Senator Collins and Senator King Sign onto Letter Urging CMS To Reverse Minimum Staffing Rule

• By: Angela Westhoff
• On: 10/05/2023 15:38:15
• In: Legislative/Government Affairs

U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and James Lankford (R-OK) sent a letter, joined by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME) and other members of congress, to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure urging the Biden Administration to reverse their proposed staffing requirement for nursing homes.
 
The senators on both sides of the aisle expressed concern that in the midst of a historic workforce crisis, the proposed federal mandate will result in closures and further limit access to care for our most vulnerable. They write:  
 
“In many parts of the country, America's long-term care facilities are facing severe workforce shortage issues that are harming access to critical care for our nation's seniors. With this [in] mind, we are deeply concerned that now is the worst possible time for the United States to establish the nation's first federal staffing mandate for long-term care facilities. We believe the rule as proposed is overly burdensome and will result in additional closures and decreased access to care for our nation's seniors. We urge you to rescind CMS' proposed rule and instead commit to working with Congress on the large number of alternate solutions to quality of care in skilled nursing facilities.”
 
Read the full letter to CMS here.
 
Advocacy efforts on the minimum staffing rule continue. MHCA encourages all members to submit comments by the November 6^th deadline. To submit comments click here OR visit www.ahcancal.org and click on the red “Take Action Now!” banner.
 
Staff contact: awesthoff@mehca.org