E-News Update Articles

Registration is now open for the DPH webinar on Health Care Personnel Influenza Vaccinations on Tuesday, October 31st from 12 noon to 1 pm. Please click here to register for the webinar. This one-hour webinar will provide up-to-date information and practices for the 2017-2018 flu season.

Learn how the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program will affect Medicare’s payments to your SNF beginning October 1, 2018, as well as details on how CMS will translate SNF performance scores into value-based incentive payments. CMS will also discuss policies finalized in the FY 2018 final rule. This session is scheduled for Thursday, November 16, 2017 from 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm ET. A question and answer session follows the presentation; however attendees may email questions in

In response to a request by Mass Senior Care, MassHealth issued a letter to Senior Care Organizations (SCOs) clarifying that the recently enacted October 1, 2017 Medicaid nursing home rates paid under 101 CMR 206.00/Standard Payments to Nursing Homes specifically include the ‘Direct Care Staff Payment’ as part of the overall reimbursement to facilities.

Medford Rehabilitation & Nursing Center recently held its Annual Community Blood Drive, sponsored by the American Red Cross. There was an overwhelming response from the community with a total of more than 40 units of blood donated. The Staff and the community worked cohesively to make this event a huge success.

“My career goal is to be that person who helps better the quality of a person’s life.” Alicia Leo’s interest in pursuing a career as an Occupational Therapist, stemmed from her experience of caring for her grandmother, who faced serious health issues after suffering a fall and developing early onset dementia. Over time she was able to help her beloved “Noni” develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living to optimize the quality of her life. Over the

A new tool is now available to help hospitals, long-term care facilities, and certain outpatient facilities evaluate their best practices related to high-alert medications, identify opportunities for improvement, and track their experiences over time. Developed by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), the ISMP Medication Safety Self Assessment ® for High-Alert Medications focuses on general high-alert medications and 11 specific medication categories--including opioids, insulin, neuromuscular blocking agents, chemotherapy, and moderate and minimal sedation. Participants who submit assessment findings to

A Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Quick Reference Guide is available, including frequently asked questions, information on help desks, and links to additional resources. Visit the SNF QRP Data Submission Deadlines webpage for more information.

Mass Senior Care will be convening a member meeting for nursing facilities in Greater Springfield/Hampden County on October 24 th at 10:30 a.m. at Wingate at East Longmeadow. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and develop a plan regarding the impact the MGM Springfield casino project will have on staff recruitment and retention. Mass Senior Care is extremely concerned that the casino could have a devastating impact on a nursing facility’s ability to compete for staff. Western Massachusetts

CMS's new emergency preparedness requirements become effective November 16th. To help prepare skilled nursing facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid to meet these new requirements, AHCA is pleased to offer a new Emergency & Disaster Preparedness Kit prepared by IlluminAge Communication Partners. The new kit includes three main components: Online Emergency Document Storage and Portal. This service makes it easy and fast to organize, store, and have online/offline emergency access to "must have" documents, such as emergency contact lists, evacuation

Mass Senior Care calls on Governor Baker to immediately implement $7.5 million for critically needed funding for nursing home care. We urge members to continue their tremendous advocacy effort, and to call Governor Baker by participating in the Action Alert. Last week, Mass Senior Care’s Board of Directors sent a letter to Governor Baker requesting the Administration to implement immediately the $7.5 million budget funding authorized by the Legislature on September 28 th as part of a veto override.

On October 2, 2017, the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care announced that it met its national goal of reducing the national prevalence of antipsychotic use in long-stay nursing home residents by 30 percent by the end of 2016. It also announced a new goal of a 15 percent reduction by the end of 2019 for long-stay residents in those homes with currently limited reduction rates. Between the end of 2011 (baseline) and the end of quarter one of 2017

Join colleagues from across the state at our 2017 Annual Meeting & Trade Show on Thursday, November 9th at the DCU Center in Worcester. This year's theme, "Embracing End of Life Care: New Opportunities to Honor Residents' Choices" will feature a keynote address by Maureen Bisognano, President Emerita and Senior Fellow Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Co-Chair, Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care. The afternoon session will include an expert panel presentation on the importance and value of having end of

Mass Senior Care will be convening a member meeting for nursing facilities in Greater Springfield/Hampden County on October 24 th at 10:30 a.m. at Wingate at East Longmeadow. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and develop a plan regarding the impact the MGM Springfield casino project will have on staff recruitment and retention. Mass Senior Care is extremely concerned that the casino could have a devastating impact on a nursing facility’s ability to compete for staff. Western Massachusetts

