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.

Member Update: Governor Healey Signs Into Law the FY2024 Closeout Bill to Cover Prior Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Gap: Includes Provision Further Delaying Until 2027 the Patient Billing Transparency Law; DPH Launching Recovery and Monitoring Program for Healthcare Professionals; Register Now for Informative Webinar: Revolutionize Wound Care in Your Nursing Facility; Registration Open for AHCAs Free Building Trust Leadership Academy

Revolutionize Wound Care in Your Nursing Facility Tuesday, January 14, 2025 12:30 pm –1:30 pm VIRTUAL

As previously reported, during the Baker administration Massachusetts incorrectly used $2.5 billion in federal money to provide unemployment benefits that should have been drawn from the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund. The error occurred during the Covid-19 Pandemic at a time when unemployment had escalated.

The NHSN Long Term Care Team and Vaccination Team will provide a refresher training about the newly combined reporting form for Respiratory Pathogens and Vaccination, which went into effect September 30, 2024 as well as the upcoming required reporting fields beginning January 1, 2025.

AHCA/NCAL will host a free webinar Encouraging Vaccinations This Season – So You and Your Residents Can Risk Less and Do More on Monday, December 9 at 4:00 EST for all members and non-members to gain insights about how to overcome vaccine reluctance and help increase vaccine uptake among the long term care population.

Last week, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published the updated Nursing Facility Industry Segment Specific Compliance Guidelines (Nursing Facility ICPG).

The Legislature sent to Governor Healey its FY 2024 closeout bill which includes a $502 million transfer from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to cover the FY2024 deficit. The Legislature rejected a series of proposals to add new program funding, including additional revenue for nursing facility care, to the closeout budget as its focus was on eliminating the deficit.

Member Update: Legislature Sends to Governor Healey the FY2024 Closeout Bill to Cover Prior Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Gap: Includes Provision Further Delaying Until 2027 the Patient Billing Transparency Law; Health Policy Commission 2024 Health Care Cost Trends Hearing; OIG Publishes Updated Nursing Facility Industry Segment Specific Compliance Guidelines; Overcoming Vaccine Reluctance Webinar; NHSN LTCF Component: Respiratory Pathogens and Vaccination Updates