Schakowsky Statement on Nursing Home Staffing Standards Rule

EVANSTON – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging and Families, released the following statement on the Biden-Harris Administration’s final rule on national minimum nursing home staffing standards:

“Every person in the United States deserves to age with dignity and access to quality long-term care. For years, I have championed a provision that would ensure that registered nurses are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week in nursing facilities. I am happy to see that the Biden Administration has incorporated this provision into the final rule for minimum staffing standards. I am also relieved to see that the rule brings long-overdue transparency to nursing home compensation for direct care workers. 

"Despite all the good in this rule, I am disappointed to learn that Medicare and Medicaid-funded nursing homes will only be required to provide residents with a minimum of 3.48 hours of daily direct care. National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, National Consumer Voice, and other nursing advocates have made it clear that in order to ensure resident health and safety, a minimum of at least 4.2 hours of daily direct care is required. One preventable death or injury is one too many. 

"Residents deserve the best of care from highly trained, fairly compensated, and sufficiently numbered staff. While this rule is an important step, more must be done. I will continue to work with my colleagues and the Administration to hold nursing homes accountable for the treatment of their nursing workforce and ensure residents receive high-quality, person-centered care.”

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