On October 3, 2017, the Department of Public Health (DPH) released a memorandum to make long term care facilities (LTCFs) aware that DPH has investigated a significant number of healthcare-associated invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) infections, with a large number of these cases identified in LTCFs, since the beginning of 2017. In addition, an increasing number of these cases have been associated with a cluster or outbreak of invasive GAS in a LTCF. When a facility experiences a cluster or

Mass Senior Care’s Clinical Quality and Regulatory & Survey Committees will be having a joint meeting next week on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Mass Senior Care’s office in Waltham. Tom Lane of the MassHealth Office of Long Term Services and Supports will be a special guest at this meeting to discuss EOHHS’s proposed changes to the PASRR form. If you have any questions or are interested in attending, please contact Jennifer Chen, Director

Amidst the exquisite gardens of Elm Bank Reservation in Wellesley, the Mass Senior Care Foundation celebrated its 32nd Anniversary and honored its President, Marva Serotkin. During her 10 years as President, in addition to her steadfast support of the annual Scholarship program to promote educational and professional advancement for long term care staff, Marva championed the expansion of the Foundation’s work to improve care transitions and reduce the inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications in nursing facilities. Marva’s legacy of commitment

Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome our new members to the Association. Our Associate members have demonstrated their commitment to the senior care provider community by joining Mass Senior Care and participating as exhibitors and sponsors for events and educational conferences. Mass Senior Care members are encouraged to contact Associate Members when they are in need of long term care products and services. You can also find all of our Associate Members on our website. Facility Member: Mount Pleasant

Join colleagues from across the state at our 2017 Annual Meeting & Trade Show on Thursday, November 9th at the DCU Center in Worcester. This year's theme, "Embracing End of Life Care: New Opportunities to Honor Residents' Choices" will feature a keynote address by Maureen Bisognano, President Emerita and Senior Fellow Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Co-Chair, Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care.

The Mass Senior Care Association's Board of Directors has issued a letter to Governor Baker requesting the Administration to implement immediately the $7.5 million budget funding authorized by the Legislature on September 28 th as part of a veto override. Due to regulatory timing issues, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) was unable to include this additional funding in its October 1 rate regulation, issued last week. The letter to the Governor, which was signed individually by

In the final Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made an array of calculation errors. The FY 2018 SNF PPS - Final Rule Correction Notice went on display on September 30th at the Office of the Federal Register's Public Inspection Desk. This document corrects technical errors related to the wage index and budget neutrality factor provided in the final Medicare SNF Payment Rule that appeared in

Mass Senior Care will be convening a member meeting for nursing facilities in Greater Springfield/Hampden County on October 24 th at 10:30 a.m. at Wingate at East Longmeadow. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and develop a plan regarding the impact the MGM Springfield casino project will have on staff recruitment and retention. Mass Senior Care is extremely concerned that the casino could have a devastating impact on a nursing facility’s ability to compete for staff. Western Massachusetts

Mass Senior Care Association is urging the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation to join other members of Congress in asking the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to delay Phase II of the Requirements of Participation (RoP). Mass Senior Care told lawmakers that Phase II of implementation should be delayed to allow skilled nursing facilities sufficient time to comply with the changes. While many of the provisions included in the RoP are well intended, taken together, they represent a significant implementation

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) on September 29th issued a Notice of Final Agency Action in regard to the Medicaid nursing facility rate regulation revising payment rates effective October 1, 2017.

On Tuesday, September 19 th, leaders from several Massachusetts health care organizations, including Mass Senior Care, addressed a crowd of over 150 people from across the Commonwealth who came together to mark the state’s eleventh annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day. The crowd, which included clinicians, community advocates, state officials and consumers, gathered in the Great Hall at the State House to raise awareness that falls are a growing public health issue. The Massachusetts Falls Prevention Coalition continues to work with

Congress is now expected to move on to its next legislative priority of overhauling the tax code through the Reconciliation process in the new federal fiscal year which begins on October 1 st. Though Republican leadership maintains that ‘repeal and replace’ is still a legislative priority, it is not clear that it will aggressively pursue this goal in the upcoming federal fiscal year. Earlier this week Senate Republican leadership, lacking the votes to enact the Graham-Cassidy bill that would have

CMS, through the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), recently mailed letters to all Medicare Fee-For-Service providers about their work to assign new numbers (known as Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers or MBIs) and issue new Medicare cards to all people with Medicare beginning in April 2018. CMS‘s top priorities are to make sure: Your Medicare patients have continuous access to care. You have the tools and information you need for a smooth transition. Starting in June 2018, you can look up your patients’

Yesterday, the State Senate unanimously voted to override Governor Charlie Baker's veto of $7.5 million in Medicaid nursing facility funding. Thank you to Mass Senior Care members for your tremendous advocacy effort and participating in our ongoing Action Alerts. Please thank your state senator for their continued support, and for restoring funding for quality nursing facility care.

Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome our new Associate Members to the Association. Our Associate members have demonstrated their commitment to the senior care provider community by joining Mass Senior Care and participating as exhibitors and sponsors for events and educational conferences. Mass Senior Care members are encouraged to contact Associate Members when they are in need of long term care products and services. You can also find all of our Associate Members on our website. QBS, Inc. of

Mass Senior Care President Tara Gregorio is urging the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation to join other members of Congress in asking the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to delay Phase II of the Requirements of Participation (RoP). Mass Senior Care told lawmakers that Phase II of implementation should be delayed to allow skilled nursing facilities sufficient time to comply with the changes. While many of the provisions included in the RoP are well intended, taken together, they represent a

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has released the MDPH Recommendations and Resources for the Control of Influenza and Pneumococcal Disease, 2017-2018. Like previous years, the advisory has a section added which includes the latest recommendations for use of PCV13 followed by PPSV23 in those >65 years of age. This year there are no major changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Recommendations for Influenza Vaccine for the 2017-2018 season, also attached. You may find the Summary of

We extend our deepest condolences to the family of Morrill Stone Ring, Jr., RN, past president (1951 to 1952) of the Massachusetts Federation of Nursing Homes (now know as Mass Senior Care Association) who passed away peacefully at 92 years young on August 26, 2017. Morrill was a skilled innovative leader who served our industry with great distinction. Both he and his father Morrill Stone Ring, Sr., (also a past president -1953-1954), were two of the founding fathers of the

Senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy’s have introduced legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which would have a devastating negative impact on the nursing home provider community. The American Health Care Association (AHCA/NCAL), is asking nursing facility providers to contact members of the U.S. Congress to ask that they reject this proposal. Please participate in AHCA’s online grassroots by clicking here: Care Advocacy resource. The Graham-Cassidy bill is a threat because it would significantly reduce the amount

Long term care providers and our entire profession join in expressing our deepest sympathy to the families of the residents who lost their lives at one location in Florida. The investigation into this tragic event is ongoing and it is clear that this is an isolated incident and is not indicative of the overall emergency response efforts across the long term care profession. Massachusetts is amongst the leaders in the country in our ability to provide mutual aid to long

On September 20 th, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services issued a Notice of Proposed Agency Action which would update Medicaid nursing facility rates, effective October 1, 2017. The regulation would make the following changes to current rates: Re-authorizes the $35.5 million direct care staff payments to provide for 3 lump sum payments to providers to be made in October 2017, January 2018 and April 2018. This change is being proposed in order to assist providers with budgeting

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) is pleased to announce the relaunch of the Quality Initiative Recognition Program to honor skilled nursing and assisted living members for their individual work in achieving the goals of the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative. All achievers will be recognized at the AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit in New Orleans, March 12-14, 2018. Please click here for complete program details.

On Thursday, September 28th, the Mass Senior Care Foundation will honor its long time President, Marva Serotkin. The event will be held at Elm Bank Reservation in Wellesley from 6-9 pm and we invite all members to join us as we honor Marva and raise funds for our flagship scholarship program. During her 10 years as President of the Massachusetts Senior Care Foundation and her previous tenure as Chair of the Mass Senior Care Association, Marva has championed the annual

Yesterday, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to override Governor Charlie Baker's veto of $7.5 million in Medicaid nursing facility funding. Thank you to Mass Senior Care members for your tremendous advocacy effort and participating in our ongoing Action Alerts. Please thank your state representative for their continued support, and for restoring funding for quality nursing facility care. The Senate is expected to take up override decisions on September 28th. Mass Senior Care will be urging members to call their

The US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released its updated list, which reflects all OIG exclusions and reinstatement actions up to, and including, those taken in August 2017. This new file ( https://oig.hhs.gov/exclusions/exclusions_list.asp) is meant to replace the updated LEIE database file available for download last month. Individuals and entities that have been reinstated to the federal health care programs are not included in this file. The updated files are posted on the

