The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on a nationwide quality improvement initiative aimed at assessing and strengthening current infection control capacity and competency in Massachusetts health care facilities. DPH is currently seeking LTCFs to participate in the non-regulatory assessment of their infection prevention program and practices. Participation in this quality improvement initiative is voluntary and this initiative is not part of DPH’s health care facility licensure regulations. A

CareOne at Brookline welcomed local officials, staff, residents, families, and community members to a community barbecue at St. Mark's Park on July 13 th. Nearly 300 guests celebrated the summer weather with food, refreshments and raffle prizes. Pictured below is Chad Waterman, Administrator at CareOne Brookline and Breanna Wu, Volunteer.

MassHealth electronically collects nursing facility census data information quarterly and is currently collecting census form filings for July 1, 2017. If your facility has not yet filed the July 1, 2017 census form with MassHealth, we urge you to complete the census form and file electronically. Please note that the census survey provides important information on utilization trends, which we share with members in aggregate form. The MassHealth census form should be filed electronically with Matthew Martin of MassHealth at

On Tuesday, July 25, 2017 from 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm, CMS experts will discuss the revised Interpretive Guidance for Nursing Homes and the new Survey Process effective November 28, 2017. Learn about the major components of Phase 2 implementation, changes to the survey process, and training resources available to the public. A question and answer session follows the presentation. You may email questions in advance of the call to NHSurveyDevelopment@cms.hhs.gov. Questions received in advance of the call may be

Building on its 32 year legacy of assisting long term care staff in furthering their education, the Massachusetts Senior Care Foundation is proud to announce its 2017 Foundation Scholars (click here to see a list of scholarship recipients by last name). This year’s class of 35 exceptional awardees include Certified Nursing Assistants, nurses, human resource, dietary and other facility staff who will use their scholarships to further their professional development and leadership in the long term care profession. The 2017

Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell postponed indefinitely bringing to the Senate Floor the Senate’s version of the Affordable Care Act ‘Repeal and Replace’ Bill – The Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). Majority Leader McConnell had planned to bring the bill up for a vote but the combination of Senator John McCain’s medical absence and the announcement that Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) would not support the bill forced McConnell to pull the BCRA

We are pleased to report that as a result of tremendous member outreach and advocacy the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and the Department of Public Health have notified Mass Senior Care that the Department will be re-proposing the long term care licensure regulations later this summer. On July 19, 2017, EOHHS Secretary Marylou Sudders indicated in a letter to Mass Senior Care President Tara Gregorio the revised regulations will r etain both the current construction grandfather

The US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released its updated list, which reflects all OIG exclusions and reinstatement actions up to, and including, those taken in June 2017. This new file is meant to replace the updated LEIE database file available for download last month. Individuals and entities that have been reinstated to the federal health care programs are not included in this file. The updated files are posted on the OIG’s website

On Tuesday, July 25, 2017 from 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm, CMS experts will discuss the revised Interpretive Guidance for Nursing Homes and the new Survey Process effective November 28, 2017. Learn about the major components of Phase 2 implementation, changes to the survey process, and training resources available to the public. A question and answer session follows the presentation. You may email questions in advance of the call to NHSurveyDevelopment@cms.hhs.gov. Questions received in advance of the call may be

The following Mass Senior Care membership committee meetings will be held next week on July 19, 2017. Clinical Quality Committee Wednesday, July 19, 2017 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mass Senior Care office, Waltham Regulatory and Survey Committee Wednesday, July 19, 2017 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Mass Senior Care office, Waltham If you have any questions or are interested in attending, please contact Jennifer Chen, Director of Membership. Please click here for directions to the Mass Senior Care office.