REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Pursuant to the authority of M.G.L.  c.  11 BE and in accordance with M.G.L.  c.  30A, a public hearing was held on Wednesday, December 13, at 9:00 a.m.  in the First Floor Conference Room, 100 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA relative to the adoption of 101 CMR 353.00:  Payment for Primary Care Clinician Plan Services and repeal of 114.3 CMR 53.00: Payment for Primary Care Clinician Plan Services.
• Pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L.c.  118E and in accordance with M.G.L. c.  30A, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) held a public hearing on Wednesday, December 13, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. in the First Floor Conference Room, 100 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA relative to the adoption of: 101 CMR 322.00: Durable Medical Equipment, Oxygen, and Respiratory Therapy Equipment and repeal of 114.3 CMR 22.00 Durable Medical Equipment, Oxygen, and Respiratory Therapy Equipment.
• Pursuant to the authority of M.G.L.  c.  11 BE and in accordance with M.G.L. c.  30A, a public hearing was held on Wednesday, December 20, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. First Floor Conference Room, 100 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA relative to the adoption of 101 CMR 350.00 Home Health Services.
• Issued Administrative Bulletin 17-19 Effective October 1, 2017 regarding 101 CMR 343.00 Hospice Services Updates to the Hospice Rates.  While effective October 1, 2017 the bulletin was not published until December 5, 2017.
• Amended Bulletin 17-19 on December 12, 2017 regarding 101 CMR 343.00:  Hospice Services: Updates to the Hospice Rates.
• Posted notice of a public hearing regarding rule 101 CMR 345.00 Temporary Nursing Services.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Issued administrative bulletin 20-56 relating to procedure code modifier relating to testing for COVID-19. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) is issuing this administrative bulletin pursuant to the authority of COVID-19 Order #20: Order Authorizing the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to Adjust Essential Provider Rates During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and Executive Order 591: Declaration of State of Emergency to Respond to COVID-19 and 101 CMR 320.01(3): Coding Updates and Corrections.  EOHHS is establishing rates for specimen collection for testing for the 2019 novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), when the provider also provides ordering and resulting services.  To view this bulletin, go to https://www.mass.gov/lists/2020-eohhs-administrative-bulletins.
• Effective July 1, 2020, the DIA will no longer accept Forms 105 via US Mail.  All Forms 105 must therefore be emailed to: DIA-Form105conciliation@mass.gov. Please include the DIA board number in the upper right corner of Forms 105. Forms 105 not submitted via email will not be reviewed or considered for approval. You do not need to include a coversheet. Effective July 1, 2020, the DIA will no longer accept Forms 113 via US Mail.  All Forms 113 must therefore be emailed to: DIA-Form113conciliation@mass.gov. Please include the DIA board number in the upper right corner of Forms 113. Forms 113 not submitted via email will not be reviewed or considered for approval. You do not need to include a coversheet.  To view this notice, go to https://www.mass.gov/info-details/dia-alerts-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19#6/10/2020---effective-7/1/2020-forms-105-and-113-must-be-emailed- .

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Effective Monday May 18th, for inquiries about medical bills (not payments) please contact Diane.Neelon@mass.gov.

FEE SCHEDULE NEWS:

• Issued Administrative Bulletin regarding rates for service under the WC Act - Telehealth.  To view the bulletin, go to https://www.mass.gov/info-details/dia-alerts-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• All in-person proceedings and meetings are suspended through May 18, 2020.
• Published an updated section 15 petition.  To view the updated petition, go to https://www.mass.gov/service-details/dia-alphabetical-form-list.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Massachusetts published 3_19_2020 Administrative Bulletin on New case Protocol.  In light of emerging developments and public health concerns regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and the actions ordered by the Governor, the Department of Industrial Accidents issues the following Case Protocol to protect the public health by reducing the risk of exposure to the virus and slowing the spread of the disease.  These restrictions are temporary but will remain in place until it is determined to be safe to remove them.
• Issued bulletin 2020-05 regarding the flexibility in the issuance and administration of insurance fund COVID-19.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Issued an Advisory Bulletin regarding MGL 152, Section 13 114.3 CMR - Rates for Services under MGL c. 152. Please be advised, the above-captioned regulations promulgated April 1, 2009 remain in effect for professional services under the Workers’ Compensation Act.  This is to include provisions related to therapeutic services as outlined in 114.3 CMR 40.05(13) (g).    As a reminder, 114.3 CMR 40.01(2) in part indicates:  “The payment rates set forth in 114.3 CMR 40.06 are full payment for services provided under M. G. L. c. 152 § 13 including an administrative and overhead costs.   The insurer, employer and healthcare service provider may agree upon a different payment rate for any service set forth in the fee schedule”.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

•  The department of Public Health released a new study on Utilization of Workers' Compensation Data Findings from an analysis of Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lost Wage Claim, 2014-2016. To view the announcement, go to https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-industrial-accidents  To view the study, go to https://www.mass.gov/doc/dph-dia-and-dls-release-new-study-on-utilization-of-workers-compensation-data
• Posted notice of a rate hearing regarding Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Insurance Rate Filing. To view the notice, go to https://www.mass.gov/lists/division-of-insurance-public-hearings .

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Posted notice of the December 2019 Meeting of the Health Care Services Board to be held on December 7, 2019 at 9:30a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Lafayette City Center, 2 Avenue de Lafayettee, Boston Massachusetts. The Health Care Services Board (HCSB) will convene at 9:30 AM.  The Board will vote on the minutes of previous meeting and review the Neck and Back Treatment Guideline draft.  The Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Surveillance Program representative will present the findings from the recently completed study. The HCSB Treatment Guideline Subcommittee will meet prior to the full Board meeting at 8:00 AM to review and discuss the most recent draft of the Neck and Back Treatment Guideline. To view the notice, go to https://www.mass.gov/event/health-care-services-board-december-2019-meeting-2019-12-07t093000-0500-2019-12-07t120000.

FEE SCHEDULE NEWS:

• New rates of Payment for Services provided to Industrial Accident Patients by Hospitals were adopted with an effective date of October 1, 2019. To view the bulletin, go to https://www.mass.gov/lists/2019-eohhs-administrative-bulletins.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Published Circular Letter # 354 regarding Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA); Payment and Reimbursement Schedules and Requests; Maximum and Minimum Weekly Compensation Rates and Attorney Fee Schedules.  To view the Circular Letter, go to https://www.mass.gov/news/cl-354-new-cola-maximum-and-minimum-compensation-rates-saww-and-attorneys-fees

FEE SCHEDULE NEWS:

• A new Payment on Account Factors (PAFs) for acute and nonacute hospital services rendered to industrial accident patients has been adopted with an effective date of July 1, 2019.

REGULATORY ACTIVITY:

• Effective Monday, July 29, 2019 the Boston DIA will be located at The Lafayette City Center, 2 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA 02111.