New CMS rule requires most nursing homes to increase staff.
The Biden Administration Takes Action to Improve Nursing Home Staffing
The Biden administration has announced new federal minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes, aimed at enhancing resident safety and promoting high-quality care. These requirements, proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), are estimated to impact nearly 75% of facilities, necessitating an increase in staff sizes.
“Establishing minimum staffing standards for nursing homes will improve resident safety and promote high-quality care so residents and their families can have peace of mind,”
said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
“When facilities are understaffed, residents suffer… Comprehensive staffing reforms can improve working conditions, leading to higher wages and better retention for this dedicated workforce.”
Proposed Staffing Requirements
The CMS’s proposed requirements, set to take effect in the fall, include a minimum of 0.55 hours of care per resident per day from a registered nurse and 2.45 hours from a nurse’s aide. These standards exceed those in nearly all states, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Additionally, nursing homes will be required to have a registered nurse on duty at all times.
A Response to the Pandemic
This initiative is a response to President Joe Biden’s commitment to improving the quality of care for seniors in nursing homes, particularly in light of the challenges faced during the coronavirus pandemic. Shockingly, nearly 1 in 4 COVID-19 deaths were either patients or workers in nursing homes. These proposed regulations aim to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
Improving Wages and Recruitment
The proposed regulations also seek to address the issue of low wages for nursing home employees, especially those in entry-level positions. The Department of Health and Human Services believes that increasing wages will help attract and retain qualified staff. Currently, over 500,000 workers provide direct care in nursing homes, with the majority being minority women. Their work is undervalued, and the department aims to rectify this.
“Wages are an important part of job quality and drive challenges in recruitment and retention of direct care workers,”
said Miranda Lynch-Smith, senior official performing the duties of the assistant secretary for planning and evaluation.
“Our research shows that in many places, these workers can earn higher wages doing other entry-level work.”
The nursing home industry market was valued at $146.9 billion as of April 2021, employing approximately 1.6 million individuals. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 1.2 million people currently reside in nursing homes across the country, not including those in assisted living facilities and rehabilitation centers.
For more information, read the full article from The Washington Examiner.
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