Updated Staffing Data Point to Persistent Crisis
Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released nursing home staffing data for the quarter covering July through September 2022. Analysis of the data shows little change from the previous quarter, with three-quarters of the state’s nursing homes unable to meet the staffing requirements enacted in 2021. The data reinforce the alarm about the lack of staff that providers have been sounding even before COVID-19, a situation that the pandemic has significantly exacerbated. A recent analysis by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data found that the nursing home workforce in the U.S. has decreased by 210,000 since February 2020.
The statewide median nurse staffing hours per resident per day was 3.2, the same as the previous quarter. Median staffing in non-profit homes was at 3.5 hours, while the for-profit median was 3.1.
To assist members in tracking compliance with state requirements, LeadingAge NY compiles Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) data and posts them on our website in a way that allows nursing home members to review their nurse staffing for each day of the quarter. The tool, available for download here, compares a facility’s staffing to state requirements and flags resulting gaps.
At the same time, we remind members that the next deadline for PBJ data submission is Feb. 14th. CMS urges providers to submit their data promptly and to make use of the available reports to help ensure accuracy. The stakes are high: not only is PBJ data the basis of state staffing requirements, but it also has a significant impact on Five-Star ratings and is a key component of the state’s Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI). More information on PBJ data submission, including available verification reports, is available here.
Contact: Darius Kirstein, dkirstein@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8841