E-News Update Articles

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is currently in the process of finalizing the 2024 final rule for ensuring access to home and community-based (HCBS) services.

Member Update: Mass Senior Care's Migration to New Customer Relationship Platform Delayed

The next meeting of the Clinical & Regulatory Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, February 7, 10:00 am – 11:30 am.

Friday, February 16, 2024, is the discount deadline for nursing facility members to save 4% on their MSCA membership renewal if dues are paid in full.

On March 29, 2023, Governor Healey signed an authorization to continue to allow 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 March 31, 2024.

The DPH is hosting 2023-2024 IDSA LEAP Fellow Dr. Kap Sum Foong, whose project aims to explore penicillin allergies among long-term care residents and strategies for appropriately de-labeling many of these individuals as penicillin allergic.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released materials pertaining to visitation guidance.

Per Assisted Living Residences (ALR) regulations, all certified ALRs in Massachusetts must annually report an Annual Aggregate Data Report (AADR) on or before March 1st and a Financial Disclosure Statement within 90 days of the end of the ALR's fiscal year to EOEA.

Member Update: CHIA Issues 2023 Nursing Facility Cost Reports

Yesterday, Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll filed their Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal totaling $58 billion, which includes funds to maintain Medicaid nursing facility rates at the current rate year 2024 levels.

Sunny Acres Nursing & Rehab Center recently celebrated the remarkable legacy of Shirley Eaton, and her lifelong dedication to care. Please take a moment to read the featured article in the Lowell Sun about Shirley and this inspiring event.

Massachusetts continues to experience COVID-19 cases in long-term care facility residents and staff.

Since declaring a state of emergency in August 2023 due to an overwhelmed emergency shelter system, Massachusetts continues to grapple with how to meet the soaring demand for emergency shelters while complying with the state’s right to shelter law.

HealthPRO Heritage is expanding their wellness offerings to seniors throughout the United States through a new relationship with SilverSneakers®, the nation’s leading fitness program for older adults.

Confronting Toxic Workplace Behavior: Essential Skills for Supervisors Tuesday, January 30, 2024 1:00pm-2:00pm – Zoom Webinar

During Tuesday’s national stakeholder call, Dr. Dora Hughes, acting chief medical officer and director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ) at the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) announced the agency’s intention to finalize the proposed minimum staffing rule in 2024.

Happy Activity Professionals Week!

CMS and the CDC will host a webinar on Wednesday, January 31 from 2–3 pm on Immunization Strategies for Long-Term Care: Stories from the Field Webinar.

Member Update: Governor Healey Releases FY2025 State Budget Recommendation

Member Update: Informal Dispute Resolution Meeting; Fiscal 2024 Tax Collections Continue to Decline in January 2024

Member Update: AG Campbell Announces Settlements With Three Temporary Nurse Staffing Agencies For Overcharging Long-Term Care Facilities

Member Update: Strategies to Address Healthcare Capacity: Health Plans Participating in the Prior Authorization Waiver Process; CMS Finalizes Rule to Expand Access to Health Information and Improve the Prior Authorization Process; Senate Aging Committee to Hold Hearing on Assisted Living; Steward Health Care System Under Financial Distress

As a Mass Senior Care member benefit, facility members are encouraged to participate in our Membership Committees, providing valuable feedback to Mass Senior Care policy staff.

On this National Stakeholder call, CMS will highlight their key 2023 accomplishments and look ahead to how their 2024 priorities will advance the CMS Strategic Plan.

Governor Healey yesterday delivered her first State of the Commonwealth highlighting her Administration’s accomplishments during its first year and identifying the Administration’s priorities for its 2nd year agenda.

As a reminder, the 2024 National Quality Award Application Deadline is Thursday, January 25th at 8pm EST. AHCA has many resources and tools available to help members complete the application.

Did you know that OSHA recently expanded its recordkeeping requirements? Nearly all providers are already required to maintain OSHA 300 Logs, Form 301, and Form 300A and submit 300A summary data before March 2nd each year.

On March 29, 2023, Governor Healey signed an authorization to continue to allow 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 March 31, 2024.

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.

Register Now for Upcoming Supervisory Skills Webinar Confronting Toxic Workplace Behavior: Essential Skills for Supervisors Tuesday, January 30, 2024 1:00pm-2:00pm – Zoom Webinar

Member Update: MSCA Membership Committees; REMINDER – Authorization to allow nursing practice by Graduate Nurses and Nursing Students expires March 31, 2024; Register Now for Upcoming Supervisory Skills Webinar

Member Updates: Reminder: Employers Should Ensure Meal Break Policies Comply with Labor Laws; CHIA Issues 2023 Nursing Facilities Cost Report Deployment Update

January 21st marks the beginning of National Activity Professionals Week and we encourage members to support their Activity Directors with a membership in the Massachusetts Council of Activity Professionals (MassCAP.)

The Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) will be replacing the Vitals Information Partnership (VIP) Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS) with a new, user- and mobile-friendly system, the Massachusetts Vital Records Information Collaborative (MAVRIC), for the processing of all vital events. MAVRIC will be the state supported system to complete the medical death certification process. The MAVRIC launch is expected to take place in April 2024.

This week, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the issuance of the final rule, Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, effective March 11, 2024.

As a reminder, the 2024 National Quality Award Application Deadline is Thursday, January 25th at 8pm EST. AHCA has many resources and tools available to help members complete the application.

As a Mass Senior Care member benefit, facility members are encouraged to participate in our Membership Committees, providing valuable feedback to Mass Senior Care policy staff.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is now reviewing public comments to its proposed 2025 Medicare Advantage final rule which included a new provision which would enhance Enrollees' Right To Appeal a Medicare Advantage (MA) Plan's Decision To Terminate Coverage for Non-Hospital Provider Services.

REGISTER NOW - Onboarding Sessions for ProtectAdvsir, the new MassMAP Website: MassMAP is transitioning to a new website called ProtectAdvisr in April 2024 and will conduct in-person onboarding sessions.

Confronting Toxic Workplace Behavior: Essential Skills for Supervisors Tuesday, January 30, 2024 1:00pm-2:00pm – Zoom Webinar

Member Update: Strategies to Address Healthcare Capacity

Member Update: Resident Photographs During a DPH Survey; Register Now for Upcoming Supervisory Skills Webinar

Member Updates: Governor Healey to Issue $375 Million 9C Budget Cut Plan to Balance FY24 Budget; MassHealth Issues Corrected Nursing Facility Bulletin 181

Member Update: Fiscal 2024 Tax Collections Trailing Benchmarks; Monthly DPH Provider Call on January 10

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DoR) has released preliminary revenue figures for the first half of December showing a continued decline in state revenue.

As a reminder, the 2024 National Quality Award Application Deadline is Thursday, January 25th at 8pm EST.

Authorization to continue to allow nursing practice by graduate nurses and students in their last semester of nursing education programs will expire on March 31, 2024.

To better serve our members, Mass Senior Care is migrating to a new CRM platform in January.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule on December 27, 2023, to implement an order from the Federal district court for the District of Connecticut in Alexander v. Azar that requires HHS to establish appeals processes for certain Medicare beneficiaries who are initially admitted as hospital inpatients but are subsequently reclassified as outpatients receiving observation services during their hospital stay and meet other eligibility criteria.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) will open nominations for the second class of its Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) on January 14, 2024.