WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and assisted living communities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year, released a statement today in response to two letters, one signed by 22 U.S. senators led by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), and another signed by 18 U.S. representatives led by Congressman J. Luis Correa (D-CA-46), sent to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, urging the Biden administration to reconsider a proposed rule that would cut $330 million in Medicare funding for nursing homes.
The following statement is attributable to AHCA/NCAL president and CEO Mark Parkinson:
“We thank Senator Tester and Congressman Correa for their leadership in advocating on behalf of our nation’s seniors. We agree that cutting millions in nursing home funding will put access to care for our most vulnerable citizens at risk. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented workforce shortage and economic crisis within the long term and post-acute care sector. Sixty percent of nursing homes say their workforce situation has worsened since January, and more than half say they cannot sustain their current operating pace for more than one year.
“We believe the Medicare parity adjustment should be phased in over multiple years – not during a time when our industry continues to face these historic challenges. Hundreds of nursing homes across the country have already been forced to permanently close their doors, and the proposed Medicare cuts will put even more facilities in jeopardy of shutting down and displace thousands of seniors. We look forward to working with the Biden administration and Members of Congress to ensure vulnerable seniors have access to the care they need.”
