The American Health Care Association (AHCA) today sent the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a letter requesting a meeting with the White House, HHS and CMS to clarify some of the inaccuracies informing the program of the President’s nursing home reform released last week.

The industry hopes to set the record straight, including on how:

• The quality of nursing home care has improved over the past decade, particularly through initiatives where federal regulators and providers work together.
• The rhetoric surrounding the White House announcement last week was disappointing and demoralizing for an already battered health care sector.
• During the COVID pandemic, nursing homes were not prioritized by public health officials for resources and the lack of a coordinated federal response allowed for a high spread in the general population that ultimately led to outbreaks in nursing homes.
• President Biden’s plan does not address chronic Medicaid underfunding or offer meaningful supports to help nursing home providers meet growing demands. Until policymakers properly invest in long-term care, nursing homes will continue to struggle and more facilities will have to close, limiting access to care for potentially millions of older Americans. .