May 22, 2026
Last week, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and 16 Senate Democrats sent a Dear Colleague letter announcing a new initiative focused on long-term care for seniors and Americans with disabilities. The letter focused on three goals: making home care more affordable and accessible, improving quality of care in nursing homes, and strengthening the long-term care workforce.
The letter notes that more than 1.2 million Americans currently depend on nursing homes for complex health care and supportive services, with a private room averaging more than $120,000 per year. Proposed policy development would focus on ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent on direct care, aligning incentives to strengthen nursing home staffing standards, and improving transparency and oversight to ensure facilities consistently meet high-quality standards.
Looking at the workforce, the letter cited high turnover and staffing shortages that make it harder for families to find reliable care and place a strain on nursing home residents and workers alike, with demand for long-term care services projected to grow 40% over the next decade.