Prepare now for the upcoming changes to MDS!

With sustained reliance on TNS we are providing an important reminder to members of the need to obtain and maintain current Certificates of Workers’ Compensation Insurance from TNS agencies prior to utilizing TNS employees.

Building on its 38-year legacy of assisting long term care staff in furthering their education, the Massachusetts Senior Care Foundation is proud to announce its 2022 Foundation Scholars.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a sharp jump in a new XBB variant level, particularly in the Northeast. Information on prior authorization for SNF admissions waived. Massachusetts regulations 105 CMR 721.000: Standards for Prescription Format and Security provided an exception to the ePrescribing mandate for prescriptions written for long term care (LTC) residents.

As we get closer to the January 1, 2023, deadline for meeting the MassHealth eligibility criteria for COVID-19 preparedness payments related to “at least 90% of the nursing facility’s staff are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination”, Mass Senior Care would like to remind members that this data used to determine eligibility will be pulled from the NHSN data submitted by each nursing facility. Also, AHCA/NCAL has developed a new #GetVaccinated handout to help long term care staff discuss the value of the bivalent booster with their residents.

DPH released information for Massachusetts long-term care facilities on the steps needed to fulfill the DPH requirement to submit healthcare personnel (HCP) influenza data by May 15, 2023. In addition, long-term care facilities that are required to report annual healthcare personnel influenza vaccination data into NHSN must do so using the Healthcare Personnel Safety (HPS) Component.

Six people with disabilities residing in nursing facilities have filed a class action lawsuit in federal district court in Boston that Governor Charlie Baker and other state officials have failed to provide community residential services and supports, claiming that this failure has forced thousands of people with disabilities to live in segregated nursing facilities rather than in the community.

As a reminder, all Massachusetts temporary nursing licenses will expire on December 31, 2022.  To continue to practice in Massachusetts after December 31, 2022, nurses now practicing with a temporary license, who have not already submitted an application for permanent licensure within the last year, must apply right away.    

Earlier this week, Governor-elect Maura Healey announced her first three senior staff Cabinet appoints to fill out her Administration. University of Massachusetts finance administrator Matthew Gorzkowicz will serve as secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, the state’s top budget official. Gorzkowicz previously served as the Senate’s budget director and he also served as assistant secretary for budget in Governor Patrick’s Administration.