Member Resources

Memo discusses DPH updated weekly report to remove any long term care deaths attributed to residents who had recovered from COVID, in alignment with the CDC’s NHSN requirements for long term care facilities; the most recent County Positivity Rates released by DPH on April 14, 2021 indicates Barnstable County remains above 5% at 5.14% and Dukes and Nantucket Counties above 5% at 8.31%; CMS and the CDC will hold a National Nursing Home Stakeholder Call on Wednesday April 21, 2021; Governor Baker Delays First-Quarter 2021 Unemployment Insurance Payments.

This week, the DPH released updated guidance on Vaccination Options for Long Term Care Residents and Staff following the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program. The updated guidance now permits long-term care staff to receive a first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the long-term care facility.

Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome new members to our Association. Our Associate Members have demonstrated their commitment to the senior care provider community by joining Mass Senior Care and participating as exhibitors and sponsors for events and educational conferences. Mass Senior Care members are encouraged to contact Associate Members when they are in need of long term care products and services. You can find all of our Associate Members listed on our website, www.maseniorcare.org/preferred-vendors.

Join us for a live webinar on May 12, 2021 that will focus on addressing the challenges of returning to pre-pandemic operations. During this webinar we will discuss different approaches to sunsetting 1135 waivers for alarm and fire suppression system testing, emergency storage, emergency preparedness education for staff, and other changes that will expire after the national emergency declaration ends. In addition, learn about trends in survey citations and hot-button issues that may arise when regular life safety surveys resume.

The House Ways and Means (HWM) Committee yesterday released its FY 2022 budget recommendation and Mass Senior Care is pleased to report that the Committee has recommended appropriating funding to set Medicaid nursing facility rates using calendar year 2019 costs. Moving the base year forward to calendar year 2019 will better recognize current costs of care delivery. The base year update would provide at least a $4 per day increase in the base rate. This action builds on the current Medicaid rate modernization initiative which created an integrated base rate that begins to better recognize current resident care costs more accurately.

Members are informed about DPH updated guidance related to monoclonal antibody therapies.

Members are informed that today the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement regarding the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recommending a pause in its use out of an abundance of caution and the next DPH weekly call with providers is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.

Updated information on vaccination options for long term care residents and staff, tomorrow’s CHIA reporting webinar, the CMS 1135 waiver for CNA training remains in effect and the American Rescue Plan – new and expanded health insurance.

Announcements on the CHIA webinar scheduled for Tuesday, April 13th at 10:00am to review changes to the surveillance testing survey and how compliance is calculated, CMS memo announcing it is ending four of the 1135 waivers issued in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), CMS proposed federal fiscal year 2022 (FFY 2022) Medicare SNF PPS rule and the Barnstable County positivity rate.

This memo discusses Provider Relief Fund Use – A Refresher and Preparing for Reporting, the AHCA Follow-up Webinar on OSHA COVID-19 National Emphasis Program and Revised Long-Term Care Survey Tools.

Meet Jessyca Goetze who is one of the 45,000 dedicated caregivers working on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic to protect and care for the Commonwealth’s nursing home residents. Jessyca is the Social Worker at Williamstown Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. Williamstown Commons was the first nursing facility in Berkshire County to experience an outbreak of COVID-19.

The Region 1 Regional Disaster Health Response System (R1 RDHRS) hosted a free webinar on Healthcare Worker Wellbeing and Resiliency on the Frontlines of COVID-19. An audio recording and PDF of the slides that were presented are now available.

In recognition of the extraordinary efforts of long term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, South Cove Manor at Quincy Point represented the sector as part of the Boston Red Sox Opening Day pre-game ceremonies.

HealthCap® and the American Health Care Association are hosting a webinar on Tuesday, April 20 from 2 p.m. EDT highlighting the most significant regulatory and enforcement changes implemented by the federal authorities throughout the pandemic that impact skilled nursing facility providers. The one-hour session is titled As the World Recovers, Regulatory & Enforcement Environment.

