Since the start of the year, ASA and its health care members have faced a multifront legislative assault by hospitals and long-term care facilities complaining about excessive nurse staffing prices and urging federal and state regulators to act—including proposals to cap agency bill rates.

Legislation aimed at controlling nurse staffing costs and regulating how agencies operate has been introduced in 11 states. At the federal level, hospital and long-term care groups have urged the government to investigate whether nurse staffing agencies should be regulated. ASA has published an article that describes the various proposals and the advocacy efforts of ASA and its members to address these concerns.