On September 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting proposed rule, which seeks to establish comprehensive nurse staffing requirements to hold nursing homes accountable for providing safe and high-quality care for the over 1.2 million residents receiving care in Medicare and Medicaid-certified LTC facilities each day.
Ensuring that beneficiaries receive safe, reliable, and quality nursing home care is a critical function of the Medicare and Medicaid programs and a top priority of CMS. The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) tragically caused unprecedented illness and death among nursing home residents and workers. The PHE also exacerbated staffing challenges experienced in many facilities and further highlighted disparities in care and outcomes. Despite existing requirements that facilities provide sufficient levels of staffing in LTC facilities, chronic understaffing remains a significant concern.
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