E-News Update Articles

Please join independent owners in New Orleans March 14 – 16 for the AHCA/NCA 2018 Independent Owner Leadership Conference.

Each winter, clusters of respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) illness occur in Massachusetts’ long term care (LTC) and assisted living (AL) facilities. Clusters of gastrointestinal and respiratory illness in a LTC or AL facility are reportable to public health upon their initial identification, and can be reported using the Gastrointestinal Illness or Influenza/Respiratory Illness Cluster Reporting Forms, found on the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) website.

Mass Senior Care invites staff at member facilities to participate in various committees designed to share information on the topics of clinical quality, regulatory, human resources, finance and reimbursement and education and training. This information and feedback will assist MSCA staff with developing policy positions and prioritizing strategic initiatives.

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 December 2017.

On December 21, 2017 the Board of Registration in Nursing issued an Update to Required Training for Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention. The Board of Registration in Nursing (Board) must comply with the law that requires training for health care providers on the issue of domestic and sexual violence as a condition of licensure (M.G.L. c. 112, § 264).

In November of 2015, CMS released Survey & Certification Memo 16-06 (SC-Letter-16-04-Focused-Survey-Tools), which included tools that were utilized for the Focused Dementia Care Survey process.

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) last week issued proposed revised rates for services provided by temporary nursing to licensed hospitals and nursing facilities -- 101 CMR 345/Temporary Nursing Services. The proposed amendments would establish the rate limits for temporary nursing agency services for each geographic region as purchased by hospitals and nursing facilities effective May 1, 2018. EOHHS estimates that the proposed rate limits—if all purchasers utilized the maximum rate—will result in an increase of approximately

To improve the accuracy, completeness and timeliness of reporting, DPH has transitioned from a paper-based system to an electronic web-based system for the reporting of Health Care Personnel Influenza Vaccination Data for the 2017-2018 Influenza Season. Please click here to access Circular Letter: DHCQ 17-12-676 Important Change in Process to Report Seasonal Influenza Vaccination of Healthcare Personnel (HCP) at Massachusetts Adult Day Health Programs, Non-Ambulatory Surgical Center Clinics, Nursing Homes and Rest Homes for the 2017-2018 Influenza Season.

On December 21, 2017, the Department of Public Health Bureau of Healthcare Quality and Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management released a memo regarding the ongoing Intravenous (IV) fluid shortages and possible resources to address small-volume parenteral solutions availability concerns due to Hurricane Maria’s impact in Puerto Rico. To read the full memo, please click here.

Mass Senior Care invites staff at member facilities to participate in various committees designed to share information on the topics of clinical quality, regulatory, human resources, finance and reimbursement and education and training. This information and feedback will assist MSCA staff with developing policy positions, prioritizing strategic initiatives and identifying educational needs and opportunities. Please view the 2018 Committee Descriptions and Schedule of Meetings. For more information, please contact Jennifer Chen, Director of Membership Engagement at jchen@maseniorcare.org.

The Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) Confidential Feedback Reports/Quality Measure Reports containing the assessment and claims-based IMPACT Act measures are now available via the Certification and Survey provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) Reporting System. For more information on these reports, please refer to the December 6, 2017 presentation and audio and transcript on the SNF QRP Training website. Please note- CMS has discovered an error in some of the MSPB measure calculations contained in the SNF October 2017

MassMAP will be holding regional Training and Orientation sessions for new MassMAP members as well as for staff who are not familiar with the MassMAP website. Training is for MassMAP members only. Please click here for registration information.

As Mass Senior Care reported in November 2017, revisions to 105 CMR 725.000 Implementation of an Act for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana, were approved by the Public Health Council on November 8, 2017. The final regulations contain several revisions that relate to the use of medical marijuana making it more akin to the administration of prescription medication for residents and patients. The regulation does not require nursing facilities to become caregiving institutions, the choice to register as a

The Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality (BHCSQ) of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health invites you to attend a stakeholder presentation on the Supportive Planning and Operations Team (SPOT) Initiative.

Last week, nearly 200 facility representatives participated in the Department of Public Health (DPH) webinar on the adjustments that are being made to the Nursing Home Survey Tool (or Nursing Home Report Card) that will begin in January 2018.

