Governors of 15 states, including Iowa, object to proposed nursing home staffing rules

DES MOINES — Governor Kim Reynolds and the Republican governors of 14 other states are objecting to proposed federal rules on nursing home staffing levels.

The proposed rule comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It says nursing homes should have enough staff to provide each resident with at least half an hour of care from a registered nurse and at least two hours and 45 minutes of care from a nurses aide each day. The 15 Republican governors have sent a letter to President Biden, asking him to reconsider the rule.

The governors say the long-term care industry is facing a workforce crisis, especially in rural areas, and the group calls the agency’s proposal an unnecessary, one-size-fits-all requirement that will force many long-term care facilities to close. The governors say that means many vulnerable Americans will find it more difficult to get a spot in a nursing home.  

26 Iowa nursing homes have closed since May of last year. During the 2023 legislative session, Iowa lawmakers increased Medicaid reimbursement rates by 15 million dollars.

Republican governors in the neighboring states of Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota also signed the letter.