Staffing mandates that have been proposed to remedy the workforce shortage may cause more financial problems for skilled nursing facilties.
Thirteen U.S. Senators sent a letter on January 20 to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), asking the agency to avoid implementing staffing mandates in nursing homes.
"We fear a one-size-fits-all staffing mandate would undermine access to care for patients, particularly in rural communities," the letter said. "Instead, we urge you to work with Congress and rural stakeholders on tailored solutions that address the severe workforce challenges in our states' underserved areas."
A historic workforce shortage has all areas of healthcare stretched to their operational limits, particularly facilities in rural communities. Staffing mandates have been proposed as one method to address the shortage, however, in the letter, the senators state that "strict staff-to-patient ratios and/or minimum hours per resident day requirements may not reflect optimal staffing levels given differences in patients' needs and underlying conditions."
As the hardest hit facilities of healthcare during the pandemic, nursing homes are struggling to recover from the impact. In the letter, the Senators ask CMS to be flexible with providers and their workforce recruitment and retention efforts, expressing a commitment to working together.
"We stand ready to work with your agency on proposals to improve long-term care for patients," the letter stated. "The best way to accomplish this goal is working with Congress and stakeholders to ensure any future actions do not further exacerbate the serious challenges already facing facilities in rural America."
The senators who authored the letter are: John Barrasso (R-WY), Jon Tester (D-MT), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Thune (R-SD), Gary Peters (D-MI), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Mike Rounds (R-SD).
Jasmyne Ray is the revenue cycle editor at HealthLeaders.