Building America’s Health Care Workforce Act

Building America's Health Care Workforce Act

This bill extends certain flexibilities relating to training and competency requirements for nurse aides in Medicare skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and Medicaid nursing facilities (NFs).

Generally, SNFs and NFs may not hire nurse aides for longer than four months unless they meet certain training and certification requirements. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services waived some of these requirements during the COVID-19 emergency period so as to allow facilities to maintain adequate staffing levels; the blanket waiver ended in June 2022, though individual facilities, states, and counties may continue to apply for waivers during the emergency period.

The bill extends these flexibilities for at least two years after the bill's enactment and specifies that (1) any time worked by a nurse aide during the emergency period counts toward the 75 hours required for initial training, and (2) a competency evaluation may be conducted at the SNF or NF where the nurse aide is employed if the state does not offer such an evaluation at least once a week.

Bill 118 hr 468, also known as the Building America’s Health Care Workforce Act, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress with the aim of addressing the shortage of healthcare workers in the country. The bill seeks to increase funding for programs that train healthcare professionals, such as nurses, doctors, and other medical personnel.

One of the key provisions of the bill is the establishment of a grant program to support the training of healthcare workers in underserved communities. This program would provide funding to institutions that offer healthcare training programs, with a focus on increasing the diversity of the healthcare workforce and addressing disparities in access to care.

Additionally, the bill aims to improve coordination between federal agencies that oversee healthcare workforce training programs, in order to ensure that resources are being used effectively and efficiently. It also calls for the development of a national strategy to address the healthcare workforce shortage, with input from stakeholders in the healthcare industry. Overall, the Building America’s Health Care Workforce Act is designed to strengthen the healthcare workforce in the United States and improve access to quality care for all Americans. It is currently being considered by Congress and has received bipartisan support.