William Moore Lifetime of Service

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Thomas Alexander

Requires nursing facilities to convert to single-occupancy rooms and bathrooms where possible, with regulatory steps and funding to support the transition.

Introduced and adopted

Summary — S. 480 (194th General Court, 2025–2026)

Title: An Act promoting infection prevention and privacy for residents of nursing homes
Primary sponsor: Sen. Joan B. Lovely (with Senators John F. Keenan and James B. Eldridge listed as petitioners)
Filed: 1/17/2025; Introduced in Senate: 2/6/2025
Current status (as of provided info): Referred to committee (Elder Affairs / Aging and Independence); hearing scheduled 9/16/2025.

Purpose

The bill requires licensed nursing facilities in Massachusetts to prioritize single-occupancy resident rooms and single bathrooms to promote infection prevention and resident privacy and dignity. It also directs state agencies to adopt regulations and pursue funding/rate adjustments needed to support that transition.

Key provisions

Amends subsection (g) of G.L. c.111, §70E:

Requires residents to be housed in their assigned room as the sole resident of that room unless:
the resident (or their guardian/health care proxy) mutually agrees to share with a spouse or one other resident; and
if there is no second resident, the bathroom in that room is not shared with any other person.

Section 2: Directs the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to seek federal approval if necessary to increase reimbursement rates to cover single-room costs.

Section 3: Directs the Department of Public Health (DPH) to promulgate regulations to promote use of single rooms and single bathrooms in every licensed facility.

Section 4: Applicability and compliance timeline:

Requirement applies immediately to any new construction or “substantial renovation.”
Facilities holding a valid license at the act’s effective date are given up to three years from the act’s date to achieve compliance.

Section 5: Amends subsection (e) of G.L. c.10 §35TTT (as amended) to require that priority be given to capital projects intended to reconfigure facilities to provide single-occupancy rooms.

Who is affected

Nursing home residents (privacy, reduced infection risk).

Nursing facility operators/owners (capital and operational changes).

Payers (Medicaid/Medicare and private payers) — potential changes in reimbursement if EOHHS obtains federal approval for rate increases.

State agencies (DPH for rulemaking; EOHHS for rate/funding actions).

Construction and building services (demand for renovations and new construction).

Potential impacts and considerations

Public health benefit: single rooms and bathrooms can reduce transmission of infections and increase privacy and dignity for residents.

Financial/capacity implications:

Significant capital costs for facilities to convert shared rooms and add bathrooms, potentially reducing total licensed bed capacity unless facilities expand footprint.
Facilities may seek higher reimbursement rates; EOHHS must pursue federal approval (e.g., Medicaid State Plan Amendment or waiver) for rate increases tied to single-occupancy costs.
The bill prioritizes state-supported capital funding toward projects that reconfigure facilities for single rooms.

Implementation: DPH rulemaking will define regulatory expectations; existing facilities have a three-year compliance window for non-new construction.

Procedural notes

Filed as Senate Docket No. 2384 / Senate No. 480 in the 194th General Court.

Hearing scheduled for 09/16/2025 (10:00 AM–1:00 PM, room A‑2) per provided information.

The bill includes immediate requirements for new/renovated facilities and a staged compliance period for existing licensed homes.