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