Government to Require More Nursing Home Staffing, But Facilities Ask Where Employees Will Come From

The Biden administration has unveiled new regulations that mandate nursing homes, particularly the most understaffed ones, to bolster their workforce, marking the most significant alteration to federal nursing home standards in 30 years. These measures were prompted by the nursing home industry's inadequate response during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the loss of 200,000 residents. However, this proposal falls short of the expectations of both the industry and patient advocates, who assert that more substantial improvements are necessary for the well-being of the 1.2 million Americans residing in nursing homes. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is introducing this proposal, which compels all facilities to increase their staffing levels to meet certain minimum requirements, without providing financial support to cover the costs of additional hires. CMS estimates that about 75% of the nation's 15,000 nursing homes will need to expand their staff.