April 4, 2023 Washington, DC — Statement from Ruth Katz, Senior Vice President of Policy, LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit, mission-driven providers of aging services, including nursing homes, on the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System FY2024 proposed rule:

“Funding goes hand in hand with quality care. The proposed payment rule acknowledges this critical reality. Nonprofit and mission-driven nursing homes appreciate CMS’s attention to the difficult operating environment for these providers—from inflation-induced increases in operating costs and insufficient support from policymakers, to staff shortages and recruitment and retention issues in a tight labor market.  We remain cautious knowing that these increases could be offset by the costs of staffing standards expected soon and encourage Congress and HHS to ensure any proposed standards meet the provisions outlined in LeadingAge’s Get Real on Ratios proposal. We look forward to collaborating with our members to submit comments.”

We represent more than 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-minded organizations that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 38 state partners, we use applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building to make America a better place to grow old. Our membership, which now includes the providers of the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, encompasses the continuum of services for people as they age, including those with disabilities. We bring together the most inventive minds in the field to lead and innovate solutions that support older adults wherever they call home. For more information visit leadingage.org.