Protecting seniors' access to healthcare

Nearly 1.2 million Americans live in nursing homes today. The vast majority of those Americans are seniors, people who urgently need the specialized care that long-term nursing facilities provide. That's especially true in small towns, where a greater percentage of the population is over 65.

But this fall, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed a rule that could close nursing facilities across rural America. The rule proposed in September has the stated goal of improving care in nursing homes. But if this rule went into effect today, that good intention would, in reality, make...