The New England QIN-QIO (Healthcentric Advisors), in partnership with Honoring Choices and BayState Medical Center invites you to join them on January 18, 2018 from 12:00pm - 1:00pm to explore tools and strategies that will support patient centered end of life discussions and ensure patient wishes are documented and shared across care settings.

Submissions for the 2018 National Quality Award Program are now being accepted online! Application packets are available on the Bronze, Silver and Gold award web pages. All applications and payments must be submitted via the online portal before February 1, 2018 at 8 p.m. EST.

Jewish Healthcare Center of Worcester recently announced that longtime Director of Clinical Services, Anne-Marie Jette, will retire at the end of December 2017 after over 23 years of service.

On December 18th, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a notice indicating that it will continue accepting 2016 OSHA Form 300A data through the Injury Tracking Application (ITA) until midnight on December 31, 2017.

The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has issued emergency regulations and updated its FAQ’s - Updates in Employer Health Care Contributions and Experience Rate Schedule Adjustments for 2018 – 2019 regarding the changes that will result from the temporary two-year employer health contribution law that will take effect on January 1, 2018 and expire at the end of calendar year 2019.

Please note that Mass Senior Care Association and American Health Care Association 2018 membership renewal notices will be mailed out next week. If you have any questions about these notices, please call the office at 617-558-0202. Thank you for your ongoing support and participation.

The National Nursing Home Quality Improvement Campaign (NNHQI) will host a free webinar on Incentivizing Consistent Assignment: A supported approach to quality improvement in nursing homes on Monday, January 8, 2018 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm.

Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome our new members to the Association.

On Wednesday, December 13th, Mass Senior Care launched its redesigned website featuring improved functionality for members and enhanced consumer resources. The web address will remain the same, http://www.maseniorcare.org and members will need a user name and password to access Members Only information. If you have questions or need assistance logging in to the Members Only section, please email info@maseniorcare.org or call the office at 617-558-0202.

The Life Safety Code Unit of the Department of Public Health's Bureau of Healthcare Quality and Safety has been assigned the responsibility and has begun surveying long-term care facilities on the Emergency Preparedness regulations during a facility’s routine life safety code survey.

Due to the changes in the Requirements of Participation and the re-organizing and addition of new F tags, and the new survey process, the Department of Public Health has revised the Nursing Home Survey Performance Tool. The Department will hold an informational webinar to update nursing homes on how the changes to the survey process will be incorporated into the Nursing Home Survey Performance Tool, which provides consumers a searchable website to aid them in selecting and evaluating a nursing

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality (The Bureau) has extended an invitation to its “Strengthening Resident and Family Councils” Stakeholder Presentation on December 21, 2017.

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 November 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

Mass Senior Care's recent letter to the editor at The Boston Globe was published in response to the Globe's article, “Nursing facilities, and their residents, will feel impact if Haitians’ status ends.” Tara Gregorio, Association President and Marva Serotkin, Foundation President say the repeal of the TPS designation will only worsen the impact on skilled nursing facilities and their residents who are already experiencing significant staff shortages, “We need to adopt immigration policies that help ensure that we can meet the care needs of our residents today and in the future and provide a living wage for our dedicated front-line staff.”

On Wednesday, December 13th, Mass Senior Care launched its redesigned website featuring improved functionality for members and enhanced consumer resources. The web address will remain the same, http://www.maseniorcare.org and members will need a user name and password to access Members Only information. If you have questions or need assistance logging in to the Members Only section, please email info@maseniorcare.org or call the office at 617-558-0202.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a finalized version of the State Operations Manual Appendix PP - Guidance to Surveyors for Long Term Care Facilities, dated November 22, 2017. This version of Appendix PP replaces the Advance Copy that was released on June 30, 2017. It contains Interpretive Guidance (IG) for all Phase 1 and Phase 2 Requirements of Participation (RoP) and is effective as of November 28, 2017. Corrections and Revisions reflected in the Finalized

In an on-going effort to address implementation concerns and opportunities, the Massachusetts Senior Care Association has been meeting regularly over the past several weeks with senior officials at Department of Public Health to collaborate on the roll-out of the new survey process. During these meetings, DPH and Mass Senior Care have discussed many issues.

