E-News Update Articles

In March 2016, Governor Baker, through Executive Order 561, created a Task Force to recommend solutions to help end persistent economic disparities for certain populations. At the time of the Task Force report, these populations, which include African Americans/Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, persons with disabilities, and Gulf War Era II Veterans, experienced rates of unemployment from 7-20%. The Task Force found that individuals within these populations experience complex needs and barriers that require intensive interventions. The Task Force made several

The Department of Public Health (DPH) has proposed regulatory changes that could impact the licensing and construction standards certain long term care facilities would be required to meet. In particular, DPH is proposing to eliminate the construction standard grandfather provision for potentially more than 130 nursing homes constructed prior to March 19, 1968. It appears these homes would need to meet current construction standards or apply to the Department of Public Health for annual waivers under yet to be determined

Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome our new Members. 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 also find all of our Associate Members on our website, www.maseniorcare.org. New Facility Member: Taunton Nursing Home

“My job is rewarding and continues to provide me with opportunities to teach, ensure quality and provide direct care to residents.” Pamela Gelardi was only a high school student when she began working with older adults through a job at the local VNA. After graduating from Middlesex Community College with an Associate Degree in Nursing, she gained additional experience working with the mentally challenged adult population. She began her career ladder in long term care nursing 15 years ago at

The Department of Public Health (DPH) will be holding a Public Hearing in regard to proposed amendments to 105 CMR 150.000, Licensing of Long-Term Care Facilities and 105 CMR 153.00, Licensure Procedure and Suitability Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities. The public hearing will also concern the proposed rescission of 105 CMR 151.000, General Standards of Construction for Long-Term Care Facilities in Massachusetts. Mass Senior Care will be presenting both oral and written testimony at the upcoming hearing. It is important

On December 9, 2016, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released Survey & Certification Memorandum: 17-12-NH Long-Term Care (LTC) Regulation: Enforcement of Rule Prohibiting Use of Pre-Dispute Binding Arbitration Agreements is Suspended so Long as Court Ordered Injunction Remains in Effect. In this memorandum, CMS indicates that enforcement of the prohibition of the use of pre-dispute arbitration agreements is suspended until and unless the injunction is lifted. CMS will not enforce the new rule prohibiting skilled nursing facilities

In response to a state budgetary shortfall totaling an estimated $98 million in State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2017, Governor Baker plans to use his authority to begin implementing Chapter 9C spending cuts. The Governor’s 9C cuts include the elimination of this year’s $2.8 nursing facility Pay for Performance (P4P) program. The Governor did not impose cuts on the October 1, 2016 Medicaid nursing home rates, which include the $35.5 million direct care add on. Please contact Senior Vice President Tara

Marian Mensah-Agyemang was born in Ghana and raised by her aunt, a nurse who cared for adults with mental disabilities. Witnessing the love and compassion that her aunt and other staff showed to their residents, Marian was inspired to pursue her education and a career in caring for older adults. She started out in community health nursing after high school, before moving to the United States where she was a volunteer on an Alzheimer’s unit. The rapport she had with

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report recommending changes to the Nursing Home Compare websites to give consumers better information on the cost and quality of their health care. Please click here to access the GAO report. Source: GAO

The Department of Public Health has issued a Notice of Public Hearing in regard to proposed amendments to 105 CMR 150.000, Licensing of Long-Term Care Facilities and 105 CMR 153.00, Licensure Procedure and Suitability Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities. The public hearing will also concern the proposed rescission of 105 CMR 151.000, General Standards of Construction for Long-Term Care Facilities in Massachusetts. Mass Senior Care has identified a number of issues of concern to the nursing home provider community, including

A video presentation is now available from CMS for the September 14 MLN Connects Webcast on SNF Quality Reporting Program. Learn about the reporting requirements for the new Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP), effective October 1, 2016. The Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act) established the SNF QRP and requires the submission of standardized data. This video does not include the question and answer session that took place during the webcast. The audio

On December 1, 2016, MassHealth issued Eligibility Operations Memo 16-08, December 1, 2016 regarding a change in its Asset Verification capacity for Medicaid applicants. Federal law requires states to implement an electronic, asset-verification system to obtain information regarding the financial resources of Medicaid applicants, including those seeking Medicaid coverage for long term care. MassHealth has contracted with Public Consulting Group, Inc., (PCG) to electronically verify the assets of applicants for MassHealth Buy-In (only), Long-Term Care (LTC), Community Traditional, and Home-

The US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released its updated List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) database file, which reflects all OIG exclusions and reinstatement actions up to, and including, those taken in October 2016. 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

