Massachusetts regulators have announced plans to revoke the licenses of all nursing homes operated by RegalCare, a New Jersey-based company that expanded rapidly in the state following the COVID-19 pandemic. The action follows an investigation into significant declines in care quality at several of the company’s 12 Massachusetts facilities, which were acquired mostly after 2022.
RegalCare's CEO, Eli Mirlis, has been the subject of scrutiny after reports revealed steep cuts to nursing and support services at these homes, alongside increased payments to related businesses owned by Mirlis. Federal quality ratings for some of the company’s Massachusetts homes have dropped sharply—for example, facilities in Taunton and Quincy fell from five stars to one, while the Holyoke home declined from three stars to one. A once highly rated facility in Greenfield recently dropped from four stars to two.
The state Department of Public Health (DPH) noted a history of violations, including dangerous incidents such as a 2023 case where a blind patient in Quincy fell down an unblocked ramp, resulting in serious injury. Multiple inspections also documented issues like residents being left in soiled diapers and long delays in responding to calls for help.
Regulators pointed to financial concerns as well. At the Taunton location, nursing service expenditures dropped by more than half compared to previous owners, yet rent paid to Mirlis’s real estate company increased to over four times the prior amount. These cuts reportedly coincided with more than $400,000 in federal fines across two Medford facilities for lapses affecting dozens of patients.
Further complicating the situation is Mirlis’s professional history. In 2018, New Jersey revoked his nursing home administrator license permanently after finding he had lied about completing required continuing education courses. Massachusetts regulators were previously unaware of these facts because Mirlis did not disclose the revocation in licensing applications. This misrepresentation helped prompt the current revocation effort. If successful, Mirlis would be barred from operating nursing homes in the state for ten years.
Officials highlighted a recent comprehensive review of RegalCare’s operations, and cited a settlement involving admissions by Mirlis to billing for excessive and medically unnecessary physical therapy on frail elderly patients under MassHealth and Medicare programs.
While the revocations have been announced, RegalCare will maintain control of the facilities during the review and potential hearing process. Meanwhile, the DPH has imposed enhanced oversight, requiring weekly visits to all RegalCare homes and more frequent monitoring for some of the lowest-performing locations, including facilities in Medford, Wakefield, and Taunton.
Advocacy groups and families affected by RegalCare’s management have welcomed the state’s move. Relatives of residents cited experiences of neglect and harm, and some expressed relief at the prospect of increased accountability. Lawmakers have also pressed the state for stronger enforcement, urging swift action to protect vulnerable nursing home residents.
The DPH has opened a call center for residents, families, and staff to report additional concerns and emphasized its commitment to enforcing care standards. The department’s ability to take stronger preventative action has recently been bolstered by legislation granting broader authority to assess the out-of-state records of nursing home operators before licensing, though regulations implementing these changes remain under review by the Public Health Council.