Rounds and Colleagues Push Biden Administration to Better Address Nursing Home Staffing Shortages in Rural Communities

WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) joined 12 of his Senate colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. The senators urged the agency to avoid one-size-fits-all staffing mandates for nursing homes and to support provider flexibility in addressing recruitment and retention issues. Such mandates would worsen existing workforce shortages and place additional financial burdens on facilities in rural and underserved communities.

“We fear a one-size-fits-all staffing mandate would undermine access to care for patients, particularly in rural communities,” the senators wrote. “Instead, we urge you to work with Congress and rural stakeholders on tailored solutions that address the severe workforce challenges in our states’ underserved areas.”

“Going forward, we recognize CMS as a crucial partner in identifying, mitigating, and preventing future health and safety problems in nursing homes,” the letter continued. “We stand ready to work with your agency on proposals to improve long-term care for patients. The best way to accomplish this goal is working with Congress and stakeholders to ensure any future actions do not further exacerbate the serious challenges already facing facilities in rural America.”

Rounds joined Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) in sending the letter.

Read the full text of the letter HERE.

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