Virginia Office of Attorney General
10/09/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/09/2024 08:45
October 9, 2024 - Attorney General Miyares Sues to Stop Nursing Home Rule Change
Commonwealth of Virginia
Office of the Attorney General
Jason S. Miyares
Attorney General
202 North 9th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804-786-2071
FAX 804-786-1991
Virginia Relay Service
800-828-1120
For media inquiries only, contact:
Shaun Kenney
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Attorney General Miyares Sues to Stop Nursing Home Rule Change
RICHMOND, VA - Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares today joined a 20-state coalition in filing a lawsuit against a new rule from the Biden-Harris administration's Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). The rule, which dramatically expands staffing requirements for nursing homes, threatens to impose significant costs (hundreds of thousands of dollars) on states and force many nursing homes out of business.
"This new rule is yet another example of Washington bureaucrats imposing sweeping mandates without considering the devastating impact on our communities. Nursing homes in Virginia and across the country already face challenges, and this policy will force them out of business," said Attorney General Jason Miyares. "Ultimately, the real cost will be felt by our most vulnerable citizens-those who rely on these facilities for care and support."
Currently, nursing homes are required by Congress to provide 8 hours of continuous staffing per day. The new CMS rule would increase that requirement to 24-hours per day and impose strict staffing ratios that 97% of nursing homes are currently unable to meet. Additionally, the rule creates new, burdensome reporting requirements for states.
The coalition of attorneys general argue that CMS is overstepping its authority and bypassing Congress with the new rule.
In addition to the 20-state coalition, LeadingAge affiliates from 17 states have also joined the lawsuit. LeadingAge is an organization with numerous nursing home members.
Attorney General Miyares is joined in the coalition by attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia.
Read the complaint here.
###