BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. The Senators urged the agency to avoid one-size-fits-all staffing mandates for nursing homes and to support provider flexibility in addressing recruitment and retention issues. Such mandates would exacerbate existing workforce shortages and place additional financial burdens on facilities in rural and underserved communities. Last year in North Dakota, staffing and financial challenges forced facilities to significantly suspend patient admissions.

“We fear a one-size-fits-all staffing mandate would undermine access to care for patients, particularly in rural communities,” wrote the Senators. “Going forward, we recognize CMS as a crucial partner in identifying, mitigating, and preventing future health and safety problems in nursing homes. We stand ready to work with your agency on proposals to improve long-term care for patients. The best way to accomplish this goal is working with Congress and stakeholders to ensure any future actions do not further exacerbate the serious challenges already facing facilities in rural America.”

Click here to read the letter.

Senator Cramer is joined by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Jon Tester (D-MT), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Thune (R-SD), Gary Peters (D-MI), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Mike Rounds (R-SD).