Massachusetts to advance new nursing home oversight regulations

The Massachusetts Healey administration announced plans to bring new regulations to the Public Health Council on October 14. These regulations aim to implement a two-year-old law requiring the state to consider out-of-state issues when evaluating nursing home licenses.

The move follows a Boston Globe investigation reporting that the Department of Public Health has not denied a nursing home acquisition or revoked a license in at least seven years. The report highlighted that the state repeatedly approved purchases by RegalCare, a New Jersey-based chain. The owner of RegalCare recently settled with state and federal prosecutors regarding a Medicare and Medicaid fraud scheme and had previously failed to disclose a 2018 license revocation in New Jersey.

Additionally, the investigation noted a decline in care quality at certain RegalCare facilities in Quincy and Taunton, where federal ratings dropped from five stars to one star. Governor Maura Healey stated her intention to ensure residents receive proper care, citing the need for strong oversight following past failures in state facilities.