DPH lifts Determination of Need (DoN) moratorium on LTC Beds for projects that meet certain criteria and the recently revised DPH Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities (105 CMR 150) requires nursing homes to convert resident bedrooms with three and four beds per room to two bedded bedrooms by April 30, 2022.

Members are notified MassHealth issued nursing facilities notice on Patient Paid Adjustments (PPA), EOHHS issued a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit feedback from a broad spectrum of interested parties and individuals regarding the use of enhanced home and community-based services (HCBS) funding available to states through Section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and AHRQ would like to learn more about participating nursing homes’ experience in the National Nursing Home COVID-19 Safety Program led by Mass Senior Care and Hebrew SeniorLife’s Long-Term Care Command Center (MSCA/HSL) through Project ECHO.

A memo that the CDC has issued a study showing vaccination of nursing facility residents and staff are essential to reduce the risk for symptomatic COVID-19, as is continued focus on infection prevention and control practices, and there is an ongoing effort to ensure full compliance with the state’s surveillance testing program, CHIA has asked Mass Senior Care to work with members to help clarify two questions on the reporting survey.

Join Mass Senior Care in advocating for quality nursing facility care in the state FY2022 budget. The budget is now being considered by the Massachusetts Senate. Please ask your State Senator to make nursing facility funding a priority in the state budget! Send an email in less than two minutes in our Action Alert Center: https://p2a.co/8v1ouoy

Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee released its FY 2022 budget recommendation. Nursing Home SUD Amendment #604, filed by State Representative James O’Day (D-West Boylston) would establish a Medicaid rate add-on for nursing facilities who provide specialized care for residents with substance use disorder.

Information is presented on the public health emergency extention and the most recent county positivity rates released by DPH on April 21, 2021.

The demand for professionals with expertise in long term care is growing rapidly. The U.S. will need between 5.7 million and 6.5 million nurses, nurse aides, home health, and personal care workers to care for the 27 million Americans who will require long term care by 2050.​ Careers in Aging Week is dedicated to bringing greater awareness and visibility to the wide-ranging career opportunities in long term care and aging services, and to celebrate current employees in the profession.

On Friday, April 16, 2021, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Board of Registration of Nursing Home Administrators voted unanimously to reduce the required CEUS from 40 to 20 for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022.