The Northeast Division of the Consortium for Quality Improvement and Survey and Certification Operations will host a webinar on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm on Changes to LTC Infection Control Regulations: What Facilities Should Consider When Developing Infection Control Programs. This webinar will provide information on how facilities should be begin to examine their practice on unnecessary antibiotic use, risk of MDRO and best practices with antibiotics. In addition, it will discuss interdisciplinary communication, how

Our national affiliate, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) has developed several new resources to assist members with implementing the Requirements of Participation. The newly posted materials include: Action Briefs which provide highlights of regulatory sections along with implementation strategies and tips, timelines, and related resources. New topics posted include Infection Prevention & Control, Pharmacy Services, and Policies & Procedures on Taking Photos or Videos. Tools including detailed implementation checklists on a variety of topics. New tools posted include several

The Department of Public Health presented the proposed revisions to 105 CMR 150.000 Licensure of Long Term Care Facilities to the Public Health Council on November 9, 2016. Mass Senior Care provided the DPH with recommendations for revision and/or deletion of specific regulatory requirements for these regulations last year. Mass Senior Care will convene a meeting on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Mass Senior Care office to review the proposed revisions and prepare

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) Work Plan for fiscal year (FY) 2017 summarizes new and ongoing reviews and activities that the OIG plans to pursue with respect to HHS programs and operations during the current fiscal year and beyond. Work planning is an ongoing and evolving process, and the Work Plan is updated throughout the year. For nursing homes, the OIG plans to focus on: Nursing Home Complaint Investigation Data Brief

An issue has been identified with MDS 3.0 assessment records submitted to the ASAP (Assessment Submission and Processing) system beginning October 1, 2016, through November 4, 2016. This issue impacts all NO and SO (Nursing Home and Swing Bed OMRA Other) assessment records with a target date on or after October 1, 2016 and may have resulted in an incorrect ASAP system-calculated RUG code for these assessments. No other assessment record types were affected by this issue. This issue involves

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) today issued its Compliance Form Worksheet and Compliance Form Instructions in regard to the $35.5M Direct Care Add On program included in the SFY 2017 budget act. • SFY2017 Nursing Facility Direct Care Add-on Compliance Form Instructions [NF-DCACF-I] Please note that EOHHS previously issued an Administrative Bulletin setting forth the compliance criteria and reporting procedures for the Direct Care Add On program. EOHHS has scheduled three Nursing Facility Direct Care Add-On

“I learned that becoming a lawyer was not what I wanted at all. I learned that I got a real joy in helping people.” As a high school student, Kerry Medeiros envisioned living a glamourous life, ideally in a tropical location with a high paying job as a lawyer. On the advice of a friend, she instead enrolled in CNA training, and within a year, was accepted into the Diman School of Practical Nursing while working as a CNA. Kerri

CMS has released training which contains information regarding Phase 1 of the New Nursing Home Regulations that will became effective starting November 28, 2016. This information addresses the new language included in the New Nursing Home Regulations, and how Phase 1 will be implemented via the State Operations Manual, F-Tags, and survey process. This training also address how the survey process will be used to address the regulatory requirements, please click here to access the CMS training. Source: CMS

On November 22, 2016, a federal district court in Texas granted an emergency motion for a preliminary injunction barring the Department of Labor (DoL) from enforcing its revised overtime rule, scheduled to take effect December 1, 2016. The federal rule would require employers to start paying overtime to eligible workers earning salaries of less than $47,476 a year (an increase from $23,600 the last time it was set in 2004), making millions more workers eligible for time-and-a-half pay. The final

Last week the Department of Public Health, Bureau of Healthcare Quality, Division of Facility Licensure and Certification, presented a webinar on Substance Use Disorders (SUD) in Long Term Care Facilities. Please click here for a copy of the presentation. Massachusetts Senior Care Association (MSCA) has been receiving reports from members of significant compliance issues with regard to the care of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) patients in nursing facilities. Patients are increasingly presenting with unforeseen issues and needs which have sometimes

Joyann (Joy) Morin’s passion for the elderly was sparked as a child, when she and her sister loved spending time visiting and making cards for residents at the nursing home where her mother worked as a CNA. An integral member of the staff at Mount Carmel Care Center for 27 years, she began her career in long term care as a housekeeper, working her way up to become a Certified Activity Director and Certified Dementia Practitioner.