Mass Senior Care will be combining the May 12, 2021 Clinical Quality and Regulatory & Survey Committee meetings. Both committees will meet on May 12, 2021 from 10:00 am – 11:00 pm.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is releasing a video tutorial that depicts a scenario that demonstrates the interview of a resident and subsequent coding of D0200. Resident Mood Interview (PHQ-9©) and D0300. Total Severity Score

The next CMS Skilled Nursing Facilities/Long Term Care Open Door Forum is scheduled for Thursday, April 15, 2021 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM. The agenda will include: Opening Remarks, FY 2022 SNF PPS Proposed Rule - FY 2022 Annual Rate Updates, SNF Quality Reporting Program, SNF Value Base Purchasing.

Join Mass Senior Care in advocating for quality nursing facility care in the state FY2022 budget. State investments are critical to ensuring nursing facilities have the resources needed to pay frontline staff a deserving hero wage and maintain ongoing infection prevention efforts that have resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number of COVID related infections and deaths in nursing facilities.

Members are informed about the MassHealth Nursing Facility Bulletin 163 to update the requirements for submitting staff hours and staffing preparedness information, changing the reporting requirements from a bi-weekly basis to a monthly basis and the DPH weekly call.

Information on CDC interim infection prevention and control recommendations, MassHealth survey on nursing facility care specialization & medical transportation, CMS guidance for emergency preparedness regulations, and repayment of COVID-19 accelerated and advance payments began on March 30, 2021.

Stories of our long term care heroes are more important than ever to share. Mass Senior Care is requesting caregiver stories of our long term care heroes which will be featured in the Mass Senior Care E-News Update and highlighted in weekly communication with lawmakers. We are interested in interviewing long term care staff of all positions that have a story to share about working in nursing facilities or long term care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mass Senior Care reminds nursing facilities that the DPH has resumed annual recertification surveys. Nursing facilities should review their survey readiness protocols and procedures. Mass Senior Care would appreciate nursing facilities providing immediate feedback to Helen Magliozzi, Director of Regulatory Affairs upon the completion of an annual survey.

Two new resources from AHRQ are part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect nursing home residents and staff from COVID-19. Both are intended to support the use of observational audits, which help facilities understand if staff members are fully complying with infection prevention practices.

The Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) has issued a 2020 nursing facility cost report deployment update indicating that the 2020 HCF-1 (nursing facility), the REA-CR (the realty company) and the MGT-CR (management company/central office) cost reports and associated instructions and user manuals are now available for submission on the Center for Health Information and Analysis' (CHIA's) website at Information for Data Submitters: Nursing Facility Cost Reports.

The Connected Foundation​​, comprising more than 50 students across Harvard, MIT, Wellesley, BU, and Northeastern, connects young students with seniors to form intergenerational connections and combat social isolation. The Foundation has been working with a set of nursing homes and assisted living communities in the Boston area.

Updates on CHIA HPPD reporting requirements change to monthly, DPH updates guidance on non-essential personnel in LTC facilities, EOHHS issues safe celebration information, MassHealth updates rates for COVID-19 vaccine administration, reminder: DPH has resumed annual surveys and county positivity rate for Barnstable County.

Memo discussing clarification on data collection for COVID-19 vaccination reporting; BinaxNOW test kit update; revised CDC burn rate calculator; Achieving a Full APU webinar is full – register to receive notification of recorded version, and the DPH weekly call.

An update on MassHealth Nursing Facility Bulletin 162 entitled Updated COVID-19 Ongoing Surveillance Testing Requirements for Nursing Facilities and the CDC safety monitoring system specifically for the COVID-19 vaccination program.

Updates provided on DPH guidance on the requirement to report COVID-19 vaccinations to the NHSN, vaccination of long-term care residents and staff following the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program, Massachusetts Legislature COVID-19 recovery bill, CHIA updates to surveillance testing data collection format and schedule, and US Senate bill delaying Medicare sequestration cuts.

