A U.S. District Court judge in Texas on Monday ruled against a Biden administration rule that sought to increase staffing in long-term care facilities.
Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk threw out the Biden-era policy on Monday, arguing it goes against existing legislation passed by Congress.
The Biden administration proposed multiple reforms to nursing homes after more than 200,000 nursing home and long-term care residents died during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The spread of the virus and resulting deaths were largely linked to staffing shortages, prompting President Biden to set a national minimum staffing requirement.
The broader rule faced bipartisan opposition, with Republicans pushing back on the staffing mandate in particular.
The American Health Care Association (AHCA), Texas Health Care Association and other groups filed a lawsuit in May against the Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services leaders.
In a statement, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) said the ruling was a victory for the country’s seniors.
The groups argued that the rule to boost staffing would cost $6.5 billion a year and $43 billion over the next decade, and the industry would need roughly 100,000 additional nurses.
Most of the country’s nursing homes would not meet the minimum requirement set under the rule.
“This unrealistic staffing mandate threatened to close nursing homes and displace vulnerable seniors. 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 group said in a statement.
A coalition of 20 states also sued the Biden administration over the policy last October.
