https://mailchi.mp/d0e838f6648b/the-weekly-gist-september-8-2023?e=d1e747d2d8

Last Friday, CMS released a proposed rule that would require nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to provide a minimum 2.5 hours of care per patient per day from nursing aides and 33 minutes of care from registered nurses, at least one of whom must be on site at all times.

The standards are lower than many industry experts were expecting, but CMS still estimates that 75 percent of nursing homes will have to increase staffing to meet these minimums. CMS will also allow facilities a temporary hardship exception if they can prove their region has a local worker shortage, and they have made good faith efforts to hire and retain staff.  

The Gist: 

A proposal to strengthen long-term care staffing standards was expected, as COVID’s toll on nursing homes included over 200k deaths among residents and staff, as well as a mass exodus of its workforce. 

But many facilities will struggle to meet these new standards, as nursing home employment is still down 11 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

Staffing shortages at long-term care facilities have been even more severe than those experienced by hospitals. The need to ramp up staffing levels will not only raise the cost of nursing home care, but will also exacerbate shortages for nursing talent in other care settings. 

Facilities that decide to close rather than comply will impact other parts of the care continuum, including exacerbating acute hospital discharge delays.