A federal judge in Texas struck down a Biden administration policy that would have imposed the first-ever federal staffing minimums for nursing homes.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled that the staffing mandate, which required nursing homes to have a registered nurse on-site 24/7 and provide each patient with 33 minutes of daily care, exceeded the authority of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Nursing home operators had argued the standards were unrealistic given the current healthcare worker shortage. While labor unions and elderly advocates supported the policy, operators celebrated the ruling, claiming it protected access to care.
The staffing rules were set to begin in 2026, with rural facilities given an additional year to comply.
