An Act to address the overuse of temporary nursing service agencies at Massachusetts skilled nursing facilities

This bill directs the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to lower the maximum rates that temporary nursing agencies can charge skilled nursing facilities for nurse and aide services. To set these new caps, the department must calculate rates based on the average wages of regular facility employees plus payroll taxes, ensuring agency fees do not exceed 150% of those wages. The legislation also requires agencies to report if they are owned by the same people who own the facilities where they place workers, which would ban such agencies from staffing those specific facilities. Additionally, the bill mandates stronger reporting on worker compensation, training, and performance, while requiring the department to consult with senior care and healthcare worker unions before making these changes. The Department of Public Health must finalize and adopt these new regulations within 180 days of the bill passing.