McKnight's Long-Term Care Newsmakers with Zach Shamber

Pennsylvania’s long-term care sector faces a critical workforce crisis, forcing 74% of providers to limit admissions and 50% to maintain waitlists. Zach Shamberg, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, highlights that these staffing shortages are exacerbated by impending vaccine mandates and a lack of state collaboration on proposed staffing minimums. A primary financial hurdle is the stagnation of Medicaid reimbursement rates, which have not increased in Pennsylvania since 2014 despite rising healthcare costs. To ensure the survival of the industry, providers are advocating for meaningful Medicaid investments in 2022 and the creative allocation of CARES Act and American Rescue Plan funds specifically for workforce initiatives. Without these interventions, the aging population in Pennsylvania faces a growing risk of being unable to access essential care within their own communities.