U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar has extended the public health emergency (PHE) due to COVID-19 effective January 21. The PHE is issued in 90-day increments and is slated to expire in April 2021.

The deadline to submit an AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award application is quickly approaching! All applications and payments must be received by 8 pm Eastern on January 28, 2021.

As a way of thanking nursing home workers for their extraordinary efforts during the pandemic, the Masconomet Red Cross Club raised $350 from students and parents to buy PPE for distribution to nursing facilities. The student club, based at Masconomet High School in Boxford, recently delivered masks, gloves, face shields and hand sanitizer to Mass Senior Care which will send it to facilities in need. We are very grateful for the efforts of the Masconomet Red Cross Club and appreciate their thoughtful gesture.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma has announced that the agency has withdrawn the proposed Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule (MFAR) which would have had a devastating budgetary impact on states, including Massachusetts.

On January 1, 2021, employees in Massachusetts may begin to apply for and receive paid leave under the state's new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law. Employers are likely to have new responsibilities under the PFML law. Visit the Department of Family and Medical Leave website to learn more about employers’ responsibility.

Mass Senior Care has developed A Guidebook: Building a CNA Talent Pipeline to support the efforts of nursing facility members to build CNA talent pipelines through developing facility-based training programs that use asynchronous instruction platforms and/or partnering with local CNA training providers. These pipeline strategies will enable facilities to expand career opportunities through training Resident Care Assistants (RCAs), Hospitality Aides or other entry-level staff to become CNAs.

Information is provided to members on therapeutic guidance for long-term care facilities and CVS consent forms in multiple languages.

Updates provided on Mass Senior Care's A Guidebook: Building a CNA Talent Pipeline, EOHHS discharge resources and guidelines for hospitals and the DPH weekly call.

This memorandum shares information on the SBA Payroll Protection Program, invites members to join CMS and CDC for a fireside chat on vaccine safety on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 4:00 pm ET and also discusses MassHealth updates to LTC eligibility application form (SACA-2).

Discussion on AG Healey advisory on stimulus payment, important change to NHSN point-of-care test reporting requirement, OSHA required 2020 injury and illness data due March 2, and HHS extention of public health emergency.