Federal Nursing Home Staffing Mandate Projected To Cost $6.5 Billion Annually

The federal staffing mandate issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is projected to cost the long-term care sector approximately $6.5 billion each year, according to analyses from the American Health Care Association (AHCA). The analysis noted that facilities unable to meet the staffing mandate due to a current shortage of nurses may be forced to close, which could mean that up to 290,000 nursing home residents would need to find a new placement. Rural facilities and those that primarily serve Medicaid beneficiaries are less likely to be able to meet the federal rule . . .