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Senator Collins addresses LTC staffing and reimbursement

As recently reported in the McKnight's Senior Living publication, Senator Susan Collins had strong words on long term care staffing for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions this week.  The hearing focused on workforce shortages in all of healthcare, but Sen. Collins singled out worker shortages in facilities.

According to Sen. Collins, “These shortages have serious consequences.  The situation is particularly acute in our nursing homes, where low Medicaid reimbursement levels often translate into low wages. … We need to break that cycle at a time where our nation is aging and more and more people are living longer with increasing health needs.”

American Health Care Association & National Center for Assisted Living President Mark Parkinson thanked Sen. Collins for bringing attention to the particular shortage of workers within the nursing home sector and how low Medicaid reimbursement rates hamper the ability to compete for medical professionals and caregivers.  He went on to say that “We are also encouraged that members of the committee recognize the need for an increased focus on geriatric medicine, given the rapid growth of our elderly population.”

Staff Contact: rerb@mehca.org 

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