Bill > S351

This bill establishes a Special Commission on Institutional Long Term Care to address issues within skilled nursing homes, aiming to reduce excess bed capacity, reform licensing and de-licensing procedures, and create more orderly processes for facility closures. The commission will explore potential cost savings for the Commonwealth and improvements in care delivery through bed reduction, develop criteria for de-licensing beds based on quality and regional need, and consider incentives for nursing homes to reduce beds or repurpose them. It will also examine improvements to the MassHealth reimbursement system for these facilities and strengthen public hearings for closures and sales, with the goal of optimizing the use of long-term care facilities. The commission will be composed of 15 members, including state officials like the Secretary of Elder Affairs and designees from various health and human services departments, legislative committee chairs, and representatives from organizations such as 1199SEIU, the Massachusetts Senior Care Association, AARP, and the Massachusetts Alzheimer's Association. This commission is mandated to meet within 90 days of the bill's passage and provide its final recommendations within one year.