Thousands of Iowans could lose nursing home care, group warns
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
Nursing homes will be required to meet minimum staffing standards under a final federal rule recently announced by President Biden's administration.
Why it matters: Iowa has among the worst nursing home staffing shortages in the nation.
- There's a deep divide between some advocates for elderly people and the nursing industry about whether the mandate will improve care or exacerbate the crisis.
The big picture: The pandemic exposed grim realities in poorly staffed facilities and prompted the federal government to act, the AP reports.
Zoom in: Under the new federal rules, nursing homes that receive Medicare or Medicaid payments will for the first time be required to provide at least 33 minutes of care from a registered nurse and 147 minutes from a nurse aide per resident, per day.
- Requirements will be phased in over three years beginning in May 2026, and some facilities may qualify for an exemption.
Stunning stat: Less than 20% of the nation's nursing facilities currently meet the standards required by the new rule, KFF reports.
Friction point: If enforced now, the mandate would require Iowa nursing homes to recruit more than 1,300 additional direct care workers, according to estimates from the Iowa Health Care Association (IHCA).
- More than 2,300 current residents would be at risk of losing care due to providers' inability to meet the mandate, per IHCA.
- "This final rule is punishing to Iowa seniors and deals a devastating blow to rural communities," IHCA CEO Brent Willett said in a statement to Axios last week.
Threat level: Since 2020, Iowa has experienced a sharp increase in nursing home closures, including 11 last year.
- The most serious complaints against facilities doubled between 2019 and 2022, according to data from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing.
The intrigue: Gov. Kim Reynolds was one of 13 Republican governors who in November asked President Biden to reconsider the proposed requirements, calling them unnecessary.
The other side: The rule will help protect the basic right of nursing home residents to live in dignity, Nancy LeaMond, AARP's executive vice president, said in a statement to Axios.
- It is "shameful" that facilities that receive taxpayer dollars were not previously held to specific staffing standards, she said.
What's next: Nursing homes may challenge the mandate in court or through a congressional review, Bloomberg Law reports.