CMS Announces It Will Seek to Strengthen Nursing Home Staffing

ANCOR is sharing this story by Politico Pro because not only do nursing homes have residents with I/DD, but this situation contains parallels to the direct support professional (DSP) workforce crisis faced by I/DD providers that could inform future policy discussions.

“CMS on Friday said it would help strengthen nursing home oversight and improve transparency around staffing levels after a Kaiser Health News report revealed nursing homes had fewer nurses and caretaking staff than many had reported to the government. CMS’s actions include sharing data with states, clarifying how facilities should report hours and deduct time for staff meal breaks, according to a CMS release. ‘We’re deeply concerned about potential inadequacies in staffing, such as low weekend staffing levels or times when registered nurses are not onsite, and the impact that this can have on patient care,’ said CMS Administrator Seema Verma in a statement.”