ME. The Cedar Rapids Gazettd editorial board has pointed its finger at shortcomings and failures of Iowa-based nursing homes. Today the editors tell readers the sad truth that 14% of these care centers lack the staffing necessary for care.

The Biden Administration has set new standards. Twenty state attorneys general, including Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, have filed a court challenge to nursing home staffing rules adopted by the Biden administration.

The Gazette. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 14 percent of Iowa’s 422 nursing homes were cited for insufficient staffing in 2023. The national average is 5.9 percent and just five states had a worse record for inspections.

Iowa has had its own horror stories of residents walking away from facilities in freezing weather, resident abuse and a lack of basic services. Along with Bird, Governor Kim Reynolds also opposes new staffing requirements.

We (say the Gazette editors) fully realize that the Trump administration will scrap these staffing rules, handing a victory to unscrupulous owners and the politicians who support them. A pile of campaign donations help seal the alliance.

But we want to recognize that many advocates (see comments) in Iowa and elsewhere have stood up and demanded better care. They’ve exposed severe problems and shined a light on the consequences of substandard care.

We believe, in the long run, that these efforts will make a difference and lead to quality care for some of our most vulnerable Iowans. The status quo is unacceptable.