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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2168 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 651
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Thomas M. Stanley
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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 promoting innovation in elder care services.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex1/19/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/1/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester2/17/2023Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex2/22/2023Mathew J. Muratore1st Plymouth2/22/2023Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk2/23/2023James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/27/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/28/2023David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex3/1/2023Russell E. Holmes6th Suffolk3/1/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden3/1/2023Edward R. Philips8th Norfolk3/3/2023William J. Driscoll, Jr.7th Norfolk3/6/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2168 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 651
By Representative Stanley of Waltham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 651) of
Thomas M. Stanley and others relative to promoting innovation in elder care nursing facilities
and services. Elder Affairs.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to promoting innovation in elder care services.
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. Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, the executive
2office of health and human services shall, subject to appropriation, establish a no-interest,
3forgivable loan program for the purposes of (i) funding the development of nursing facility
4specialized care units, (ii) enabling facilities to offset the costs of pay-go capital improvements
5and (iii) funding innovative projects designed to reduce nursing facility bed capacity in order to
6meet the needs and preferences of older adults.
7 Funding to support nursing facility specialized care units shall include, but not be limited
8to: (a) infectious disease isolation; (b) dementia special care; (c) degenerative neurological units;
9(d) geriatric psychiatry; (e) traumatic brain injury; (f) in-house dialysis treatment; and (g)
10behavioral health and substance use disorder. Funding to offset the pay-go capital improvements
11shall include, but not be limited to: (a) heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and air
12filtration system upgrades to mitigate the spread of airborne illnesses; (b) roof and other 2 of 2
13infrastructure replacement and repair projects; (c) alternative energy conversion projects; and (d)
14elevator renovations to comply with new government requirements. Funding to promote
15innovative projects shall include, but not be limited to: (a) conversion of sections within nursing
16facilities into affordable housing, veterans housing, or assisted living units to better
17accommodate individual needs of residents; (b) converting multi-bed rooms to single occupancy
18to enhance privacy and dignity; and (c) establishing voluntary nursing facility reconfigurations,
19including financial incentives to reduce capacity and balance supply and demand based on
20regional needs.