RIP: Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Rule

Mandatory staffing minimums at nursing homes were officially repealed in an interim final rule published last week.

The rule had already been struck down by a federal court in April and was placed under a moratorium until 2034 by President Donald Trump’s landmark spending reform bill earlier this year. Modern Healthcare reports that nursing homes will return to previous standards, which only requires a registered nurse on duty for eight consecutive hours per day and a registered nurse designated as a full-time director of nursing.

Understaffing at nursing facilities has been a paramount concern for senior advocates since the COVID-19 pandemic, when underlying issues with eldercare facilities were exposed. Senior advocacy groups like AARP warned earlier this year that intervention to prevent the staffing rules from going into effect would lead to neglect, abuse and even death, recalling a University of Pennsylvania study that suggested that the new standards could save 13,000 lives per year.

Industry advocates applauded the Trump administration’s decision to reverse the rule, as they have long argued the staffing minimums were too stringent and would inevitably force some facilities to close. In a statement, the Department of Health and Human Services recognized that the universal approach would have had a disproportionate effect on rural and other underserved communities that struggle with workforce shortages.

McKnight’s notes that providers had fought against the rule long before it was finalized in April 2024. From Clif Porter, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living,

Rescinding the federal staffing mandate once and for all is a victory for our nation’s seniors and their families. This unrealistic regulation threatened to close nursing homes and displace vulnerable residents. We appreciate the leadership shown by Congress, the courts and now CMS to uphold the rule of law and balance of powers, while also reaffirming the right decision: to prioritize protecting access to care for our aging population.

The Ensign Group, which has vigorously expanded its nursing home ownership footprint across the country and in Arizona for over a decade, announced this week that it acquired four skilled nursing facilities in Arizona, Colorado and Kansas, effective December 1, 2025. According to Street Insider, this includes the Santa Rosa Care Center, a 144-bed facility in Tucson.