Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition Opposes CMS Final Rule on Minimum Staffing Standards for LTC Facilities
The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), the leading national voice for the long-term care pharmacy sector, released a statement today regarding its opposition to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule on minimum staffing standards for long-term care (LTC) facilities.
In November 2023, SCPC joined a chorus of voices opposing the proposed CMS rule and the harm it will cause LTC facilities still struggling to regain solid footing amid workforce issues and other challenges. Our specific issues with the staffing rule include:
1. Inadequate workforce to meet the proposed staffing requirements.
2. Inadequate Medicaid reimbursement to meet the proposed staffing requirements.
3. Inadequate flexibility for operators already dealing with many other requirements.
4. Unduly complex when overlaid on existing state staffing requirements.
5. Unintended consequences will undermine overall quality of care for residents in LTC facilities and threaten the economic viability for significant subsets of the LTC facility and LTC pharmacy markets.
“We are disappointed that the final staffing rule by CMS does not incorporate the long-term care (LTC) sector’s clear and legitimate concerns regarding the viability of a federal minimum staffing proposal and its potential for adverse resident outcomes. This burdensome mandate will have significant implications on seniors’ access to quality care across LTC settings. Ultimately, it will limit access to nursing facility care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, undermine overall quality of care and services for LTC facility residents, and threaten the financial viability of LTC facilities as well as LTC pharmacies,” said Alan Rosenbloom, President and CEO of the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition. “At a time when our healthcare industry is already facing a multitude of challenges, including significant issues in finding an available workforce, we should be looking for innovative solutions to improve quality, accessible and affordable care, for all patients. We are committed to working with elected officials and CMS representatives to ensure those that we serve in the LTC industry receive the high-quality care they deserve regardless of their healthcare setting.”
# # #
Recent Posts
-
SCPC Submits Second Round of Comments to Healthcare Advisory Committee
The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition submitted comments yesterday to the Healthcare Advisory Committee (HAC). The HAC is a group of experts charged with delivering strategic recommendations directly to the HHS Secretary and CMS Administrator to improve how care is financed and delivered across Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Health […]
-
SCPC Responds to Senate Finance Committee Request for Information on Commonsense Policy Options to Lower Drug Prices for Patients
The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), the leading voice for the nation’s long-term care (LTC) pharmacy community, submitted comments to the Senate Finance Committee’s Request for Information (RFI) seeking input on commonsense policy options to lower drug prices for patients. “SCPC supports the Committee’s focus on reducing prescription drug costs while preserving beneficiary access and […]
-
LTC pharmacies said this would happen. New data says they were right.
By Donna Shryer // Published July 18, 2026 in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News Long-term care pharmacies predicted a steep reimbursement hit from the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare drug pricing changes. Now they say they have the data confirming it. A new analysis of member financial data shows reimbursement for drugs subject to the law’s negotiated […]
Stay Connected
Get the latest news and updates on issues impacting the long-term care pharmacy community.