12th

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter on March 14th at 10 am for the monthly health care provider cybersecurity call.

DPH continues to investigate invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) cases and clusters in long-term care facilities (LTCF).

Please ask your State Representative and Senator to support Mass Senior Care’s FY2025 Nursing Facility Budget Proposal, which would fund vital workforce investments of $128 million in FY2025.

National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW) is a great time to celebrate all who live and work in nursing facilities.

We are currently sold out of regular exhibitor booths. Please consider one of our remaining sponsorship opportunities, or contact us to be added to our waitlist!

The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee yesterday advanced legislation to bar CMS from finalizing its proposed minimum staffing rule.