Bill > S903

This bill aims to improve post-acute healthcare services in Massachusetts by implementing several key provisions. The Office of Medicaid will work with hospitals to support community discharge for MassHealth patients, including revising notice language for administrative days, adopting transparent processes for service determinations, and expanding community resources for patients with chronic conditions. The bill establishes new requirements for Medicaid rate calculations for non-acute care hospitals, using cost data from the most recent two years. It mandates that all payers eliminate prior authorization requirements for patient transitions from acute or non-acute hospitals to home health agencies. The legislation also creates a complex care ombudsman program to assist hospitals with patient discharges, establishes a regional pilot program to increase long-term care bed capacity for patients with dementia and psychiatric needs, and creates an Office of Adult Guardianship and Conservatorship Oversight to protect vulnerable adults. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for creating a task force to explore co-location of medical services at skilled nursing facilities, developing a pilot program for teaching skilled nursing facilities, and launching a public outreach campaign to recruit guardians and conservators for patients without identified support persons.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S903