Member Resources

This week, Commonwealth Magazine published an op-ed penned by Tara M. Gregorio, President of Massachusetts Senior Care Association calling for vital workforce investments for Massachusetts nursing homes and their caregivers.

With the FDA authorization and CDC recommendations of a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for certain individuals including those over age 50, DPH and Mass Senior Care strongly encourages Long-Term Care Facilities to provide and administer the second booster vaccine to residents by April 30 or as soon as the resident qualifies for the booster.

The DPH released updated Comprehensive PPE guidance, Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Reinvestment funds are available to certified nursing facilities to add portable fans and portable room air cleaners with high-efficiency (HEPA H-13 or H-14) filters to increase and improve air quality in nursing homes, and DPH and Mass Senior Care strongly encourages Long-Term Care Facilities to provide and administer the second booster vaccine to residents as soon as the resident qualifies for the booster.

The DPH and Mass Senior Care is urging long-term care facilities to administer COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to residents and staff. In accordance with CDC, the DPH strongly encourages long-term care facilities to administer a second booster vaccine to their residents.

The DPH has developed a job aid to assist nursing facilities in reporting Healthcare personnel influenza vaccination data to the Virtual Gateway's Health Care Facility Reporting System (HCFRS), Mass Senior Care is hosting an informational session on the HireNow program for facility members only, and reminder about DPH monthly call.

DPH and Mass Senior Care strongly encourages Long-Term Care Facilities to provide and administer the second booster vaccine to residents as soon as the resident qualifies for the booster, today the DPH shared updated clinical guidance for COVID-19 therapeutics, and join the informational session on the HireNow program for facility members only.

CMS announced that it is ending specific emergency declaration blanket waivers for SNFs/NFs, inpatient hospices, ICF/IIDs and ESRD facilities, Mass Senior Care is hosting an informational session on the HireNow program for facility members only, and DPH will be holding a nursing home provider call on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.

In response to a recent Mass Senior Care Education Program survey, we are pleased to announce several new seminars designed to help providers refresh their skills and improve their clinical knowledge. We plan to offer virtual QAPI and Director of Nurses Leadership Training so please check our website frequently for updated program offerings. RAC-CT Certification 3 Day Workshop – June 1, June 8 and June 15 – In person, Alliance Health at Marie Esther, Marlborough, MA Mass Senior Care and

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter on April 14th at 10:00 am for our monthly health care provider cybersecurity call. As always, we will be joined by representatives of CISA and the Massachusetts State Police/Commonwealth Fusion Center who will provide updates on recent cyber threats and trends. The call with provide a recap of the Tabletop Exercise that included health care organizations the MassCyberCenter held on March 30th.

National Healthcare Decisions Month sheds light on the importance of education and empowerment for patients and medical professionals in advanced care planning. This celebration puts the spotlight on what advanced directives are, how to create them, and their significance.

Mass Senior Care is pleased to announce a partnership between MSCA and Incite Strategic Partners, a Senior-Living Group Purchasing Organization (GPO). With a shared vision of excellence for residents, communities, and the Senior Living Industry, Incite and MSCA have joined forces to bring you a best-in-class group purchasing experience.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee on Quality of Care in Nursing Homes yesterday issued a report the nursing home financing, regulatory and delivery system.

The Legislature’s Joint Committee on Health Care Financing took action on a number of bills last week and issued a favorable report to several nursing facility bills which Mass Senior Care supports

Mass Senior Care is hosting an informational session on the HireNow program for facility members only. The Commonwealth recently announced a grant program providing eligible employers with funding to quickly hire and train new workers – enabling more people to get back to work and meeting workforce needs.

Mass Senior Care Association is pleased to host our first in-person Spring Conference & Trade Show in more than two years on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the DCU Center in Worcester. Due to the continued uncertainties of the COVID-19 virus, we are scaling back on the number of attendees and exhibitors to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all attendees.

With the FDA authorization and CDC recommendations of a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for certain individuals including those over age 50, the Department of Public Health is strongly encouraging long-term care facilities to provide a second booster dose to eligible residents.

DPH has added an additional resource and guidance for the use of iHealth rapid antigen tests for testing visitors at long-term care facilities, DPH reminds providers on treatments available for COVID-19, “HireNow” Hiring and Training Employer Grant Program, and REMINDER - Healthcare Personnel (HCP) Influenza Data Submission Deadline is April 15, 2022.

Governor Baker signed the supplemental budget bill for state fiscal year 2022 which extends the state’s policy of allowing nursing school graduates and students in their final semester of nursing education to practice nursing in in-patient health care settings.

The Legislature last night approved and sent to Governor Baker for his signature a supplemental budget bill for state fiscal year 2022, which includes an amendment filed by Senator Julian Cyr that would continue to authorize nursing school graduates and students in their final semester of nursing education to practice nursing in health care settings.

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter on April 14th at 10:00 am for the monthly health care provider cybersecurity call. The call will be joined by representatives of CISA and the Massachusetts State Police/Commonwealth Fusion Center who will provide updates on recent cyber threats and trends.

Registration is now open for the 2022 MassMAP Annual Education Sessions. This year’s education will be held in-person on May 17, 18 and 19 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm at 3 locations throughout the state – Taunton, Waltham, and Springfield. Topics to be discussed include Nursing Home Incident Command System (NHIC), Developing A Full Building Evacuation Plan, Protectadvisr™ Demo, Mutual Aid Plan Updates, Annual Exercises Overview, and a Tabletop Exercises in the afternoon that meets the annual CMS exercise requirements for a second exercise.

