Training gains bipartisan support!  Nursing home lobbying groups scored a victory last week with the introduction of a bipartisan bill to kill “rigid provisions” they say are handcuffing the industry’s ability to improve staffing.

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) introduced legislation on Feb. 14 that would modify what’s called the certified nursing training lockout, which has been in place since 1987. Existing laws state that nursing homes assessed civil monetary penalties above $10,000 on their annual survey lose their ability to train CNAs for two years.

Industry trade groups for years have fought for abolishment of the provision.  More

Joint LeadingAge and AHCA Statement on the Nursing Home Workforce Quality Act

February 15, 2019 Washington D.C. — LeadingAge and the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living applaud today’s introduction of the bi-partisan Nursing Home Workforce Quality Act. Leaders of both organizations, which combined represent the majority of America’s skilled nursing and long-term care providers, praise Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) and Collin Peterson (D-MN) for their leadership on a long-overdue initiative that will support nursing homes’ efforts to train staff and provide the highest quality of care to older adults.

The legislation introduced today modifies the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training lock-out mandated by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA). It eliminates the statute’s rigid provisions and grants CMS greater flexibility in reinstating providers’ valuable CNA training programs. More