Steil

On October 20, a bipartisan coalition of 91 members of Congress sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, expressing their concerns with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed SNF minimum staffing rule for nursing homes.

Read the Congressional Letter here.

The rule contains mandatory minimum daily staffing requirement for RNs and CNAs as well as requiring that an RN be on-site at the facility 24 hours per day/7 days per week. While there is a phase-in period for both of these components, at this time, more than 80% of the nursing facilities across the country would not be in compliance if the rule went into effect today. In addition, at implementation, we estimate that this rule will cost more than $4 billion annually. There is zero funding in the rule to pay for the mandate.

Wisconsin Congressman Bryan Steil (R-WI-01) was a co-signer of the letter. WHCA/WiCAL had reached out to members of the WI Congressional delegation, and we are very pleased that Rep. Steil continues to be a leading voice on behalf of long-term care providers. Along with Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH), Rep. Steil is co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional 21st Century Long-Term Care Caucus. The caucus is intended to bring together members from both parties to identify and address long-term care in the United States and implement solutions to ensure our nation’s patients and their families have the support they need.

PUBLIC COMMENTS STILL NEEDED

A reminder to Wisconsin providers – NHAs, DONs, clinical staff, HR staff, activities personnel, etc – as well as LTC vendors and stakeholders – there is still time to submit public comments to CMS expressing concerns with CMS’s proposed minimum staffing rule. Comments are due by November 6.

More information about submitting a comment is available HERE. Please act today!