What's new at MLS

Across the nation, and within Massachusetts, more schools are offering universal free meals - breakfast and lunch - to low income students. Between SY2014/15 and SY2015/16 (this school year), the number of school districts that are eligible for the "community eligibility provision"…

1. New Home Health Agency Prior Authorization requirements. MassHealth has issued a transmittal letter & a provider bulletin with the following changes taking effect March 1: PA is now required for home nursing for more than 30 visits in 90 day period, & more than 240 units of…

Not wasting any time, or even waiting for the beginning of the next fiscal year, the Baker Administration has come out with draft regulations at http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/eohhs/eohhs-regs/hsn-613-redline.pdf  which dramatically cutback on  Health Safety Net free-care for the…

WBUR issued a powerful story this AM about the surge in demand on homeless shelters in the state, With Homeless Shelters Already Full, Boston And State Collaborate On Winter Plan  noting: "... across the state, men and women are staying longer in shelters, becoming what’s known…

Many of you have asked for SNAP data by city/town or Zip code on the impact of the SNAP caseload reduction in Massachusetts.  While the SNAP caseload has indeed started to turn the corner and increase since May 2015, the MA caseload has still suffered a serious decline.  We are providing you with a…

SNAP Caseload Update - MA continues to improve USDA data shows .6% increase in Massachusetts for July 2015. For the third month in a row, the SNAP household participation has increased. The most recent available data posted in October for July 2015 shows a .6% increase for MA. The…

1. Substance use disorder services  Last year a state law improving substance use disorder services was enacted (c. 258 St. 2014). A provision requiring MassHealth & MassHealth managed care plans to cover detox and up to 14 day crisis stabilization services without prior authorization…

Please see email from Frank Martinez Nocito re second round of FINI grants announced by USDA. If your organization is interested in applying, please contact Frank at DTA directly. And REMINDER -  Statewide Food for Good Conference at UMass Amherst on Friday, October 30th! Central MA…

1. MassHealth Renewals Extension to Oct 16 for people with disabilities. In August MassHealth notified about 35,000 households containing 62,000 individuals with at least one member with a disability that they had to submit a reapplication by Sept 15 to remain eligible for MassHealth. The…

We are writing to give you more updates of PROGRESS being made in Massachusetts!  Some of this is "in the weeds" -  but since many of you ask about or follow this stuff so, here goes:  1.  BEACON System Improvements for SNAP Applications and Interim Reporting:…