Member Resources

Last week, the Trump Administration issued the following executive orders that have a direct impact on long term and post-acute care providers: Pause on Federal Health Agency Communications; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programs; Emergency Preparedness Proposed Rule Withdrawn

Member Update: New Executive Orders Impacting Long Term & Post-Acute Care; MassHealth Issues Nursing Facility Bulletin 19: SUD Rate Add On Billing Clarification; Massachusetts Congressman Stephen Lynch Selected to New House Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee

Member Update: Mass Senior Care Testifies In Opposition to EOHHS Rate Year 2025 Temporary Nursing Services Regulation: Calls for Full Review of Methodology and Corresponding Increase in Medicaid Nursing Facility Rates; CHIA Issues Nursing Facility Industry Profile Report, 2021-2023; Supreme Court Decision Allows Enforcement of Corporate Transparency Law to Go Forward

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The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available for nursing facility providers to access through the iQIES.

Nursing facilities are reminded to remain diligent in their infection control practices to limit the spread of COVID-19 to residents and staff especially as cases of increased respiratory illnesses are on the rise. At the expiration of the PHE, DPH released guidance on Organizational Policies and Procedures for Mitigating Respiratory Illness.

On January 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued two MMWR articles describing changes in the 2025 immunization schedule for children, adolescents and adults. Changes related to older adults include new and updated recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV).

Today, a federal judge in Seattle, WA temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order ending the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship regardless of the parents’ immigration status.

The Healey administration announced that it has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor to resolve an Unemployment Insurance Liability that was created during the Baker Administration.

On January 21, Governor Healey announced plans to invest at least $2.5 billion to modernize higher public education campuses over the next decade. The investments were announced as part of a bond bill – An Act to Build Resilient Infrastructure to Generate Higher Education Transformation (the BRIGHT Act).

As a Mass Senior Care member benefit, facility members are encouraged to participate in our Committees that include Clinical & Regulatory, Finance & Reimbursement, and Human Resources. This is an opportunity for members to learn from one another and provide valuable feedback to Mass Senior Care policy staff.

On January 21, the Healy administration announced the closure of the 60-bed Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children located in Canton. The hospital offers medical, rehabilitative, educational, and recreational services for individuals with "severe" physical and cognitive disabilities and other conditions.

Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll issued on Wednesday their FY2026 budget recommendation totaling $59.6 billion in non-surtax spending. This represents a 2.6% percent increase over the current year, in line with estimated inflation.

Member Update: Transitions from Acute Care to Post-Acute Care (TACPAC) Task Force; Continued Hospital Capacity Constraints; Update to Long-term Care Survey Guidance

Re: Member Update: Governor Healey Issues H.1 FY2026 Budget Recommendation; Governor Healey Files $2.5 Billion Bill to Modernize Public Higher Education Campuses; Healey Administration and Department of Labor Reach Deal to Resolve Billion Unemployment Insurance Liability

Member Update: MassHealth Issues MassHealth Bulletin 190: Updates to Transition to CMS OBRA MDS 3.0 Assessments for Nursing Facility Fee-For-Service Payment

VIRTUAL HEARING on FRIDAY, JANUARY 24th at 10:00 AM

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Several Massachusetts hospitals including Mass General Brigham, Cambridge Health Alliance and Baystate Health recently released new masking policies for staff, visitors, and patients to address a spike in cases of respiratory illnesses from flu, RSV, and COVID-19. As a reminder, nursing facilities should be monitoring community levels of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses and remain diligent in their infection control practices to mitigate the transmission of respiratory illness.

U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss has been recommended for appointment as one of seven new Democrats to the Energy and Commerce Committee for the 119th Congress.

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.

Governor Maura Healey has signed legislation renaming the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to the Executive Office of Aging & Independence to better represent and reflect the values of older adults in Massachusetts.

Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz, Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz have reached agreement on the consensus tax revenue forecast to be used for developing the upcoming fiscal year 2026 budget spending plan. The Administration and Legislature are forecasting a total of $41.2 billion in non-surtax revenue, representing a modest 2.2% growth over the current FY2025 revenue benchmark.

Member Update: Informal Dispute Resolution Meeting; Center for Medicare Advocacy Observation Status Appeals Webinar

Member Update: Hospitals Issue Mask Mandates with Increase in Respiratory Illness; Register Now for Upcoming Education Programs!

Member Update: Governor Healey Officially Renames Executive Office of Elder Affairs to “Executive Office of Aging & Independence”; Healey Administration and Legislature Announce FY26 Consensus Revenue Budget Estimate of 2.2% Growth; MassHealth Issues Note on December Weekly MDS Reports: ELG 402 and ELG 404; REMINDER: NHSN Reporting; Governor Signs into Law Health Care Market Review Bill

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The updated Nursing Home Care Compare Technical Users’ Guide has been posted on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) Five Star Quality Rating System Page.

Earlier this week, Governor Healey filed a supplemental spending bill requesting an additional $425 million to fund the emergency assistance program over the final 6 months of fiscal year 2025.

We need YOU to make a difference! Join us in taking vital action in our grassroots effort for quality nursing facility care. We need your help to thank Governor Healey for championing the long term care reform law and to now urge her to include in the FY 2026 budget the $280 million necessary to implement the workforce and resident care provisions contained in the law.

On January 2, 2025, President Biden signed the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act into law.

On Monday, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue reported to the Legislature that revenue figures for the month of December 2024 totaled $4.35 billion, $267 million or 6.5% above the benchmark for the month.

The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN) has posted a website update reporting on the timing and steps necessary for the nurse licensure compact (NLC) to become operational in the Commonwealth.

Member Update: MA Board of Registration in Nursing announces 12 Month Timeline for Nurse Licensure Compact Implementation; First Half Fiscal Year 2025 Tax Collections: 1% Over Benchmark; Governor Healey Files $425 Million FY25 Supplemental Budget to Fund Emergency Shelter Costs; Register Now for Upcoming Education Programs

Member Update: Mandatory Medicare Provider Revalidation Process Update

Member Update: EOHHS Issues Proposed Temporary Nursing Services (TNS) Agency Rates, Effective March 2025

Register now for these January programs.

The Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) has issued a new Hospital Readmissions Report documenting annual trends in statewide all-payer readmissions and readmission rates, covering SFY2011 through SFY2023.

MassHealth issued Eligibility Operations Memo 25-01 which provides a listing of current MassHealth applications, renewals and member forms.

Massachusetts Senior Care Association extends our best wishes for a happy and healthy 2025!

Please call Governor Maura Healey today at (617) 725-4005 to thank her for signing the Long Term Care Reform Law - Chapter 197 of the Acts of 2024 and to urge her to invest the $280 million necessary to implement the historic reforms in her FY 2026 budget recommendation, which will be released later this month.

REVISED: EOHHS Issues Amendment to Its Request for Applications (RFA) for Nursing Facility Specialized Behavioral Unit: HPPD Requirement Changed and Deadline is January 13, 2025

Legislature Reaches Agreement on 2 Major Health Care Bills in Final Days of Session; Reminder: Please call Governor Healey’s Office to Ensure Our Voices are Heard

Member Update: Governor Healey Reviews Administration’s Accomplishments in First Half of Her Term in Office and Discusses Plans for Upcoming Year; 2024 Annual Physician Disciplinary Summary Action Report; Register Now for Important Upcoming Webinars!

Member Update: Critical Action Alert – We Need All Facilities to Participate and Help Us Secure Funds Necessary to Support Nursing Facility Workforce and Resident Care; Hospital Capacity Constraints; REMINDER: COVID-19 Health Care Personnel Vaccination; MassHealth Nursing Facility Occupancy and Specialty Services Survey; POLST Stakeholder Meeting