PBJ News Topic

PBJ Research & Analysis

Research shows impact of PPP loans on staffing in US nursing homes

July 27, 2023

Our Take: A JAMA Network study found that nursing homes receiving Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans – which required 60–75% of funds be directed to staffing- experienced significant increases in CNA and LPN…

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Study suggests staffing shortages during the pandemic strained nursing homes

July 27, 2023

Our Take: A study in JAMA Network Open used PBJ data from eight U.S. markets to document how COVID-19-era staffing shortages drove administrators to adopt agency staffing, overtime, and admission reductions to maintain…

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AHCA lobbies against potential minimum staffing regulations

July 25, 2023

Our Take: Trade associations, and provider groups mounted a sustained campaign against an expected minimum staffing mandate. Citing a workforce more than 200,000 jobs below pre-pandemic levels, AHCA, LeadingAge, and the AHA consistently…

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Leaked CMS study finds no single staffing level guarantees quality care in nursing homes

June 30, 2023

Our Take: A comprehensive report prepared under contract to CMS by ABT Associates was inadvertently published in August 2023. The report found no single staffing level that would guarantee quality care in nursing…

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Congress weighs in on possible minimum staffing rules

June 1, 2023

Our Take: During the first half of 2023, federal lawmakers sent competing signals to CMS on the proposed minimum staffing mandate. A bipartisan bloc from rural states warned that a one-size-fits-all rule could…

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CMS readies nursing home staffing mandate proposal, reviews study recommendations

May 15, 2023

Our Take: CMS completed a year-long minimum staffing study in early 2023 and committed to issuing a proposed rule this spring. The delay amid pushback from operators, industry associations, and bipartisan federal lawmakers…

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White House order aims to tie nursing home Medicare payments to worker retention

April 18, 2023

Our Take: President Biden signed an executive order directing HHS to build on minimum staffing standards and condition a portion of Medicare payments on how well nursing homes retain workers. Industry associations expressed…

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Proposed rule digest: Feds’ value-based changes present ‘long overdue’ opening for SNFs

April 6, 2023

Our Take: CMS finalized the FY 2024 SNF Prospective Payment System rule, delivering a 4.0% payment increase of approximately $1.4 billion while overhauling the Value-Based Purchasing program. VBP sees new measures tied to…

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News Roundup: Plaintiffs’ lawyers gaining edge against nursing homes with staffing issues, plus SNF VBP & PHE waiver wind down

March 29, 2023

Our Take: Rising plaintiff litigation using publicly available staffing data creates compliance and legal exposure for SNFs. A new Total Nurse Staffing measure tied to PBJ data will begin affecting SNF VBP payments…

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Study shows that higher spending on nursing home staff is not tied to better staffing levels

February 6, 2023

Our Take: A Health Affairs study found that nursing homes with higher Medicaid resident shares spent more of their revenue on nursing staff, yet still had lower staffing levels. The findings demonstrated that…

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PBJ News Topics

Read about PBJ regulations, research & news impacting SNFs

Most Recent PBJ News

Staffing lawsuits increase scrutiny on employment levels & wages

July 1, 2026

Latest PBJ News

Our Take: Multiple lawsuits all turn on the same underlying evidence: payroll-based journal hours, timecards, and staffing schedules…

PBJ Reporting Moving to iQIES System

June 30, 2026

PBJ Policy & Enforcement

Our Take: CMS is retiring “QIES,” its first PBJ submission system. Starting August 17, 2026, all staffing data…

New US DOL joint employer rule impacts senior care

June 26, 2026

Latest PBJ News

Our Take: The U.S. Department of Labor proposed a new joint employer rule under the Fair Labor Standards…

SCOTUS Upholds Administration’s Decision to Strip TPS From Haitian & Syrian Immigrants

June 25, 2026

Latest PBJ News

Our Take: The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that federal courts cannot block the Trump administration’s termination of Temporary…

OIG Audit Finds CMS’s PBJ Oversight Fell Short: 5% of RN Staffing Hours Unsupported

June 18, 2026

Our Take: A new HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit found that CMS was not effective in…

Tort Immunity and Nursing Home Staffing

June 1, 2026

PBJ Research & Analysis

Our Take: A study of 13,205 nursing homes found that states giving SNFs immunity from COVID-19 liability reduced…

Is minimum staffing at play in the mid-term elections?

May 20, 2026

Minimum Staffing Roundup

Our Take: Senate Democrats outlined plans to revive nursing home staffing standards, expand Medicare-covered home care, and tighten…

NJ SNF sues CMS over PBJ audits, citing no appeal rights

April 22, 2026

Latest PBJ News

Our Take: A New Jersey skilled nursing facility filed a federal lawsuit on April 21, 2026, alleging that…

Invisible staffing churn in nursing homes: CMS turnover metrics miss a growing short-term workforce

April 18, 2026

PBJ Research & Analysis

Our Take: A Health Affairs Scholar study found that CMS’ turnover metric is likely understating real facility churn…

SNF pay rate proposals bring heightened CMS enforcement

April 10, 2026

PBJ Policy & Enforcement

Our Take: CMS has proposed a 2.4% Medicare rate increase for SNFs in FY 2027 while simultaneously expanding…

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