Why States’ Success in Tying Medicaid to Staffing Could Propel CMS Policy

While establishing stronger staffing standards for nursing homes continues to be a top priority in the minds of federal leaders, few in the industry see it as a viable or sustainable path forward.

Given the current staffing climate, with the long-term care workforce down an estimated 15% since the start of the pandemic, any newly developed standard would have to come with a cash infusion. That’s why several states have tied Medicaid reimbursement incentives to staffing quality in recent months.

Unable to sustain unfunded mandates, senior living advocate and policy expert Brian Perry thinks tying increased reimbursement on a state-by-state level is a great “first step” but fixing the problem at the macro level is also needed.