The Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) has issued proposed amendments to its Nursing Facility Cost Reporting Regulation 957 CMR 7.00. which sets forth the filing requirements, procedures and time frames for nursing facilities to report their costs and other data to the Center. The amendments update the regulation to implement new reporting provisions related to Chapter 343 of the Acts of 2024, the so-called market review law. This law that was passed in response to the Steward bankruptcy expands state oversight over healthcare transactions, increasing scrutiny on private equity, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and management services private equity (PE), real estate investment trusts (REITs) and management services organizations. On Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 10am, CHIA will be holding a public hearing on a series of regulations, including the Nursing Facility Cost Reporting regulation. CHIA will accept written testimony through Monday, January 19, 2026.
CHIA’s proposed amendments also align with the Rate Year 2026 Medicaid nursing facility regulation’s provision implementing a new MassHealth Nursing Facility disclosure report related to ownership, management company, and related-party transactions, as well as other information related to the parent company, operating company, property company, and third party vendors. The Disclosure Form document is patterned on the Mandatory Medicare Provider Enrollment Off-Cycle Revalidation form. More details on the timing and items to be reported will be contained in a separate MassHealth Administrative Bulletin but we anticipate the initial filing will be conducted in the first quarter of calendar year 2026. MSCA will continue to work with MassHealth as the agency finalizes the Disclosure Form. In an effort to ensure that the document is not unnecessarily administratively burdensome, MSCA has worked with MassHealth, the MSCA Finance Committee, Legal Counsel, CFOs and CPA Firms.