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Lawmakers Urge CMS to Extend Nurse Aide Waiver to Address LTC Staffing Shortages

Members of Congress from both major parties last week asked Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to support flexibilities to help with the nation's long-term care facilities staffing crisis.
 
A group of 14 lawmakers asked CMS in a letter to encourage passage of The Building America's Health care Workforce Act which would extend the 1135 waiver flexibilities for a period of 24 months upon the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration. The bill would also allow temporary nurse aides to apply their on-the-job experience and training toward the 75-hour federal training requirement to become a certified nursing assistant. Read more here.
 
Staff contact: awesthoff@mehca.org