Massachusetts is building a state electronic registry to allow clinicians timely and trusted access to the medical forms that document patients' preferences for care near the end of life. The registry will include forms called physician orders for life-sustaining treatment, or POLST. As part of the project, Massachusetts will transition from the MOLST form to the POLST form to align with national standards and will conduct extensive outreach and education about the new form and how to use the online registry.

As Massachusetts begins Phase 4, Part 1 on Monday, March 22, 2021, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services released a series of new guidance documents for health care and human services providers. This guidance supersedes previously issued guidance in Phases 1, 2 and 3. Read the Guidance Reopen Approach for Health Care Providers Phase 4: New Normal effective March 22, 2021, which replaces and supersedes all prior reopening guidance for acute care hospitals and other health care providers.

Meet Guylene (Gilly) Muzac, a nurse and Resident Care Manager at Sherrill House in Boston. Gilly is one of the 45,000 dedicated caregivers working on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic to protect and care for the Commonwealth’s nursing home residents. Currently, Gilly is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at Curry College and is a recipient of the 2020/2021 Mass Senior Care Foundation scholarship. Gilly’s courage and dedication to her residents are just a few reasons why she is a frontline hero. Read her story today.

The CDC has a new Project Firstline Facilitator Toolkit. The toolkit includes infection control training resources that work for a variety of learning styles and fit into busy schedules. Resources online now include session plans and slide decks for 10, 20, and 60-minute presentations on foundational infection control topics.

Register for a virtual session on how to support the emotional well-being of staff, and learn valuable tools for nursing facility leaders to provide continued support to staff in a post-COVID-19 environment. There are four sessions available beginning on March 30, 2021. Don't miss this important education program.

​​​​​​​CMS will host a webinar on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to educate providers about to the Annual Payment Update (APU) process to achieve full APU. This webinar will cover the relationship between the APU and the SNF Quality Reporting Program, associated data submission requirements, and the reconsideration process for providers who are identified as being noncompliant. Register today or request a webinar recording.

The AHCA/NCAL Infection Control Certificate Program is designed for skilled nursing and assisted living staff to provide targeted eLearning modules as well as digital competencies. This program includes a toolkit to help you publicize your commitment to staff education on infection control. Your staff, your residents, and their families will feel more confident and at ease when you make this program available for your frontline workers. Learn more and register for a demo today!

A notification about the most recent county positivity rate for Barnstable County is at 5.59% and the PPE.Exchange marketplace is offering an opportunity to place a group order to access wholesale prices direct from the manufacturer.

An update on Massachusetts Department of Public Health Guidance Reopen Approach for Health Care Providers Phase 4: New Normal effective March 22, 2021, replaces and supersedes all prior reopening guidance for acute care hospitals and other health care providers.

This memorandum discusses the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) National Emphasis Program (NEP) to ensure employees in high-hazard industries are protected from contracting COVID-19, a Boston Globe story touting vaccine success in nursing homes and a reminder: Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) Repayment.

An update on DPH clarification on quarantine and vaccinated new admissions and readmissions and information on MSCA virtual sessions on supporting the emotional well-being of staff.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) last week issued a report analyzing CMS’ use of nursing home staffing data. The OIG report credited CMS with taking important steps to inform consumers on nursing home staffing but offered the following recommendations to better inform consumers and improve nursing home oversight.

National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care and Quality Assurance Performance Improvement will host a call for long-term care providers on Dementia-related psychosis on Tuesday, March 23 from 1:30 to 3 pm ET.

Stories of our long term care heroes are more important than ever to share. Mass Senior Care is requesting caregiver stories of our long term care heroes which will be featured in the Mass Senior Care E-News Update and highlighted in weekly communication with lawmakers. We are interested in interviewing long term care staff of all positions that have a story to share about working in nursing facilities or long term care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 12th, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health released updated guidance on visitation conditions, communal dining, and congregate activities. Residents and staff are grateful for the opportunity to share activities and meals together; the following photos are from the member facility’s Facebook page.

CMS has released a graphic to further explain the expanded visitation options in nursing facilities titled Mom’s vaccinated: when can I visit her in the nursing home?