Memorandum To: Mass Senior Care Members From: Tara M. Gregorio, President Re: COVID-19 Update: Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period 2 Deadline March 31 Date: March 17, 2022 The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Reporting Portal is open for providers who need to report the use of PRF funds in Reporting Period 2 (RP2). The deadline for RP2 is March 31, 2022. AHCA/NCAL urges members to finish RP2s before the quickly approaching deadline. The HRSA reporting

Today, Governor Baker announced a new program “HireNow” for eligible employers to receive $4,000 for each new hire beginning on March 23 through December 31, 2022. Employers may be approved for up to $400,000 for 100 eligible newly hired employees. Eligible employers include any for-profit or non-profit Massachusetts employer who is in good standing with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Mass Senior Care is calling on state lawmakers to support $238 million in new funding in FY2023, which is necessary to maintain current workforce wages that were increased using one-time government pandemic funding.

This week (March 14 - March 18) we celebrate our long term care leaders – Administrators! These individuals lead the staff of their facilities and ensure that their residents and patients receive the highest level of quality care.

The DPH has released guidance for nursing homes and rest homes on the process to report mandatory healthcare personnel (HCP) influenza data to fulfill the requirement for submission of annual HCP influenza data to DPH by April 15, 2022.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued the proposed rule on Contract Year 2023 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs, including provisions designed to improve the integration of Medicare and Medicaid programs for individuals enrolled in dual eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs).

In accordance with 651 CMR 12.04(13)(a)(1), (13) A Sponsor of an ALR shall file annually, within 90 days following the end of an Assisted Living Residence's fiscal year, a financial disclosure form prescribed by EOEA which sets forth a statement by the Sponsor based on reviewed or audited financial statements prepared by a certified public accountant.

On March 15, 2022, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) issued its annual policy report entitled March 2022 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. This report is part of the Commission’s legislative mandate to evaluate Medicare payment issues and to make recommendations to the Congress.

The Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) today released its Annual Report on the Performance of the Massachusetts Health Care System. The report presents a calculation of Total Health Care Expenditures (THCE) for 2020, a measure of statewide health care spending, which is evaluated against the state’s health care cost growth benchmark.