An audio recording and transcript are now available for the October 27th call on Long-Term Care Facilities: Reform of Requirements. Learn about the changes included in the final rule; implementation and survey process; and provider training and resources. Source: CMS

The Department of Public Health presented the proposed revisions to 105 CMR 150.000 Licensure of Long Term Care Facilities to the Public Health Council on November 9, 2016. Mass Senior Care provided the DPH with recommendations for revision and/or deletion of specific regulatory requirements for these regulations last year. Mass Senior Care will convene a meeting on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Mass Senior Care office to review the proposed revisions and prepare

The Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety and Medical Error Reduction November 2016 Patient Safety Report highlighted the issue of health care worker flu vaccination. The Lehman article notes that the 2015 - 2016 influenza season show a slight rise in the vaccination rate of Massachusetts health care workers but a substantial number of health care facilities failed to reach the 90% vaccination level recommended by state and federal health authorities. Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Regulation requires long

Representatives from the Department of Mental Health (DMH), Department of Developmental Services (DDS), Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA), and the MassHealth Office of Long Term Services and Supports (OLTSS) will be providing a general PASRR overview training in December – December 5 at Lawrence Public Library, December 12 at Shrewsbury Commonwealth Medicine Amphitheater, and December 19, 2016 in Springfield at the Central Library Community Room. This training will cover the Level 1 PASRR form and the Level 2 process

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has scheduled three Nursing Facility Direct Care Add-On Training Sessions: Boston/December 1, Shrewsbury/December 7 and Springfield/December 9. This will be an opportunity for nursing facilities to obtain clarification on the spending test rules. As noted in MSCA’s November 16, 2016 E-News Update, EOHHS has issued an Administrative Bulletin and will soon be posting the Compliance Form worksheets on its website. EOHHS is requesting that individuals register for one training session only

The HHS Office of Civil Rights published a final rule May 18, 2016, broadening the nondiscrimination requirements applicable to all health programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance from HHS, those administered by HHS, and Health Insurance Marketplaces. This final rule has largely flown under the radar since its publication, begging the question: are you prepared to comply with the new requirements? Join AHCA for a webinar on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET to

AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is pleased to announce that the 2017 application packets are now available online. In addition, the 2017 program calendar and submission checklist have been posted to each award level page. Please visit the Bronze, Silver or Gold application pages to download application materials specific to your respective award level to see how your center should begin preparing. Important Dates to Remember November 17 - Intent to Apply Deadline December 1 - Applications are accepted online

Bridges by EPOCH, an assisted living residence in Hingham, has a "Bus Stop to Nowhere" which was recently showcased at the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living’s 67th Annual Convention and Expo in Nashville and Mass Senior Care's recent Annual Meeting. The idea serves as an example of person-centered, life enrichment programming aimed at improving the quality of life for assisted living residents living with dementia. Please click here to view.

AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is pleased to announce that the 2017 application packets are now available online. In addition, the 2017 program calendar and submission checklist have been posted to each award level page. Please visit the Bronze, Silver or Gold application pages to download application materials specific to your respective award level to see how your center should begin preparing. Important Dates to Remember November 17 - Intent to Apply Deadline December 1 - Applications are accepted online

Representatives from the Department of Mental Health (DMH), Department of Developmental Services (DDS), Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA), and the MassHealth Office of Long Term Services and Supports (OLTSS) will be providing a general PASRR overview training in December – December 5 at Lawrence Public Library and December 12 at Shrewsbury Commonwealth Medicine Amphitheater. This training will cover the Level 1 PASRR form and the Level 2 process for both DMH and DDS. Staff and individual providers under the

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) last week issued its Administrative Bulletin setting forth the compliance criteria and reporting procedures for the $35.5million Direct Care Add On program included in the SFY 2017 budget act. We are pleased to report that EOHHS responded to a number of concerns raised by MSCA in regard to the compliance rules, including: (1) baseline period, (2) ‘reconciliation’ process and (3) informational sessions. Baseline period – is set at January 1, 2016

JGS Lifecare recently celebrated a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new Sosin Center for Rehabilitation in Longmeadow. Nearly 200 people attended the ceremony, including Congressman Richard Neal, JGS Lifecare’s staff, residents, board members, business and community leaders. JGS Lifecare partnered with The Green House Project to develop Sosin Center, which is a state-of-the-art, patient-centered model of care that aims to reduce medication and hospitalizations while affording greater socialization and interaction with caregivers. Due to open later in the year, Sosin

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Survey and Certification Group is providing general information regarding the implementation plans for the new Emergency Preparedness Rule. The information addresses the implementation date for providers and suppliers, the development of Interpretive Guidelines (IGs), surveyor training and resources available to assist in the implementation of this regulation. The regulation affects all 17 providers and suppliers and must be fully implemented by November 15, 2017.

