HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3016        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1369

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Danielle W. Gregoire

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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 to strengthen supportive housing and reduce healthcare costs for low-income seniors.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3016        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1369

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act to strengthen supportive housing and reduce healthcare costs for low-income seniors.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 27 of Chapter 23B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following:-

(a) In the case of a rental housing project that is determined to be a low and moderate income rental housing project for seniors over the age of 55 and consisting of at least 50 units of housing, the commonwealth, acting by and through the executive office of health and human services, shall enter into contracts with sponsors of rental housing projects to fund senior supportive care services for MassHealth enrollees.

Each such contract shall provide for a fixed payment of $2500 annually for each MassHealth enrollee who resides in the designated rental housing project. Prior to entering into any such contract, the executive office shall find: (1) that MassHealth enrollees constitute the majority of residents in the rental housing project; (2) that the total amount of any fixed payments to be provided appears to be the minimum amount necessary to fund senior supportive care services, and (3) that the rental housing project has entered into cluster contracting with homecare agencies.

The executive office shall publish a report annually on: (1) the total number of Medicaid recipients living in such designated rental housing projects; and (2) cost savings to Medicaid realized by cluster contracting for senior supportive care services in such designated rental housing projects. The report shall be submitted to the general court, by filing it with the joint committee on health care financing and the house and senate committees on ways and means.