A federal judge in Texas has stopped a new rule that would’ve required all nursing homes in the U.S. to follow minimum staffing levels—including having a registered nurse on duty 24/7. This would have been the first nationwide rule of its kind, aiming to improve care in facilities often stretched thin.
But the judge said the federal government overstepped its authority with the rule.
What the Rule Was Supposed to Do
The regulation, proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), would have required:
- A registered nurse (RN) on-site 24 hours a day
- At least 33 minutes of RN care per resident, per day
