“Infinity and beyond” may be a rallying cry for Buzz Lightyear, yet when it comes to staffing and the welfare of the elderly and disabled in nursing homes. the system in our country is going backward. House Bill H.R. 7513, the Protecting America’s Seniors’ Access to Care Act, currently in Congress, represents a misguided legislative effort that, if enacted, would worsen the already challenging circumstances faced by our most vulnerable citizens.
H.R. 7513 effectively obstructs future initiatives aimed at establishing minimum staffing requirements in nursing homes nationwide. Consequently, already inadequate levels of care could plummet further, exposing residents to heightened risks that have their families rightfully alarmed. The bill explicitly prohibits the enforcement of any state minimum standards and impedes the implementation of federal minimum staffing requirements by the Department of Health and Human Services.