On April 9, Crystal Gayle Crawford, a childcare worker, introduced President Biden to a crowd awaiting his remarks on care workers. President Biden noted the high costs of childcare, the rising costs of long-term care, and the need for mandatory paid leave. In the coming weeks, Biden said, the nurse staffing minimum final rule and the Medicaid access final rule (a.k.a., the 80/20 rule) would be released, and reiterated his Administration’s investments in caregivers and caregiving. Biden doubled down on his commitment to reduce waitlists for Medicaid home and community-based services, implement mandatory paid family leave, and pursue tax reform for the middle class.

The press event followed the release of a more detailed fact sheet outlining the Administration’s efforts on these issues to date as well as ongoing priorities yet to be realized. View the press conference here (begins at 39:57), read the transcript or White House fact sheet.

In an April 9 statement, LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan responded, “For the first time in decades, our federal government is committed to meaningful action to ensure America’s older adults and families can receive quality care in nursing homes, and in their homes and communities. LeadingAge and our nonprofit, mission-driven aging services providers share the Biden Administration’s goal. Caregivers, as the President noted, are critical; without staff, as our nonprofit mission-driven members know, there is no care. Yet, unfortunately, the Administration’s approach misses the mark.”

Follow our coverage of CMS’ proposed staffing mandates in our serial post, Nursing Home Staffing Ratios Are Coming: LeadingAge Is On the Case.