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April 16, 2026 Rain | 64°F
The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Bill S.866 194th (Current)

An Act to protect medically fragile children

By Ms. Friedman, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 866) of Cindy F. Friedman and Sean Garballey for legislation to protect medically fragile children. Health Care Financing.

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Bill Information

Presenter:
Cindy F. Friedman
The bill would require the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, subject to appropriation, to increase the budget for continuous skilled nursing care in a stepwise fashion over 2025, 2026, and 2027 with the goal of achieving fulfillment of at least 85% of continuous skilled nursing hours authorized by MassHealth by 2027. It would also require MassHealth to submit an annual report detailing the number of filled and unfilled hours authorized by MassHealth, the number of reductions in hours, and the number of appeals of reductions or modifications of hours of continuous skilled nursing care. The report would also demonstrate that MassHealth had not, in the preceding year, changed its authorization requirements for skilled nursing hours. The bill would also direct the Office of Medicaid to review the wage payment rates established by home health agencies that provide continuous skilled nursing care, conduct an analysis and make recommendations on criteria to be included in any future reporting by these home health agencies. Finally, the bill would require the Center for Health Information and Analysis, in conjunction with MassHealth, seek input from nurses providing continuous skilled nursing care and patients and family members of patients receiving continuous skilled nursing care when developing its biennial report.
* The bill summary was created by the Primary Sponsor of the bill; no committee of the General Court certifies the accuracy of its contents.

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