Contracts & Rates: DDS Day & Employment + MassHealth Day Programs

This page explains what each service bucket is, who pays for it, and where the official rules and rate numbers live. The writing is original (not copied from state pages), and each factual claim is backed by an official Massachusetts government source link.

FY26 rate cycle (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026): EOHHS public hearing materials for FY26 described a 3.25% cost adjustment factor (CAF) and benchmark updates used in rate-setting, with those rates effective for dates of service on or after July 1, 2025. That cycle has now ended — always verify the current effective date on the official rate tables linked below.

FY27 (the cycle that began July 1, 2026): EOHHS rate regulations are reviewed annually through the normal public-hearing process. For Day Habilitation, EOHHS filed proposed amendments to 101 CMR 348.00 on February 27, 2026 (hearing held March 20, 2026) that keep the current rate amounts unchanged and update the regulation's effective date to September 1, 2026. Because effective dates and amounts can still change during this process, treat the official Regulated Rates portal and the EOHHS hearing notices as the source of truth for the current FY27 numbers.

About the dollar amounts on this page: The Day Habilitation per-diem grid below is published in full, with its procedure codes and effective date. For Community-Based Day Supports and Supported Employment — which are billed in 15-minute units and are re-set on the annual July 1 cycle (the FY27 cycle began July 1, 2026) — this page explains how billing is structured and links straight to the live official rate tables, so you always see the current per-unit amount rather than a number that may have drifted. Every figure is dated and source-linked; treat the official Regulated Rates portal as the final word.

DDS Day & Employment (EOHHS “101 CMR” rate regulations)

“101 CMR” chapters are EOHHS rate regulations. They apply when governmental units purchase services for publicly aided individuals. They are not the same thing as DDS service standards/licensure rules.

Community-Based Day Support Services (CBDS) — 101 CMR 415.00 (rates)

What it is (rate category)

101 CMR 415.00 governs payment rates for community-based day support services provided to publicly aided individuals by governmental units.

Who purchases (explicitly listed in the public hearing notice)

The hearing notice that covers 101 CMR 415.00 lists purchases by DDS, the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, and MassAbility.

Notice + SBIS that includes 101 CMR 415.00 — sec.state.ma.us (PDF)

FY26 update signal (what the notice actually says)

Proposed rates effective for dates of service on or after July 1, 2025.
Updated to include a 3.25% CAF.
Benchmark updates described in the notice (staff salary benchmarking, admin allocation, and tax/fringe benchmarking).

How it’s billed

CBDS is paid in 15-minute units under Activity Code 3163 (the FY26 rate implementation also references code 3777), with the per-unit amount set by the member’s assigned intensity level. The current dollar-per-unit amounts changed on July 1, 2025, so they are pulled from the live official table rather than reprinted here.

Where the exact dollars live

Use the official Regulated Rates portal (and the applicable 101 CMR chapter for the effective date period).

Regulated Rates portal — Mass.gov

Staffing / service rules (where to verify)

CBDS “rates” live under 101 CMR. Separate DDS standards cover provider operations, safety, training, rights protections, and service expectations. Use DDS regulations and DDS guidance for the operational side.

Note: This page keeps staffing/service-rule content here, but it avoids hard numbers unless they are explicitly stated in an official DDS regulation or guidance document linked above.

Supported Employment (ISE/GSE rate framework) — 101 CMR 419.00 (rates)

What it is (rate regulation)

101 CMR 419.00 establishes payment rates for supported employment services provided to publicly aided individuals by governmental units under EOHHS’s regulatory authority.

Who purchases (explicitly listed in the public hearing notice)

The hearing notice for 101 CMR 419.00 lists purchases by DDS, the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, and MassAbility.

101 CMR 419.00 Notice + SBIS — sec.state.ma.us (PDF)

FY26 update signal (what the notice actually says)

Proposed rates effective for dates of service on or after July 1, 2025.
Supported employment rates updated to include a 3.25% CAF effective July 1, 2025.
Benchmark updates described in the notice (staff salary benchmarking, an admin allocation benchmark, and a tax/fringe benchmark).

How it’s billed

Supported employment is paid in 15-minute units. Individual Supported Employment (Activity Code 3168) is 1:1 job coaching; Group Supported Employment (Activity Code 3181) serves a small group and is priced with staffing-ratio differentials (for example 1:1 and 1:3) plus travel and direct-care add-ons. These per-unit amounts were updated on July 1, 2025, so the current figures come straight from the live official table.

Where the exact dollars live

Use the official Regulated Rates portal for the current, effective table period.

Regulated Rates portal — Mass.gov

Staffing / service rules (where to verify)

The rate regulation tells you how payment is structured. DDS service standards and contracts govern what providers must do in practice (training, supervision, safety, documentation, rights, incident reporting, etc.).

MassHealth Day Programs (coverage + rates)

Two layers matter:

Coverage rules: MassHealth program regulations (often “130 CMR”) define what is covered and what providers must do.
Rates: EOHHS rate regulations (often “101 CMR”) plus the official rate tables publish the payment amounts.

Day Habilitation — coverage rules (MassHealth) + rates (EOHHS)

Coverage rules (what to check for requirements)

Use MassHealth’s day habilitation regulations and provider guidance for program requirements (staffing qualifications, documentation expectations, service planning requirements, etc.).

Rates (where the numbers live)

Day Habilitation payment amounts are published through EOHHS rate regulations and the official rate tables by effective date.

The current per-diem amounts are published in the rate grid below (effective August 1, 2024). When EOHHS posts a new effective date, update the grid and keep each number next to its official source link.

Staffing & program requirements (how to verify)

For staffing and program requirements, rely on the MassHealth coverage rules and official provider guidance (not the rate tables). The rate tables tell you what is paid; the coverage rules tell you what must be done.

Day Habilitation per-diem rates — effective August 1, 2024

The DH Leveling Tool and prior authorization set the member’s Level (1–4); the rate then depends on how long the service day is. Amounts below come from 101 CMR 348.03.

Level	Full per diem over 3 hrs · S5102	Half per diem 1.5–3 hrs · S5101	Quarter per diem under 1.5 hrs · S5100
Level 1	$125.91	$62.96	$31.48
Level 2	$167.85	$83.93	$41.96
Level 3	$290.97	$145.49	$72.74
Level 4	$414.09	$207.05	$103.52

Source: 101 CMR 348.03 (Rates for Day Habilitation Services), for dates of service on or after August 1, 2024. The FY27 amendment filed February 27, 2026 proposes to keep these amounts unchanged and update the regulation's effective date to September 1, 2026 — still confirm the live amount on the official portal before relying on it.

Quick mapping: what to open when you need an answer

What you’re trying to confirm	Open this first	Why it’s the best source
Who purchases a service under an EOHHS rate regulation?	Secretary of the Commonwealth hearing notice/SBIS	The notice often lists purchasing governmental units.
What changed for FY26 (effective July 1, 2025)?	Hearing notice/SBIS for the specific 101 CMR chapter	It states effective dates and describes update factors/benchmarks.
Exact current dollar amounts	Regulated Rates portal (Mass.gov)	Official tables are versioned by effective date period.
Staffing, service delivery, safety, and provider obligations	DDS regulations/guidance (DDS) or 130 CMR + manuals (MassHealth)	Rates don’t define all operational requirements.

Educational summary only. For contracting, billing, or compliance decisions, rely on the official Massachusetts sources linked on this page.