BOSTON — The state is cutting ties with three nursing facilities due to ongoing problems that jeopardize resident safety and their failure to improve upon them.
MassHealth issued early termination notices to Town and Country in Lowell, Hermitage Healthcare in Worcester, and Wareham Healthcare in Wareham.
The state says these notices are the first step to eliminate a provider from the MassHealth program, which could result in the closure of the facility.
Officials say those facilities have not met the standards of the MassHealth program throughout the course of the pandemic. The state says they also have a historic record of poor performance.
According to the press release released by the state Monday, during the pandemic, the three facilities sent notices have:
- Demonstrated poor adherence to the most basic infection control practices during quality and infection control audits and assessments, such as failure to properly cohort COVID-positive residents and improper use of PPE,
- Had inadequate staffing ratios that jeopardized the health, safety and welfare of residents, and
- In certain cases, refused support offered by the state when dealing with substantial outbreaks and critical staffing shortages, underscoring a lack of management and judgment.
In making these determinations, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) reviewed these facilities’ performance on audits and surveys, including:
- Infection Control audits conducted under the State’s Accountability and Supports initiative
- CMS-required Focused Infection Control surveys
- Historical recertification surveys
EOHHS also found that these facilities had:
- Inadequate staffing levels and hours per patient day (HPPD) below the industry standard
- Poor COVID-19 baseline testing and reporting compliance
- Lack of cooperation with state supports and audits during the COVID-19 emergency, including non-adherence to baseline testing of staff and residents and in certain cases, refusal of infection control assistance when the state had identified a need
The homes can respond to the notices and request a hearing.
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