Member Resources

To better serve our members, Mass Senior Care is migrating to a new CRM platform in January.

As a reminder, the 2024 National Quality Award Application Deadline is Thursday, January 25th at 8pm EST.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) will open nominations for the second class of its Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) on January 14, 2024.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule on December 27, 2023, to implement an order from the Federal district court for the District of Connecticut in Alexander v. Azar that requires HHS to establish appeals processes for certain Medicare beneficiaries who are initially admitted as hospital inpatients but are subsequently reclassified as outpatients receiving observation services during their hospital stay and meet other eligibility criteria.

Authorization to continue to allow nursing practice by graduate nurses and students in their last semester of nursing education programs will expire on March 31, 2024.

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DoR) has released preliminary revenue figures for the first half of December showing a continued decline in state revenue.

Member Update: COVID-19 Vaccination Reminder

Member Updates: Several Hospitals Resume Mask Requirements; EOHHS Posts Request for Responses to Administer CNA to LPN Career Ladder Program

Massachusetts Senior Care Association extends our best wishes for a happy and healthy 2024!

Massachusetts continues to experience a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in long-term care facility residents and staff.

The Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has published additional information regarding “topping off” of Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) benefits.

The state’s November total unemployment rate was 2.9 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from the revised October estimate of 2.8 percent, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) announced last Friday.

The Veterans Administration (VA) recently posted updated Veterans Care Agreements (VCAs) rates for participating skilled nursing facility (SNF) providers.

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

RVRS has updated the timeline for the new electronic death reporting system.

The Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) will hold a public hearing on Friday, January 12th at 2:00 pm in regard to proposed modifications to the existing vaccination requirements in ALRs.

The Joint Committee on Elder Affairs this week issued favorable recommendations on the following long term care related legislation

This holiday season, our member facilities are full of festive cheer and vibrant celebrations.

Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season from all of us at Massachusetts Senior Care Association.

Member Update: Informal Dispute Resolution Meeting

Member Updates: Clarification on Hospital Requirements for Staff COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccines; January 2024 MassHealth Nursing Facility Quarterly Census Survey

Member Update: Guidelines for Reporting Influenza Cases and Clusters of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI)

Member Update: MassHealth Issues Important PDPM Billing Update, Webinar Slide Deck and Billing Spreadsheet

Member Update: MassHealth Issues Important Billing Update

Member Update: MassHealth Nursing Facility PDPM Billing/Claims Submission Webinar

Wishing all of our community members who celebrate Hanukkah a season of joy!

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center has released a notice strongly encouraging health care organizations to upgrade their devices due to a vulnerability.

The December 2023 Quarterly Confidential Feedback Reports for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) Program are now available to download via the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES).

On December 4th, Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz, Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz hosted the annual public hearing with key experts as they begin work to formulate a consensus tax revenue estimate for the Commonwealth's Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) budget.

Member Updates: DPH Monthly Call Reminder: December 13, 2023; AHCA/NCAL Join Coalition Asking for Joint Employer Rule to be Nullified

Member Updates: Governor Healey Signs FY2023 Closeout Budget: Rescinds State COVID-19 Reporting Requirements and Establishes Career Pathway Program for Long Term Care Facilities; Fiscal 2024 Tax Collections Trailing Benchmark by $627 Million for First 5 Months of FY2024

Member Updates: Healey Administration and Legislature Hold FY2025 ‘Consensus Revenues’ Hearing; HHS Issues Important Cybersecurity Notice for Health Care Operators

Member Updates: CDC Food Safety Alert Regarding Cantaloupes; CMS Skilled Nursing Facilities/Long Term Care Open Door Forum; EOHHS Procurement for One Care Plans and SCO Plans

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MassCyberCenter on December 14th at 10 am for our monthly health care provider cybersecurity call.

The Massachusetts Chapter of the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA) is hosting an online listening session "Echoes from Administrators" on Thursday, December 7 at 12:15pm.

A Bright Horizon’s location in Massachusetts has several unopened boxes of adult and child-sized masks that they are looking to donate.

As a reminder, free COVID-19 tests through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are still available to providers.

The Department of Family and Medical Leave has published 2024 workplace posters and notices for Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML).

AHCA/NCAL has developed a NCAL Survey Preparedness Resource document

The Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) is replacing the current vital records registration system with the Massachusetts Vital Records Information Collaborative (MAVRIC), for the processing of all vital events.

On November 20, 2023, CMS released Admin Memo: 24-05-NH to provide guidance to surveyors on areas of focus for Federal Monitoring Surveys (FMS).

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue has released preliminary revenue figures for the month of October indicating that total revenue collections for the first 4 months of the fiscal year 2024 (July 2023-October 2023) are $355 million or about 3% less than the year-to-date budget benchmarks.

Member Update: MassHealth Issues PDPM Billing Guidance on CMS Grouper Error

Member Update: MWRA Wastewater Data Shows Increase in COVID-19 Cases

We would like to wish all of our members a Happy Thanksgiving. We are grateful for your support and your extraordinary dedication to meeting the vital care needs of residents across the Commonwealth.