Essential Caregivers Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced
Summary
Guaranteed in-person access for essential caregivers during official visitation restrictions. This bill would let nursing facility residents designate an essential caregiver who may visit during emergency periods, limit how long facilities can deny access, and create a fast appeals and enforcement system.
Show full summary
- Residents and families: Residents may name or change an essential caregiver at any time, and a representative can designate a caregiver if the resident cannot. End-of-life residents and those in distress must get immediate in-person access.
- Facilities and day-to-day operations: Facilities must allow at least one essential caregiver daily and at all times and may only deny access for short periods — an initial denial of up to 7 days and an additional up to 7 days if the State approves (up to 14 days total). Facilities must give written warnings for agreement violations and a written explanation within 24 hours if they deny access.
- Appeals, oversight, and scope: The bill would require a State survey agency to start investigating appeals within 2 business days and issue a determination within 48 hours. If a facility is found at fault it must allow access immediately and file a corrective plan within 7 days or face a civil penalty up to $5,000. The rules would also apply to Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and to inpatient rehabilitation units on the same campus as a skilled nursing facility. The Secretary must finalize the appeals rule within 2 years.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Essential caregiver visits for nursing residents
If enacted, this bill would let each resident of a covered nursing facility name one or more "essential caregivers" who can visit in person when normal visitation is restricted. Essential caregivers would have to follow the facility's written safety rules, and those rules could not be stricter than rules for staff. Facilities would have to give a written warning before banning a caregiver, and if they deny access they must give a written explanation within 24 hours that explains how to appeal. A facility could temporarily deny access for up to 7 days, and only with State health agency approval could it extend one more period up to 7 days (14 days total). The bill would require HHS to issue appeals rules within 2 years and directs State survey agencies to investigate appeals fast; facilities that fail to fix violations after a required 7-day corrective plan could face civil penalties up to $5,000. These rules would take effect 2 years after enactment and apply only during periods when regular visitation is restricted by law or order.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
TX • R
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
MT • R
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 1/6/2026
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
ND • R
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 1/8/2026
John Boozman
AR • R
Sponsored 1/27/2026
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 1/27/2026
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]
MT • R
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Elissa Slotkin
MI • D
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]
MO • R
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 3/9/2026
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
ME • R
Sponsored 3/9/2026
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 4/20/2026
Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 4/20/2026
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]
AL • R
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
AK • R
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
LA • R
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov