Protecting Rural Seniors’ Access to Care Act

House Votes

This bill would stop the federal government from putting a new nursing home staffing rule into effect. It blocks a 2024 rule that would have set minimum staffing levels in nursing homes and bars any similar rule in the future. Instead, it creates a new panel to study the nursing home workforce and advise on ways to strengthen it, with a special focus on rural and underserved areas.

The panel would have 17 members, including nurses, nurse aides, doctors, nursing home leaders, and federal health officials, with several seats reserved for rural voices. It must meet at least twice a year, stream meetings online, and post recordings. Within 60 days after its first meeting, it must publish an initial report on workforce shortages, access problems for seniors on Medicare and Medicaid, the impact of current rules, and recommendations such as reducing red tape and investing in training; updates would follow each year .

• Who is affected: Nursing home residents and staff, especially in rural and underserved areas; nursing home operators; the Department of Health and Human Services.
• What changes: Halts the federal minimum staffing rule for nursing homes; sets up a public, 17-member advisory panel to study workforce needs and recommend fixes.
• When: The staffing rule is blocked as soon as the bill becomes law. The panel must be created within 60 days, meet within 180 days, publish an initial report 60 days after its first meeting, and issue annual updates; meeting videos must be posted within 30 days .