MassMAP Training and Orientation sessions for nursing homes, assisted living residences and rest homes will be held on November 28, 29, and 30 in various locations throughout the State. This training will include an overview of MassMAP, a discussion on surge and transportation evacuation, completing and updating of facility information in the MassMAP system and emergency reporting. Attendance at this session is recommended for administrators, DONs and maintenance/facility staff that are new to MassMAP. Pre-work will be required prior to

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Care Safety & Quality's webinar regarding Substance Use Disorders (SUD) in nursing homes is scheduled for tomorrow, November 17th from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. During this webinar, staff from the Bureau’s Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification will share guidance with nursing homes on the topic of SUD in nursing homes. This presentation will assist nursing homes in understanding a facility’s role in regard to treatment and safety

On November 10, 2016 CMS, through its Quality Technical Support Office, e-mailed a notice to all providers related to PBJ submissions. CMS has addressed several technical questions related to the PBJ submission process and, most notably, has indicated they will accept data submission past the deadline and will not impose penalties for providers that have not met the deadline at this time. Please click here access the CMS message in its entirety.

AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is pleased to announce that the 2017 application packets are now available online. In addition, the 2017 program calendar and submission checklist have been posted to each award level page. Please visit the Bronze, Silver or Goldapplication pages to download application materials specific to your respective award level to see how your center should begin preparing. Important Dates to Remember November 17 - Intent to Apply Deadline December 1 - Applications are accepted online January

On November 15, 2016 the Department of Public Health, Division of Health Care Quality released Circular Letter DHCQ:16-11-662 Admissions of Residents on Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder to Long Term Care Facilities. This circular letter provides guidance to long-term care facilities that admit residents that require skilled nursing care and who are also being treated for opioid use disorder with medication assisted treatment (MAT).

Mass Senior Care brought together a sold-out crowd of over 1,000 long term care professionals at the 2016 Annual Meeting & Trade Show held at the DCU Center in Worcester on November 10th. The event’s popularity spoke to the high level of involvement of our member facilities and associate members from across the Commonwealth. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker opened the morning session by thanking attendees for proving high quality compassionate care and spoke about his personal experience with the staff

The Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes Campaign was initiated in September, 2006 with the mission to make nursing homes better places to live, work, and visit. With an unprecedented coalition of stakeholders, this voluntary effort helped focus providers, government entities, as well as professional and consumer advocates to help nursing homes measurably improve care. Please click here for information on the transitioning of this campaign to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National Nursing Home Quality Improvement

OSHA has extended the effective date of the anti-retaliation provision in its final rule, Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses until Dec. 1, 2016. This is an additional extension from the original August date, which was then extended until Nov. 1, 2016. This is one provision of the OSHA rule, which requires nursing centers, assisted living communities, and other employers to electronically submit workplace injuries and illnesses as well as post anti-retaliation protections for workers who report work-related injuries or illnesses. Source: OSHA

Please mark your calendars to participate in a webinar regarding Substance Use Disorders (SUD) in nursing homes presented by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality. During this webinar, staff from the Bureau’s Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification will share guidance with nursing homes on the topic of SUD in nursing homes. This presentation will assist nursing homes in understanding a facility’s role in regard to treatment and safety, and what

AHRQ’s new Nursing Home Antimicrobial Stewardship Guide is a research-based resource that offers step-by-step instructions and materials to help nursing homes improve antibiotic use and decrease harms caused by inappropriate prescribing. The guide, which is consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's core elements of antibiotic stewardship, can also help health care providers meet the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ new Infection Prevention and Control Program requirements. That program requires providers to have a systemt o prevent

OSHA has updated its Guidelines for Safety and Health Programs . The guidelines are not new mandates, but are recommended practices to prevent workplace injuries that can be implemented in any industry. They are designed to be used in a variety of small-and medium-sized business settings, including senior living providers. The Administration has compiled tools, such as a program audit tool to help providers evaluate their safety and health program. The website also includes action items for employers, case studies

CMS will host the next National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care and QAPI MLN Connects® Call on Tuesday, December 6 from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm ET. During this call, participants will learn about the reform of requirements for long-term care facilities, highlighting the Behavioral Health Services & Pharmacy Services sections. A Tennessee nursing home will also discuss innovative approaches that they implemented to dramatically reduce the use of antipsychotic medications. Additionally, CMS subject matter experts will share updates on

We are very pleased that Governor Charlie Baker will deliver opening remarks at our November 10th Annual Meeting at the DCU Center in Worcester. Following Governor Baker, David Seltz, Executive Director of the Health Policy Commission, will present Impact of the Opioid Epidemic on the Health Care System in Massachusetts. Join colleagues from across the state for a thought-provoking session on how to transform a "one-size-fits-all" nursing facility into a quality living environment for all individuals, including those with complex