Keystone Today

Pennsylvania is among the outlier states that are distributing $300 extra in benefits to its jobless population as more states are terminating the increased federal unemployment benefits, perhaps contributing to a state nursing shortage. 

For example, Louisiana Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill terminating benefits last week making Louisiana the 26th state to do so, according to media reports.

“As we speak with long-term care providers throughout Pennsylvania, we’re continually told that the existing workforce and nursing shortage has become a crisis, especially following the past 15 months and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Zach Shamberg, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA).

ABC News reported that the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry projected a shortage of more than 22,000 direct care workers through 2026.

“The workforce crisis has impacted nearly every industry throughout the United States, and available workers are certainly in high demand,” Shamberg told Keystone Today.

The Washington Examiner further reported that Pennsylvania Labor Secretary Jennifer Berrier told legislators that more than 500,000 jobs were lost statewide during the pandemic that may never be recovered. 

As matters stand, long-term care providers are not just competing with other health care providers but are competing with the service and hospitality industries. While higher wages and more incentives are continually offered in those industries, long-term care providers simply cannot compete as a result of the state’s Medicaid reimbursement rate, critics argue.  

“The most common phrases they use when discussing their workforce are fatigue, exhaustion and burnout,” Shamberg told ABC News. “And the pandemic has severely impacted their ability to recruit new workers.”

According to a March survey by the National Federation for Independent Business (NFIB), 42% of business owners reported job openings they were not able to fill, a record high, and 20% higher than the 48-year historical average of 22%. 

"Today many providers have been forced to depend on contract staff or ‘agency’ staff, to ensure they meet staffing minimums," Shamberg said. "PHCA is working with members of the legislature to promote employment in long-term care, and build the workforce.” 

In response to the worker shortage, Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Gene Barr urged legislators to pass House Bill (HB) 508, which opts out of federal unemployment programs and provides generous incentives to work. 

“The labor shortage in Pennsylvania isn’t a problem in the business community,” Barr told McCall News. “It’s a crisis.”

If HB 508 is not approved, Shamberg added, there will be no one to care for the more than 113,000 residents currently residing in Pennsylvania’s facilities and communities.  

“Long-term care providers are already facing a worst-case scenario when it comes to workforce challenges," he said. "There are not enough workers to care for our rapidly aging population.” 

About 40% of Pennsylvania workers will receive more money through unemployment rather than working when factoring in the $300 federal bonus, according to American Action Forum research.

In response to the dilemma, PHCA is currently advocating for critical, one-time funding from the American Rescue Plan stimulus package that can be invested back into workers and frontline caregivers. 

"Additionally, PHCA will continue to advocate for investments into the state’s Medicaid program, which pays for nearly 70% of all nursing home care provided," Shamberg said. "Prior to the pandemic, the Medicaid shortfall for long-term care providers reached upward of $50 per resident per day. To sustain long-term care, we must ensure providers are supported in the years to come."