In response to a recent Mass Senior Care Education Program survey, we are pleased to announce several new seminars designed to help providers refresh their skills and improve their clinical knowledge including RAC-CT Certification 3 Day Workshop, PDPM 2 Years Later - The Massachusetts Experience, and ICD-10 Diagnosis Coding Training for Skilled Nursing Facilities.

Mass Senior Care earlier this week testified to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on the FY2023 budget urging the Joint Committee to support and fund Massachusetts Senior Care Association’s FY2023 Vital Workforce Investment Proposal which proposes $238 million in funding. Take Action Now! Please ask your lawmakers to support vital workforce investments.

Mass Senior Care Association is pleased to host our first in-person Spring Conference & Trade Show in more than two years on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the DCU Center in Worcester. We hope you will join us for a dynamic and informative program as we spend the day learning how to banish burnout and bounce back, recommit to our mission-driven profession and strategize on how best to recruit and retain staff to the long term care sector. To ensure a spot at the Spring Conference, please register now.

The CDC updated its recommendations to allow certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 who received an initial booster dose at least 4 months ago to be eligible for another mRNA booster to increase their protection against severe disease from COVID-19, and starting April 1, 2022, all wheelchair van services currently covered by MassHealth as fee-for-service transportation will be provided through transportation brokers, MART and GATRA.

DPH released updated guidance on Long-Term Care Facility COVID-19 Personnel Vaccination Requirement and DPH has shared updated clinical guidance for COVID-19 therapeutics.

Mass Senior Care member, Salter Healthcare, recently graduated their second cohort of CNA students.

With the refresh of Care Compare at the end of April, Services CMS will update the individual quality measure (QM) thresholds that determine Five-Star Quality ratings.

Mass Senior Care and Zimmet Healthcare Services Group will host an in-person RAC-CT Certification Workshop on June 1, June 8 and June 15 from 8 am - 5 pm daily at Alliance Health at Marie Esther in Marlboro.

Mass Senior Care Association is pleased to host our first in-person Spring Conference & Trade Show in more than two years on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the DCU Center in Worcester.

This week, Governor Baker announced a new program “HireNow” for eligible employers to receive $4,000 for each new hire beginning on March 23 through December 31, 2022. Employers may be approved for up to $400,000 for 100 eligible newly hired employees.

DPH released an updated Antigen Rapid Point of Care COVID-19 Testing for Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities guidance, and on March 28, 2022 DPH will host a webinar about cleaning and disinfection for healthcare facilities.

Starting April 1, 2022, all wheelchair van services currently covered by MassHealth as fee-for-service transportation will be provided through transportation brokers, MART and GATRA. As of April 1, 2022, nursing facilities will no longer be able to request wheelchair van services through direct contact with transportation providers. Instead, facilities will need to submit a PT-1 request for all such services through an electronic portal and follow up by contacting MART/GATRA to assign the trip. MassHealth training guide and webinar recording are now available for download by following the links below or from the MassHealth LTSS Provider Portal.

Memorandum To: Mass Senior Care Members From: Tara M. Gregorio, President Re: COVID-19 Update: Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period 2 Deadline March 31 Date: March 17, 2022 The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal is open for providers who need to report the use of PRF funds in Reporting Period 2 (RP2). The deadline for RP2 is March 31, 2022. AHCA/NCAL urges members to finish RP2s before the quickly approaching deadline. The HRSA reporting

Today, Governor Baker announced a new program “HireNow” for eligible employers to receive $4,000 for each new hire beginning on March 23 through December 31, 2022. Employers may be approved for up to $400,000 for 100 eligible newly hired employees. Eligible employers include any for-profit or non-profit Massachusetts employer who is in good standing with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Mass Senior Care is calling on state lawmakers to support $238 million in new funding in FY2023, which is necessary to maintain current workforce wages that were increased using one-time government pandemic funding.

This week (March 14 - March 18) we celebrate our long term care leaders – Administrators! These individuals lead the staff of their facilities and ensure that their residents and patients receive the highest level of quality care.

The DPH has released guidance for nursing homes and rest homes on the process to report mandatory healthcare personnel (HCP) influenza data to fulfill the requirement for submission of annual HCP influenza data to DPH by April 15, 2022.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued the proposed rule on Contract Year 2023 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs, including provisions designed to improve the integration of Medicare and Medicaid programs for individuals enrolled in dual eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs).

In accordance with 651 CMR 12.04(13)(a)(1), (13) A Sponsor of an ALR shall file annually, within 90 days following the end of an Assisted Living Residence's fiscal year, a financial disclosure form prescribed by EOEA which sets forth a statement by the Sponsor based on reviewed or audited financial statements prepared by a certified public accountant.

On March 15, 2022, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) issued its annual policy report entitled March 2022 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. This report is part of the Commission’s legislative mandate to evaluate Medicare payment issues and to make recommendations to the Congress.

The Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) today released its Annual Report on the Performance of the Massachusetts Health Care System. The report presents a calculation of Total Health Care Expenditures (THCE) for 2020, a measure of statewide health care spending, which is evaluated against the state’s health care cost growth benchmark.

CMS announced changes to QSO-20-38-NH Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Testing Requirements and QSO-20-39-NH Nursing Home Visitation - COVID-19 guidance, and Mass Senior Care reminds members that the public policy allowing a student who graduated from a registered nursing or practical nursing program or a senior nursing student attending the last semester of a registered nursing or practical nursing program to practice nursing expires on April 1, 2022.

Please find updated names and contact information for the DPH Certification and Complaint Units.

MassHealth has issued an Eligibility Operations Memo updating the application packet for health benefits for seniors and people needing long-term-care services as of March 2022.