Bill > HR1683

This bill aims to protect rural seniors' access to healthcare by prohibiting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from implementing a new final rule on minimum staffing requirements for nursing facilities and establishing an Advisory Panel on the Nursing Home Workforce. The bill blocks HHS from enforcing a May 2024 rule that would set minimum staffing standards for long-term care facilities, and prevents the department from creating any similar rules in the future. Additionally, the bill creates a 17-member advisory panel composed of healthcare professionals, administrators, and government representatives, with a focus on rural and underserved areas. This panel will be required to meet at least twice a year and produce initial and annual reports examining the nursing home workforce, including assessments of workforce shortages, barriers to care, and recommendations for strengthening the workforce and reducing regulatory burdens. The panel members will represent various stakeholders, including nurses, physicians, state nursing boards, and federal agencies, and will provide public access to their meetings and reports. By creating this panel and blocking the staffing rule, the bill seeks to address challenges in nursing home staffing, particularly in rural communities.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1683/all-info