State Nursing Home Minimum Staffing Mandates: Increased Staff Levels, Minimal Impact On Finances And Closures, 2010–23 Rachel M. Werner, Xinwei Chen, Norma B. Coe, and Andrew R. Olenski

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01223?utm_campaign=march%202026%20issue&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9lH_ZAuBTN4ihrvHzWhCKODrGbGbAUK7iCuwSddscj-MvvLrckXmhXRzXL3RNlpC2vaVxKrZyVWYeSXYxDN6W2r9Lysg&_hsmi=410804823&utm_source=well%20read Analyzing nursing homes in 22 states from 2010–23, the authors find that state minimum staffing mandates increased direct care staffing without harming facilities’ finances or increasing closures, as higher labor costs were more than offset by increased patient revenue.