MassHealth Care Delays Have Impacted Thousands
Administrative processing issues and new paperwork requirements have caused payment delays and reduced support hours for many participants.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Special Needs
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Administrative delays at Tempus Unlimited Inc. have disrupted clinical reevaluations for the state-funded personal care attendant program in Massachusetts. These bottlenecks, combined with new physician signature requirements, have left some participants with reduced support and attendants without pay for weeks.
Why it matters
The lapse in service delivery and compensation highlights significant instability within a program serving more than 50,000 residents across the state. These administrative hurdles directly impact the ability of participants to receive necessary daily assistance.
The MassHealth personal care attendant program supports 50,000 people, but recent processing failures resulted in attendants going four weeks without pay. Additionally, participants have reported service lapses, with some individuals left without essential support for multiple days.
The players
Tempus Unlimited Inc.
A Stoughton-based organization responsible for managing clinical evaluations and reevaluations for the state-funded personal care attendant program.
MassHealth
The state program providing health coverage and support services to eligible residents throughout Massachusetts.
The details
Tempus Unlimited Inc. manages the mandatory annual prior authorization process used to certify hours of support for program participants. Recent administrative issues at the Stoughton-based agency combined with new requirements for primary care physician signatures on care forms to create significant documentation bottlenecks. These delays directly disrupted the flow of payments to personal care attendants and forced reductions in support hours for vulnerable participants.
Timeline
January 1, 2026: New physician signature requirements for care forms took effect.
The last several months: Program participants experienced persistent delays and lapses in care.
September 2026: MassHealth officials stated they are working to fix ongoing delays.
The Home Front
The current disruptions highlight the fragility of state-funded support programs when administrative requirements outpace processing capacity. This follows a broader trend where new documentation mandates intended to increase oversight inadvertently create barriers to essential home-based care.
If you or a family member rely on the PCA program, contact your case manager to verify that all annual prior authorization forms are up to date with the required physician signatures. Keep a detailed log of all communication with the agency in case of payment interruptions or service gaps.
The takeaway
Administrative bottlenecks can cause immediate instability in the care arrangements families rely on for daily living. Ensure all required physician certifications are submitted well in advance of annual deadlines to prevent service lapses.
Further reading
For more information on navigating state-funded support services, visit Special Needs.
Source note: This article includes information reported by GBH.
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