Deborah Petrine, chairman and CEO of CCR, offered public comments on behalf of VHCA-VCAL at an October 28 Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) nursing home work group meeting on the commission’s nursing home staffing report. In written comments, VHCA-VCAL noted the association was encourage by the formal recognition in the report that a staffing ratio is not a quick fix for nursing home staffing issues and that addressing the issues will be multi-faceted and require a long term, sustained effort. VHCA-VCAL offered detailed comments on the report’s policy options, including expressing opposition to a required staffing standard.

In her prepared remarks Petrine said, ” We need to put providers in a position where they can get the staff they need. That will take a commitment by the Commonwealth to fund the Medicaid program like it should, to build a talent pipeline of individuals who want to work in long term care, and to establish career pathways that grow their skills and expertise.”

VHCA-VCAL’s comments called upon the General Assembly to ensure that Medicaid cover a higher percentage of current costs across all Medicaid-participating nursing homes. VHCA-VCAL concurred with the policy options to promote the long term care workforce. Click here to read the complete VHCA-VCAL comments.

The JCHC’s hearing on October 22 was one step in a series of meetings the commission will have this fall. The JCHC’s nursing home workforce workgroup will meet again on November 9 to consider the policy options set forth in the report. Those recommendations will then be shared with the full commission at its December 7 meeting. At the December 7 meeting, the legislators will take formal action to endorse or reject the policy options. Following that, legislation or budget amendments would need to be introduced in the 2022 General Assembly session to enact any changes.

Additional Information

Commission Workforce Report Includes Policy Recommendations