E-News Updates

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the ‘Hospital at Home’ program through 2030. The bill would extend the current federal Medicare waiver that allows hospitals to provide certain acute-level services in a patient’s home rather than in an inpatient setting. 

MassHealth posted a new webpage with additional information on the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3). As we previously reported to members, there are several changes in OB3 that will significantly reduce the federal government’s contribution to MassHealth spending. These changes include loss of funding due to eligibility and financing changes in Medicaid funding. 

The December 2025 Quarterly Confidential Feedback Reports for the fiscal year (FY) 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) Program are now available to download via the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES).

The Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Quality Measures (QM) User's Manual v18.0 and accompanying Risk Adjustment Appendix File are now available. The MDS 3.0 QM User’s Manual V18.0 will be effective beginning January 1, 2026, and contains detailed specifications for the MDS 3.0 QMs.

The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living’s Gero Nurse Prep course significantly increases RNs’ gerontological nursing competency test scores. Registrants can save $200 on Gero Nurse Prep through December 31, 2025 with promo code RN25 or LPN25 (all caps). Nurses who complete the 30-hour online Gero Nurse Prep course dramatically increase their gerontological nurse competency scores, earn 30 ANCC contact hours, and RNs are ANCC Board Certification test ready. Please visit the Gero Nurse Prep website to learn more.

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