E-News Update Articles

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Mass Senior Care members were finally able to reconnect in-person at the Association’s Spring Conference & Trade Show held at the DCU Center in Worcester this past week. While still observing COVID-19 safety protocols, attendees, exhibitors and sponsors were delighted to gather and share their experiences, take a few minutes to laugh and relax during the morning session, learn about new strategies for recruitment and retention in the afternoon and view products

Stone Rehabilitation & Senior Living is an 82 bed, non-profit, short-term and long-term rehabilitation center with an additional 18 bed affordable senior living facility located in Newton Highlands. We are seeking individuals with financial and/or long-term care experience to become volunteer board members.

The transcript and video of the April 26, 2022, CMS National Stakeholder call can be accessed at this link. The call featured CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure and her leadership team providing updates on the CMS Strategic Vision and key accomplishments during the first quarter of 2022

Members should anticipate receiving the May 2022 MassHealth COVID-19 supplemental payment on May 10th, yesterday, MassHealth issued the February 2022 Staff Surveillance Testing Payment, and register now for the Putting Patients First Webinar.

The House of Representatives this week adopted its FY 2023 budget recommendation which includes an additional $40 million in funding for nursing homes to continue to fund nursing facility workforce wage investments. Mass Senior Care will continue to advocate for vital workforce funds over multiple appropriation bills including the FY 2023 state budget, the FY 2022 surplus budget, and the ARPA appropriation bill.

As noted in the CMS FAQs for In-Person Visitation Aids, 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. The DPH can approve applications that meet the defined CMS parameters without review by CMS.

Last Friday, The Boston Globe published an article on the CNA testing backlog impacting students who have finished their nurse aide training but awaiting the state certification test. Prometric, the state’s CNA testing provider, came on board in November 2021 after the American Red Cross notified the Department of Public Health they were exiting the testing program.

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter on May 12 at 10 am for their monthly health care provider cybersecurity call. The call will be joined by representatives of CISA New England and the Massachusetts State Police and Commonwealth Fusion Center who will provide updates on recent cyber threats and trends.

The DPH, in partnership with Abt Associates and Healthcentric Advisors, has released a self-paced online course titled: The Care of Residents with Opioid & Stimulant Use Disorders in Long-Term Care Settings. Information about the learning sessions can be found here. Nursing facilities that are receiving the SUD Rate Add-on for Rate Year 2021 (current rate year), are required to complete these modules by June 30, 2022.

Members are reminded that Resident Care Assistant hours are included in the Commonwealth’s 3.58 HPPD requirement, Mass Senior Care has asked the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development for clarification on documentation required for the HireNow employer registration portal, and 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.

The DPH has released updated clinical guidance for COVID-19 therapeutics, CMS and the CDC will host a National Nursing Home Stakeholder Call on Wednesday, April 27 at 3:00 PM, and DPH and Mass Senior Care are strongly urging 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.

Discussion on Monthly ICAR Assessments, the next CMS Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF)/Long Term Care (LTC) Open Door Forum scheduled for Thursday, April, 28 2022 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, and MassHealth Business Support Services and LTSS Customer Service will be offering a Webex on May 5th at 1-2:30pm to review the recent changes to the transportation requests for MassHealth members (both fee for service and managed care members) residing in nursing facilities.

The Centers for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) yesterday issued the 2021 SNF-CR (nursing facility), the REA-CR (the realty company), and the MGT-CR (management company/central office) cost reports and are now available for submission on the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) website via CHIA Submissions.

Congratulations to Carla Pepka who was recently recognized with the National Activity Professional of the Year award by the National Association of Activity Professionals. Carla was honored at the Association’s recent Annual Meeting in Minnesota.

he House of Representatives will begin debate on the FY2023 budget next week. Please ask your State Representative to co-sponsor and support Chairman Thomas Stanley's Nursing Facility Workforce Amendment #891.

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.

Join the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, and her leadership team, on April 26, 2022, from 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm to hear updates on the CMS Strategic Vision and key accomplishments during the first quarter of 2022.

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.

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.

With the increase in COVID-19 cases in both residents and staff in our nursing facilities, the DPH and Mass Senior Care strongly urge nursing facilities to administer the second COVID-19 booster vaccine to their long-term care residents by April 30 or as soon as the resident qualifies for the booster, and AHCA/NCAL will host a webinar for all members on Thursday, April 21 at 3 PM Eastern to provide tips for drafting and submitting comments on CMS’ FY 2023 SNF Proposed Payment Rule.

DPH is urging providers to ensure that COVID-19 treatments are offered to all patients eligible to receive them, which is nearly 40% of Massachusetts residents with a risk factor for severe disease, and Long-Term Care Facilities are strongly encouraged to provide and administer the second booster vaccine to residents by April 30 or as soon as the resident qualifies for the booster.

As noted in the CMS FAQs for In-Person Visitation Aids, 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. The DPH can approve applications that meet the defined CMS parameters without review by CMS. The use of an application template will reduce the amount of time for approval of these funds.

MassHealth has released the Request for Responses (RFR) for its Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Program - the RFR has now been posted on COMMBUYS. Beginning in 2018, MassHealth began a substantial shift towards accountable and integrated models of care. These delivery system reforms have been supported through a set of investments under a restructured federal 1115 demonstration.

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.

On April 7, 2022 CMS announced that it is ending specific emergency declaration blanket waivers for SNFs/NFs, inpatient hospices, ICF/IIDs and ESRD facilities. CMS expects providers to take immediate steps so that they may return to compliance with the reinstated requirements according to the timeframes listed below. Please note: facilities will have until October 5, 2022, to get all resident care assistants/temporary nurse aides trained and/or certified.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra renewed the declaration that a public health emergency (PHE) exists, and 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.

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.

Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome new members to our Association. Our members have demonstrated their commitment to the senior care provider community by joining Mass Senior Care and we are grateful for their support.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.