Maine's long term care ombudsman says she's disappointed that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has rescinded a Biden-era rule to boost minimum staffing ratios at nursing homes.
Brenda Gallant says higher staff levels improve both patient care and worker retention.
"Most states are struggling to find a sufficient number of staff," Gallant says. "And if you don't provide a high level of staffing, you're going to have CNAs and nurses that get discouraged and want to leave."
But the president of the Maine Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes, is pleased with the decision. Angela Westhoff says that the rule was unrealistic.
"Especially given how few workers already exist, and it would have cost billions of dollars. So, an unfunded staffing mandate that really would have only threatened to close more nursing homes," she says.
Gallant points out the nursing homes could have applied for waivers. But Westhoff says acquiring a waiver would have been "virtually impossible" and administratively burdensome.
