RegalCare, a growing operator of nursing homes in Massachusetts, is facing increased scrutiny as evidence emerges of declining care quality and regulatory lapses at several of its facilities. Over the past five years, the company has rapidly expanded under the ownership of Eli Mirlis, a New Jersey-based entrepreneur who now controls at least 12 nursing homes in Massachusetts and nearly 30 more across five states.
Once regarded as a model facility, the nursing home in Taunton, Massachusetts, exemplifies the deterioration tied to RegalCare’s management. Previously a five-star rated facility with long-standing staff and high standards, it has seen staff hours slashed by nearly half and a sharp drop in quality ratings to one star under RegalCare’s stewardship. Residents and employees have reported unmet needs, such as unanswered call buttons and prolonged time in soiled diapers. Federal records reveal serious incidents, including a transplant patient missing dozens of vital medication doses and prolonged difficulty reaching the home’s management.
Financial records show that RegalCare has significantly reduced spending on nursing services at the Taunton facility while simultaneously increasing rent charged by a related real estate company owned by Mirlis. For example, in 2025, nursing service expenditure was cut by approximately $530,000 compared to previous owners, while rent payments ballooned to $522,000, more than four times the earlier rate.
Further concerns surround Mirlis’s professional background. He has been found to have misrepresented his credentials, with listings claiming attendance at universities he did not attend and the maintenance of professional licenses that he no longer holds. Notably, his nursing home administrator license was revoked permanently by New Jersey regulators in 2018 due to falsification of continuing education records. Despite this, Massachusetts licensing applications submitted by Mirlis since 2020 have purported that he never had professional licenses revoked.
Similar declines in care have been documented at other RegalCare facilities across Massachusetts. In Quincy, a five-star home purchased by RegalCare fell to one star and faced a serious injury case when a disabled patient suffered a traumatic fall. Two Medford nursing homes under RegalCare control accumulated over $400,000 in federal fines within a year for care violations affecting over two dozen patients. A Holyoke facility purchased in 2022 declined from a three-star to one-star rating and has maintained the lowest rating ever since. Families of residents who experienced medication errors and deteriorating conditions are pursuing legal action, alleging negligence and fatal consequences.
Massachusetts regulators, tasked with overseeing nursing home quality, have not denied any applications for acquisition or revoked licenses in at least seven years, even as several out-of-state chains—including RegalCare—have increased their market share substantially since 2019. These nine chains now operate roughly one in five nursing homes in the state, and most have seen quality ratings diminish after taking over.
When questioned, Massachusetts Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein acknowledged awareness of RegalCare’s low-quality record but emphasized a commitment to improving care. He indicated that the Department of Public Health weighs multiple factors, including community needs, before approving nursing home purchases. However, the agency has faced criticism for its apparent tolerance of continued ownership by operators with poor performance records.
Government scrutiny intensified in 2025 when a former RegalCare employee filed an insurance-fraud lawsuit alleging inflated Medicare and Medicaid billing through unnecessary physical therapy claims. This legal action was joined by both the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
Former staff and family members have voiced frustration with the lack of regulatory response to complaints. One family member recounted repeated attempts to raise safety concerns and calls for investigations that went unanswered.
Eli Mirlis has declined interview requests regarding these issues but sent a brief statement characterizing RegalCare’s mission as striving for the highest level of patient care and cooperation with regulators to address problems quickly. Publicly available information suggests Mirlis manages his extensive operations remotely from Edison, New Jersey, and has cultivated a public image as an industry innovator despite mounting controversy surrounding his management practices and corporate oversight.