SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) joined a broad spectrum of health care stakeholders during Sanford Health’s second annual
Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care to discuss the vital importance of maintaining access to long term care in our nation’s rural communities, including the potential impact of the recently proposed federal staffing mandate for nursing homes. Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, and Clif Porter, senior vice president of government relations of AHCA/NCAL, were panelists during the event.
“I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of today’s important discussion, especially as it comes on the heels of the Biden Administration’s federal staffing mandate that puts the future of rural health care at serious risk,” said Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “Rural health care systems and communities are already under strain due to a growing caregiver shortage resulting in nursing home closures. Unfortunately, an unfunded staffing mandate for nursing homes will only worsen access to care for rural seniors. This will not only result in displaced residents and their families traveling many miles to find new care, but will create additional backlogs in hospitals unable to discharge patients, which add additional stress to rural communities.”
Recent articles in
Bloomberg and
NBC News highlighted the increase in rural nursing home closures and the devastating impacts these bring. The Bloomberg article notes that:
“…more than 10 percent of all nonmetropolitan counties had no homes at all, compared with less than four percent of metropolitan counties. America’s elder-care deficit is particularly acute in the Midwest and parts of the South, where a larger portion of the population age 65 and older resides in rural counties… Local economies also take a hit, because a nursing home can be the largest employer in a community as well as a catalyst for spending at pharmacies, florists and other businesses.”
“An unfunded staffing mandate will not bring nurses to rural America—it’s setting these communities up for failure. It will be seniors in rural and underserved communities who will suffer the most and won’t be able to find long term care in the place they call home,” said Clif Porter, senior vice president of government relations of AHCA/NCAL. “Policymakers need to take a step back and think about what’s at stake if they choose to move forward with this misguided policy. Collaborative policies, such as common-sense immigration reform and proper Medicaid funding, offer a better way to achieve the same goal without putting access to care at risk.”
The proposed federal staffing mandate further jeopardizes access to care, especially in rural communities. A
CLA analysis determined that 94 percent of nursing homes did not meet at least one of the three requirements of the staffing mandate. The same study also found that 93 percent of rural communities do not meet the 24/7 RN requirement outlined by the rule, compared to 76 precent of urban facilities. This sets up rural communities to see further reductions in access to care and more impact on the residents, families, and staff who rely on facilities for care, support, and employment.
This is the second annual Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care. Organized by Sanford Health, the hybrid event welcomes senior Administration officials, policymakers, health system CEOs, industry experts, prominent tech leaders and frontline caregivers to discuss the future of rural health care. Details about the event can be found at
https://www.sanfordruralhealthsummit.org/.