A federal judge in Texas on Monday overturned a policy that would have created the first nationwide staffing requirements for nursing homes. The decision marked a significant development for nursing home operators and others concerned about workforce challenges in the healthcare industry.
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, blocks a regulation that would have required nursing homes to have a registered nurse on-site 24 hours a day and to ensure that each resident received at least 33 minutes of daily care from a registered nurse. The rule was set to be phased in beginning in 2026, with rural facilities given additional time to meet the standards.
While acknowledging that staffing levels, infection control, and oversight remain important issues in the industry, Judge Kacsmaryk wrote that the proposed federal standards went beyond the legal authority of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). He noted that although the policy was motivated by “laudable goals,” it was not the appropriate solution under existing laws.
The policy had drawn mixed reactions across the healthcare field. Advocates for nursing home residents and some labor groups had supported the new staffing requirements, arguing that they were necessary to improve care quality. However, many nursing home operators expressed concern, citing ongoing staffing shortages and warning that the requirements would be difficult, if not impossible, to meet.
“This unrealistic staffing mandate threatened to close nursing homes and displace vulnerable seniors,” said Clif Porter, CEO of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living, in a statement. “The court decision not only upholds the rule of law and balance of powers, but it protects access to care for our aging population.”
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had not yet commented on the ruling at the time of publication.
In a separate development Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of lifting a legal block that had prevented the government from using an older immigration law to deport certain individuals, including Venezuelan nationals suspected of gang activity. In a 5–4 decision, the Court agreed to allow the government to proceed while further legal arguments continue.
Both rulings reflect ongoing debates about the balance between government authority, regulatory policy, and public services, especially as institutions face workforce shortages and shifting public needs.
As of now, no appeal has been announced in the nursing home staffing case, and nursing facilities are continuing to monitor how future regulations may develop.
