Nursing home pay rule reveals CMS strategy on minimum staffing

The release of a proposed 2023 pay rule Monday afternoon reiterated the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ commitment to implementing a minimum staffing rule after more than 20 years of debate on the issue. Staffing-related provisions include a new value-based incentive element for total nurse staffing and an official request for comment on the coming direct care staffing requirements.

CMS, however, has much to consider in a yearlong study leading up to an officials staffing rule set to be proposed early next spring.

The agency Monday asked stakeholders to weigh in on at least 17 related issues.