Sen. Angus King (I) and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) have co-signed a letter raising concerns about a recently-approved federal regulation increasing the minimum staffing requirements for long term care facilities.
In late April, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a new rule requiring long term care facilities — including those serving veterans — to maintain a higher level of staffing than they have had to previously.
Sen. King and Sen. Cramer sent a letter this week to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough highlighting the potential negative effects that this requirement could have on long term care facilities with a special focus on those serving veterans in rural areas.
In March, King and Cramer introduced a bill directing the VA to produce a report studying the impact of the then-proposed rule changes on elderly veterans, suggesting in a press release that the increased threshold would “unsustainably change staffing ratios at nursing homes.”
The letter sent by the senators to the VA Secretary this month underscores the health care system’s “severe shortage of qualified nurses and caregivers.”
Similar to the legislation introduced earlier this year, the letter requests that the VA produce a report to help “better understand the impact of the Rule on veterans nationwide and in VA facilities.”
“Simply put — we are concerned long-term care facilities, including those serving veterans, may not be able to meet the new staffing requirements,” the senators wrote. “Less than one in five nursing facilities nationwide currently meet all staffing requirements prescribed by the Rule.”
“While we acknowledge the Rule’s good intent — to improve patient safety through increased staffing levels — we are concerned it ultimately may lead to reduced access and worse health outcomes for veterans,” they suggested. “If facilities are not able to hire nurses to meet the requirements of the Rule, we fear they will be forced to close their doors.”
“We all want our veterans, older adults, and disabled populations served by long-term care facilities to have adequate staffing to meet their needs,” said the senators.
“Considering the majority of long-term care facilities nationwide would currently be deemed out of compliance with this rule, and are already struggling to hire and retain staff while on the precipice collectively of needing to spend billions of dollars more per year,” they concluded, “we have serious concerns the industry will realistically be able to meet the goals of the Rule, let alone prevent massive widespread closures.”
At the close of this letter, the senators formally requested a that report on the “impact of the recently finalized CMS rule on VA” be produced by July 15 of this year, just over five weeks from the time the letter was sent.
Click Here to Read Sen. King’s Full Press Release
In October of last year, King and Cramer wrote to the head of CMS expressing largely these same concerns with respect to the then-proposed rule, expressing a fear that it “may inadvertently cause the widespread shutdown of rural nursing facilities, both in Maine and across the country.”
King has also been vocal in recent months with respect to other veterans’ issues, most notably the staffing cuts currently under consideration by the VA.
Last month, the senator asked Executive Director of the Office of Rural Health in the Veterans Health Administration Dr. Peter Kaboli and Director of the VA Oklahoma City Health Care System Wade Vlosich about a proposal to cut 10,000 full-time employees from the federal VA.
[RELATED: Angus King Raised Questions on Proposed VA Staffing Cuts, Transportation for Rural Veterans]
According to King, there is data suggesting that the VA is actually in need of increased staffing at this time in order to keep up with rising demand, especially in rural areas.
During this same hearing, King also emphasized to Ryan Heiman — the Deputy Executive Director of the Veterans Health Administration Member Services — the importance of providing reliable transportation options for veterans in rural Maine seeking to access health care services.
Earlier in the month, King questioned the VA Secretary on these same staffing and budget cuts, while Sen. Susan Collins (R) asked McDonough about potential funding opportunities for financially-troubled state-run veterans’ homes.
Both of Maine’s senators have also asked VA officials about the possibility of providing transportation to veterans living in rural areas who are seeking medical care at VA-run facilities.
Apparently someone woke this dolt and told him an election was coming up. This can be the sole explanation for his sudden interest in his constituents.
I bet the veterans sleep better knowing Angus is worried about them, lol. Must be an election year.
Speaking of VA, it’s time for Angus to return to Virginia. Maine district 2 is fed up with democrats representing us in Washington DC
Bad leader> He is letting Joe spend the money on the illegal “NEW AMERICANS” and grow houses. VOTE HIM OUT
Worried about the veterans, must be an election year. Every single veteran sees what a sham this moron is and hopefully that’ll be enough to 86 this turd.
🥴 he’s 81! Retire and go away ! He’s never done anything, never gotten a bill passed , period. He’s a blow hard in it for the 💰. Go away looser
What a hypocrite! The only time he mentions ‘concerns’ about vets is when he’s up for re-election. We have enough problems with an aging demented presented. We don’t need an octogenarian senator!
Vote for vibrant Demi! She won’t let Mainers down.
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All 4 of our congress reps are useless. Chellie is so sure she will get reelected she doesn’t campaign!!! Mainers had enough yet?
Gosh, not a word about WHY care facilities have had trouble hiring enough care givers. Is it because they’ve all died/become disabled by the clot-shots Janet Mills FORCED them to get? Or because the salaries aren’t high enough for them to afford to afford Maine property taxes AND the means to get to work? Or both? Someone should investigate that…