Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1216 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1447 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1216
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	John J. Lawn, Jr.
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to the nursing home quality jobs initiative.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:John J. Lawn, Jr.10th Middlesex1/18/2023Smitty Pignatelli3rd Berkshire1/31/2023Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol1/31/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester1/31/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol1/31/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/2/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/2/2023Mathew J. Muratore1st Plymouth2/23/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester2/23/2023Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk3/1/2023Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex3/1/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester3/1/2023David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex3/1/2023Russell E. Holmes6th Suffolk3/2/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden3/2/2023Edward R. Philips8th Norfolk3/6/2023William J. Driscoll, Jr.7th Norfolk3/8/2023 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1447 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1216
18	18	By Representative Lawn of Watertown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1216) of
19	19	John J. Lawn, Jr. and others relative to wages, benefits and related employee costs of direct care
20	20	staff of licensed nursing homes. Health Care Financing.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 1287 OF 2021-2022.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to the nursing home quality jobs initiative.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 118E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 official edition
32	32	2is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new section: -
33	33	3 Section 78. For the purpose of ensuring a living wage for nursing facility direct care
34	34	4staff, MassHealth shall annually fund a living wage rate add-on for direct care staff of licensed
35	35	5nursing homes, including, but not limited to, certified nurse aides, housekeeping, laundry,
36	36	6dietary, plant operations, and clerical staff. Funds shall cover a living wage, and associated
37	37	7payroll benefits and related employee costs. MassHealth shall, subject to appropriation, adjust
38	38	8the annual living wage add-on with an inflation adjustment consistent with the annual unadjusted
39	39	9Skilled Nursing Facility Market Basket Update as established by the Centers for Medicare &
40	40	10Medicaid in the Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility prospective payment system rule. MassHealth 2 of 3
41	41	11shall adopt all additional regulations and procedures necessary to carry out this section, including
42	42	12audits, and shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means an analysis of
43	43	13funds expended under the living wage rate add on program.
44	44	14 SECTION 2. Chapter 23 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 official edition is
45	45	15hereby amended by inserting after section 9U the following new sections:
46	46	16 Section 9V. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development through the
47	47	17Commonwealth Corporation shall, subject to appropriation, establish a grant program for nursing
48	48	18facility supervisory and leadership training. The program shall, but not be limited to, covering
49	49	19the cost of nursing facility worker participation in evidence-based supervisory training for the
50	50	20express purpose of improving staff satisfaction, retaining staff and reducing turnover.
51	51	21
52	52	22 Section 9W. The Commonwealth Corporation shall, subject to appropriation, establish an
53	53	23extended care career ladder grant program, consistent with section 410 of chapter 159 of the Acts
54	54	24of 2000. Grants shall be available for certified nurses' aides, home health aides, homemakers and
55	55	25other entry level workers in long-term care. The grants may include training for English for
56	56	26speakers of other languages and other language and adult basic education programs to improve
57	57	27quality of care and improve direct care worker access to and participation in career ladder
58	58	28training. The length of such grants shall not exceed a period of 3 years. The Commonwealth
59	59	29Corporation shall submit quarterly reports to the house and senate committees on ways and
60	60	30means on said grant program including, but not limited to, the number of grants awarded, the
61	61	31amount of each grant, a description of the career ladder programs, changes in care-giving and
62	62	32workplace practices that have occurred and their impact on quality of care and worker retention 3 of 3
63	63	33and the certificates, degrees or professional status attained by each participating employee. The
64	64	34administrative and program management costs for the implementation of said grant program
65	65	35shall not exceed 4 per cent of the amount of the grant program. Each grant may include funding
66	66	36for technical assistance and evaluation.
67	67	37 SECTION 3. Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 official edition,
68	68	38 is hereby amended by inserting after section 4O the following new section:-
69	69	39 Section 4P. The Department shall, subject to appropriation, establish a tuition
70	70	40reimbursement program for certified nursing assistant training. The department shall reimburse
71	71	41for the costs of certified nursing assistant training or competency testing subject to the following
72	72	42requirements, conditions and limitations: (a) costs shall have been incurred for an approved
73	73	43certified nursing assistant training program; (b) costs shall have been actually paid by the
74	74	44certified nursing assistant from his or her own personal funds; and (c) Individuals shall have
75	75	45begun employment as a certified nursing assistant in a licensed nursing facility within 12 months
76	76	46of completing the training program, including passing the competency testing.