“I am disappointed in today’s Supreme Court decision to move forward with a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services vaccine mandate for American health care workers. The CMS mandate will needlessly exacerbate the extraordinary workforce crisis in Iowa’s health care system, including long-term care. We renew our call to CMS for the inclusion in the rule of a test-out option for staff members, for an expanded implementation timeline and for $6 billion in additional resources to long-term care providers to mitigate the costs of this misguided rule. The Iowa Health Care Association will work with its members to balance our first and most cherished priority, which is providing access to long-term care to Iowans, and complying with this ill-advised mandate. The association is still assessing the implications of today’s ruling, but it is clear that our members face a daunting challenge in navigating potential conflicts between state and federal law, as well as questions around how the mandate will be enforced. We hope policymakers and regulators will work to swiftly resolve both questions.” – IHCA President & CEO Brent Willet
