SDAHO member featured in National Publication sharing insights on CMS Staffing Mandate Rollback
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News recently shared an article from guest columnist Nate Schema, President & CEO of the Good Samaritan Society titled, Turning the page from mandates to solutions. The column focuses on the recent decision from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas made on April 7 to overturn the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ minimum staffing mandate for nursing homes. The rule required all nursing homes to have an RN onsite and available to provide direct resident care 24/7. It also required a minimum of 0.55 hours per day for RNs, 2.45 hours per day for nursing assistants and 3.48 hours per day for total nurse staffing.
The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations opposed the mandate and applauded the efforts of those to overturn this unnecessary decision.
Turning the page from mandates to solutions
By Nate Schema
The recent decision from the Northern District court in Texas to overturn the minimum staffing rule marks a critical turning point for senior care. It not only lifts an unrealistic and rigid mandate but also paves the way for a more thoughtful approach and innovative solutions to enhance quality, support our caregivers, and ensure the long-term sustainability of rural long-term care providers.
Now is the time to build on this momentum and advance meaningful, common-sense policies and turn the page on one-size-fits-all mandates.
In addition to calling on Congress to take legislative action to end the mandate for good, we also need to lead national and local conversations focused on forward-looking solutions that strengthen and modernize care delivery in our nation’s nursing homes.
Most urgently, providers must share how Medicaid plays a crucial role in providing health coverage to seniors, especially in rural areas. More than half of the skilled nursing residents we serve at Good Samaritan are Medicaid beneficiaries, and in more than a dozen of our rural locations, upwards of 70% of our residents rely on Medicaid to pay for their care.
Without Medicaid, many seniors in rural areas would face insurmountable barriers to accessing the care they deserve. The Medicaid program is not just a safety net; it is a foundation for the health and well-being of our aging population. Any cut to Medicaid threatens the very fabric of our rural communities.
Additionally, we still have a critical need to grow the long-term care workforce and embrace innovative solutions that will position us to deliver quality care for generations to come. Visit Turning the page from mandates to solutions – McKnight’s Long-Term Care News to view the full article.