Due to the changes in the Requirements of Participation and the re-organizing and addition of new F tags, and the new survey process, the Department of Public Health has revised the Nursing Home Survey Performance Tool. The Department will hold an informational webinar to update nursing homes on how the changes to the survey process will be incorporated into the Nursing Home Survey Performance Tool, which provides consumers a searchable website to aid them in selecting and evaluating a nursing

CMS will host the next National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care and QAPI on Thursday, December 14 from 1:30 to 3:00 pm ET.

Effective March 1, 2018, MassHealth will begin offering an expanded selection of health plan options to managed care eligible members. These new options are Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), and a key part of MassHealth PCDI. MassHealth will also continue to offer Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) and the Primary Care Clinician (PCC) Plan as managed care options.

The new survey process for long term care facilities developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) went into effect Tuesday, November 28, 2017. The Department of Public Health (DPH or the Department) has developed a new website that features information and training resources, which may assist Massachusetts nursing homes in preparation for these changes to the Long Term Care Survey Process (LTCSP): https://www.mass.gov/service-details/long-term-care-survey-process. Please bookmark this webpage in your Internet browser. This webpage includes the slides from

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its final rule to Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses.

As a direct result of Mass Senior Care’s member outreach and advocacy campaign over the last year, we are pleased to report that the DPH’s revised proposed long term care regulations, issued yesterday, retain the current construction ‘grandfather’ protection for homes constructed prior to March 19, 1968 and the regulations will also retain the provision permitting resident rooms to accommodate no more than four residents.

CMS announced a partial delay of Phase II of the Requirements of Participation (RoP) rule late last week. The Survey and Certification Group (S&C) at CMS issued two memos just after the Thanksgiving holiday delaying enforcement provisions of the rule, but were short of a complete delay.

The American Health Care Association (AHCA), our national association, is making a special advocacy and research request for members to complete a survey that will allow the BDO Center of Center of Healthcare Excellence & Innovation to conduct a nursing facility and skilled nursing facility margin study.

CMS has updated and added several Critical Element Pathways that will be used in the new Long-Term Care Survey Process.

On November 8, 2017, the Public Health Council promulgated the proposed revisions to 105 CMR 725.000, Implementation of an Act for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana. This regulation sets forth standards for the medical use of marijuana, the registration of patients, physicians, caregivers, caregiver institutions, and registered marijuana dispensaries (RMDs), and the operation of the RMDs.

Please note that the December 1st meeting of Mass Senior Care Association’s Human Resource Group has been cancelled.

On October 2, CMS made a number of problematic changes to billing programming, remittance advice and related guidance associated with QMBs.

In October, over 450 facility representatives participated in the Department of Public Health (DPH) webinars on the new Long Term Care survey process (LTCSP) for nursing homes developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for implementation beginning November 28, 2017.

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 October 2017.

In response to demand among health care providers for dining and food services staff, JVS CareerSolution is offering a Dining & Food Services in Healthcare Job Fair on Wednesday, January 10th from 1:00-2:30 PM at JVS CareerSolution at 75 Federal Street, 3rd Floor in Boston. For more information and to register for the event, see the attached flyer or visit http://bit.ly/DiningFoodServiceHealthcareJan10. You can also contact Susan Buckey via email sbuckey@careersolution.org or phone (617) 399-3355.

The recording of last month’s webinar: Health Care Personnel Influenza Vaccination for Long Term Care Facilities is now available for viewing.

Mass Senior Care brought together long term care professionals from across the state at its 2017 Annual Meeting & Trade Show held at the DCU Center in Worcester on November 9th.

The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has released draft regulations and an FAQ's - Updates in Employer Health Care Contributions and Experience Rate Schedule Adjustments for 2018 – 2019 regarding the changes that will result from the temporary two-year employer health contribution law that will take effect on January 1, 2018 and expire at the end of calendar year 2019. Please vist DUA's Updates in Employer Health Care Contributions for 2018-2019 for complete information, including the draft regulations and