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. This maintenance level funding for nursing facilities comes at a time when the Administration is proposing a gross $2 billion in MassHealth “savings” through so-called program integrity initiatives including restructuring an increasing the hospital and managed care assessment program as well as changes to the PCA program. It is anticipated that these “savings initiatives” will be aggressively opposed and advocates will seek to redirect the cuts to programs like nursing facility care.
The Governor is also proposing funding critical nursing workforce development initiatives, including $4.9 million for certificate programs, recruitment bonuses, and expanded access to licensing to expand the CNA workforce by offering the CNA exam in multiple languages and paying for test costs for first time test takers, and a $4 million increase for MassReconnect which covers the cost of tuition and fees, as well as the cost of textbooks and course materials, for Massachusetts residents ages 25 years old and older who have not yet earned a college degree or industry credential but have a high school diploma or equivalency, including those pursuing an LPN and RN degree. The Governor’s proposal also includes investments in the electronic POLST (end of life) programs. In addition, the budget provides $914 million in child care subsidies to support nearly 60,000 children, expands child care financial assistance.
The FY2025 budget now moves to the House of Representatives for its review and action, and we expect that the Medicaid providers impacted by Governor Healey’s proposed targeted $1 billion in savings will fight aggressively to restore level funding in the legislature’s budget recommendation. MSCA will need the full and active participation of the entire membership to not only protect against funding cuts, but to instead make necessary investment in quality nursing facility care.