AHA to CMS: Mandating nursing home ratios is wrong approach

Mandating federal staffing ratios for nursing homes would accelerate the labor shortage across the continuum of care and reduce access to care for older Americans, according to the American Hospital Association and the American Health Care Association. In comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the organizations instead urge other policy options. These include supporting a temporary visa option for RNs and apprenticeship, loan repayment and other incentive programs to retain and attract talent. They also urge policy-makers to extend COVID-19 public health emergency flexibilities that provide job experience for nurse aides to become certified nursing assistants and to examine the business practices of travel nurse staffing agencies. CMS plans to issue a federal staffing minimum for nursing homes this year. (AHA News article, 4/3/23)