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Delaware Health Care Facilities Association Releases Statement Following Finalization of Federal Staffing Mandate

DHCFA Release 4.22.2024_ Fed Staff Mandate

Wilmington, DE– Delaware Health Care Facilities Association released the following statement following the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) finalization of a federal staffing mandate for nursing homes. The following statement is attributable to Executive Director Cheryl Heiks:

“We are dismayed that the Biden Administration is moving forward with this one-size-fits-all staffing mandate. Amid a historic and deepening caregiver shortage, this unrealistic policy will put access to care at risk for countless Delaware seniors. When nursing homes cannot find these nurses, they will be forced to downsize or, even worse, close their doors altogether, leaving seniors with fewer options to receive the care they need.”

Delaware has had state staffing requirements in place for twenty-five years, and some buildings have struggled to comply with the existing state law since the pandemic. It will take years to rebuild the staff lost to the pandemic, let alone the new staff called for in this mandate. With a growing number of seniors and declining available workers, a small state like Delaware will struggle to meet a higher, more complex requirement. A regional study of the available workforce should occur before the mandate is put in place – because what could work in some parts of the country will not work in others. In addition, transparency with the public and budget officials about how much this mandate will cost is not too much to ask. We need local partners to help find caring, compassionate individuals who support seniors’ rights to quality care and will work to build a strong, well-trained workforce committed to senior care.

“Every nursing home wants more workers, but rather than blanket mandates from Washington, we need supportive policies and investments that will help us recruit and retain caregivers. We urge Members of Congress to step up and support the bipartisan Protecting America’s Seniors’ Access to Care Act, which will prevent CMS from enforcing this unfunded and flawed mandate. We will continue to fight for more common-sense solutions and do everything we can to preserve access to care for Delaware seniors.”

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Delaware Health Care Facilities Association: A non-profit trade association dedicated solely to serving Delaware’s long-term care community through advocacy, support, and education since 1963