President Joe Biden's nursing home reforms will require mandating adequate staffing levels for all nursing homes without bankrupting those that can’t afford the costs of higher labor, Kaiser Health News reported March 2.
The overhaul will be the most substantial since Congress first reformed the industry in 1987, according to Kaiser Health News. A CMS study from 2001 found that nursing home staffing levels are often inadequate, especially on nights and weekends. President Biden has ordered CMS to conduct a similar study and incorporate its findings into a formal proposal within a year.
Nursing home industry experts say that requiring adequate staffing levels won’t solve the problem facilities have finding and retaining staff, a systemic issue worsened by the pandemic, according to Kaiser Health News.
"Regulations and enforcement, even with the best intentions, just can’t change that math," stated Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, a nonprofit advocate of services for older adults.