(Des Moines, IA) Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is one of 15 Republican governors calling on President Joe Biden to stop a federal nursing home staffing proposal. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says a registered nurse must be on-site at nursing homes 24/7 under the proposal. The goal is to ensure residents can get quality care at all times. The governor’s letter says the proposal would stress a healthcare workforce already understaffed and stretched thin.
On September 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting proposed rule, which seeks to establish comprehensive nurse staffing requirements to hold nursing homes accountable for providing safe and high-quality care for the over 1.2 million residents receiving care in Medicare and Medicaid-certified LTC facilities each day.
The proposed rule consists of three core staffing proposals: 1) minimum nurse staffing standards of 0.55 hours per resident day (HPRD) for Registered Nurses (RNs) and 2.45 HPRD for Nurse Aides (NAs); 2) a requirement to have an RN onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and 3) enhanced facility assessment requirements. The proposed rule also includes a staggered implementation approach and possible hardship exemptions for select facilities. This proposed rule results from a multi-faceted approach aimed at determining the minimum level and type of staffing needed to enable safe and quality care in LTC facilities.
