Amendment #16 to H4178

Commission for Rest Homes

Mr. O'Day of West Boylston moves to amend the amendment by inserting at the end thereof: -

SECTION XX. There shall be established a special commission to evaluate the governance and regulatory structure for rest homes or residential care homes. Said study shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of the following: (1) a review of the licensing, regulatory, and reporting structure for licensed rest homes (2) an inventory of the current licensed rest home facilities, number of licensed rest home beds, and the location and service area of said facilities (3) a review of the rest homes closures since 2015 and identification of any similar causes or trends that led to closure (4) a review of the recommendations and any actions taken from the nursing facilities task force report per chapter 41 of the acts of 2019 (5) a determination of the .eligibility and feasibility of rest home expenses being eligible for federal reimbursement (6) a review of the current rate structure and its relation to actual cost of care

Said commission shall consist of the two members appointed by the speaker of the house, one of which will serve as co-chair, two members appointed by the president of the senate, one of which will serve as co-chair, one member appointed by the minority leader in the house, one member appointed by the minority leader in the senate, the secretary of health and human services or a designee, the secretary of elder affairs or a designee, the commissioner of MassHealth, the commissioner of the department of mental health, the commissioner of the department of public health, the commissioner of the department of transitional assistance, a representative from the Massachusetts association of residential care homes, a representative of leading age Massachusetts, a representative of Massachusetts senior action, and two persons to be appointed by the governor, one of whom shall have direct care giver experience, and one of whom shall have experience in health care administration and finance.

Said commission shall file a report on the results of its study, together with recommendations and any legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, and the house and senate committees on ways and means, no later than April 1, 2025.