Gov. Pillen Shares Concerns with CMS Administrator at D.C. Meeting

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Gov. Pillen Shares Concerns with CMS Administrator at D.C. Meeting

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen is expressing his appreciation following a personal meeting with Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  The visit on Monday, Nov. 13 in Washington, D.C. centered on concerns about the impact of recently proposed federal staffing requirements on long-term care facilities, including those in Nebraska.

“I appreciate the time that Administrator Brooks-LaSure took to hear our concerns and understand the circumstances that are currently plaguing our nursing workforce and nursing homes,” said Gov. Pillen. “These proposed regulations would have a detrimental impact on long-term care facilities and would force even more to close their doors. My hope is that this meeting provided a better understanding of the dynamics that exist in Nebraska, and the potential impacts, especially in our rural areas.”

This month, Gov. Pillen and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds led a group of 15 governors in signing a letter to President Biden, urging reconsideration of the proposed CMS staffing rule. In the letter they noted that the proposal would, “force many long-term care facilities to close and erode health care access for some of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.”

The complete text of that letter can be found here.