“With the help of colleagues, fellow students, friends and family, I feel so fortunate to have come so far in my nursing career.” Leona McAndrew arrived in America 14 years ago from her home in central Europe. As a child, her interest in nursing was sparked by her mother, a pediatric nurse. Leona obtained her CNA certification and took a position at Clifton Rehabilitative Nursing Center in 2004. Since then, she has steadily advanced in her nursing education and career

On Monday, September 11 th, the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs held a public hearing, which included testimony on Mass Senior Care’s Nursing Home Stabilization Bill, Senate 336 and House 2072 filed by Senator Harriette Chandler and Representative Thomas Golden. This omnibus legislation, which would require the state to take a series of measures to ensure that skilled nursing facilities have the resources necessary to provide quality care to frail elders and disabled individuals who no longer can live safely

The Senate is expected to act on Governor Charlie Baker’s SFY 2018 budget vetoes beginning next week. Mass Senior Care will be asking members, staff, residents, and families to call their State Senators to override the Governor’s veto of $7.5 million contained in line item 4000-0641 for Medicaid nursing facility funding. Two-thirds of the Senate will need to vote in favor of the $7.5 million in order to successfully override the Governor's veto. Last week, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly

On Friday, September 1 st, CMS released a memorandum to State Survey Agency Directors announcing that the Emergency Preparedness Training is now available. All surveyors are required to take the training prior to surveying the Emergency Preparedness requirements. Surveying for requirements begins November 15, 2017. The online course is now available on the Surveyor Training Website On-Demand. Once in the course catalog for provider training, search "emergency" and the course information will appear. Providers will have continued (ongoing) access to

On September 14, 2017, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services through its Contractor (UMASS) issued an e-mail to nursing facilities providing a hard copy attachment of a revised Direct Care Add-On form. In the prior version of the form, Part D (expense data) offset the full value of the bonuses from Part B. The new version asks providers to separate bonuses into two sections: those paid between 7/1/2016 – 6/30/2017 and those paid from 7/1/2017 – 9/30/2017. Only

On August 25 th, MassHealth issued a PASRR notice to Nursing Facilities, Hospitals, ASAPs and other Referral Sources Participating in MassHealth providing guidance in regard to: New vendor contact information for PASRR evaluations for individuals having, or suspected of having, serious mental illness effective September 1, 2017 New PASRR processes for individuals having, or suspected of having, serious mental illness, effective September 1, 2017. Please click here for the complete notice.

“Little did I know that I would fall in love and spend most of my career caring for the geriatric community.” Lisa Cameron became a nurse 23 years ago - while she took her first job in long term care because it offered the best hours, her initial impression of long term care quickly changed. Since then and throughout her nursing career, she has worked with many different patient populations, but finds caring for her geriatric patients the most rewarding

On September 11th, the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs will be holding a public hearing on House Bill 2072 and Senate Bill 336, the Nursing Home Stabilization Bill. This omnibus legislation, filed by Representative Tom Golden and Senator Harriet Chandler, would require the state to take a series of measures to ensure that skilled nursing facilities have the resources necessary to provide quality care to frail elders and disabled individuals who no longer can live safely in the community. Nursing

As Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Gulf Coast, employees of Texas' nursing facilities and assisted living communities worked tirelessly and with great sacrifice to keep residents safe. During the time they were focused on the care and well-being of others, many of the homes of these workers were impacted by the storm's devastation. The Texas Health Care Association Education Foundation has established the Heroes of Long Term Care Hurricane Relief Fund to assist the employees of our members who were affected

On September 8, 2017, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services through its Contractor (UMASS) issued an e-mail to nursing facilities indicating the webform to submit the Final Direct Care Add-on Compliance report is now available for use . The September 8 the-mail also included a revised hard copy Excel Worksheet that corrected 2 formula errors that were contained in the agency’s August 28, 2017 e-mail to nursing homes that would have resulted in an overstatement of the direct

The Department of Industrial Accidents, Office of Safety, is soliciting applications for its “Workplace Safety Training and Education Grant Program”, issued under the provisions of the Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 23E, Section 3. The primary purpose of this Safety Grant is designed to fund programs that reduce the risk of injury and illness to their workers and to promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace through training, education, and other preventative programs. The training grant program awards competitively, a

This week, the Baker Administration announced that 26 health care organizations statewide will participate as Community Partners, in the next step of the rollout of MassHealth’s Accountable Care Organization (ACO) program. The intent is for community-based health care and human service organizations to partner with the ACOs to integrate and improve member health outcomes of approximately 60,000 MassHealth members with complex long term medical and/or behavioral health needs. The ACO program is funded in part by $1.8 billion in federal