On April 10th, the Committee on House Ways and Means (HWM) released its version of the state FY2020 budget. The Committee's recommendation includes an additional $30 Million in funding for nursing home care; establishes a Nursing Facility Emergency Task Force to make recommendations on long term sustainability of the nursing facility sector.

• EOHHS Provides OTP Rate Add-On for Delivery of Medications to NFs • Action Needed: MassHealth Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Provider Directory • Massachusetts DPH Announces New LGBTQIA+ Training Initiative

Member Update: Conference Committee Files FY2026 Budget Recommendation

2025 Unit Manager Training Program Tuesdays in September: 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30 2 In-Person Sessions and 2 Virtual Sessions: September 9, 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM, In-Person, Whitney Place at Medway September 16, 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Virtual September 23, 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Virtual September 30, 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM, In-Person, The Willows at Westborough Click Here to Register Register for Zimmet Healthcare’s Annual Conference! The Zimmet Healthcare Annual Conference is a premier event for professionals

On July 14, 2025, the CMS will release the new iQIES Electronic Plan of Correction (ePOC) system functionality to participating Nursing Homes and State Agencies. Once ePOC functionality is enabled in iQIES, the current ePOC system will be disabled. Nursing Home providers that currently utilize ePOC will need to request the Provider ePOC Administrator role in iQIES after you sign up for HCQIS Access Roles & Profile (HARP) access.

Earlier this year, OSHA issued a memorandum announcing an immediate suspension, or “stay,” of its COVID-19 recordkeeping and reporting requirements under 29 CFR 1910.502. This change, effective until further notice, relieves nursing homes, assisted living communities, hospitals, and other health care settings from maintaining a dedicated COVID-19 log or reporting COVID-19 fatalities and hospitalizations as previously required.

On June 26, 2025, the Department of Public Health (DPH) issued a clinical advisory in response to the rising number of invasive Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections and reported clusters in long-term care facilities across the Commonwealth.

Effective May 1, 2025, members eligible for Family Assistance who have a qualifying hospitalization and require nursing facility level of care may be eligible to receive the same level of benefits as MassHealth Standard or CommonHealth through the Family Assistance Long Term Services and Supports Pathway (FA LTSS Pathway).

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has filed an Emergency Adoption to 101 CMR 346.00: Rates for Certain Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders Programs for the purpose of improving access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), including methadone, for nursing facility residents with substance use disorders. It encourages Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) to deliver medications directly to nursing facilities where facility staff can administer them to residents, reducing the need for daily transportation.