Complete list of bad nursing homes should be made public according to U.S. Senators
In November 2007, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a list of the 54 worst nursing homes in America. The list of the poorest performing homes was pulled from a complete report containing 128 “special focus facilities,” which are subject to more frequent inspections and scrutiny by regulators due to their history of bad care. However, the government has refused to release the full list despite criticism from nursing home advocates and several U.S. Senators.
>>PRIOR POST 12/10/2007: Bad Nursing Home List
Federal legislation has been introduced by Senators Hillary Clinton and Tom Harkins, which would require the government to release the names of any homes which appear on the full list of special focus facilities within 30 days of their name appearing. The Nursing Home Quality and Transparency Act was proposed to ensure that the public has access to information about all nursing homes which have been designated as providers of bad care.
Making the complete list of bad nursing homes available is extremely important to seniors and their loved ones who are making decisions about nursing home care. Nine other U.S. Senators, including Sen. Barack Obama, sent a letter demanding that the complete list of bad nursing homes be made public. The letter indicated that it was “outrageous” for the government to keep the full list from citizens who would most benefit from the information.
Identifying all 128 of the poor performing nursing homes in the United States would not only help those considering where to obtain long-term care, but it would also serve as an important catalyst to improve the quality of nursing home care. Subjecting the other 74 poor performing nursing homes to the same public scrutiny faced by the 54 worst nursing homes will encourage improvements and challenge the industry to do a better job policing themselves.
Despite the pressure from U.S. Senators, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services continues to indicate that they have no intentions of making the full list available to the public. However, they have acknowledged that the report was given to industry lobbyists at the American Health Care Association, as well as to the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, which is a trade group funded by the nursing home industry. In a statement last month, Clinton indicated that it was “disturbing” that the government would withhold the full list from the public while providing it to industry lobbyists.
NURSING HOME LAWYERS
The nursing home lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent victims of abuse and neglect which is caused by bad nursing home care. When facilities are consistently falling in and out of compliance with federal regulations designed to ensure proper care, residents are put at risk of serious and potentially fatal injuries from nursing home neglect. If your friend or loved one has suffered an injury which may be the result of negligent care, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
3 Comments • Add Your Comments
tammy says:
I DONT PERSONALLY KNOW ANYONE IN HERTIGE HALL, IN TAZEWELL VA, BUT I HAVE HAD TWO FRIENDS WORK THERE AND WITH IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS THEY HAVE BOTH TOLD ME THAT, THE PEOPLE WORKING THERE YOUSE THE SAME SHAVERS AND DEODERENT, AND OTHER PERSONAL STUFF WITH MOST OF THE PATIENTS THERE, NOW IF I HAD SOMEONE THAT I LOVED AND CARED ABOUT, I WOULD MAKE SURE THIS WAS NOT TRUE IT IS UP TO SOMEONE ANYONE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR LOVED ONE IS NOT BEING ABUSED AND OR TREATED WRONGLY, I SUGGEST YOU TO GO AND IF POSSIBLE FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THIS, IT IS SO WRONG FOR PEOPLE TO BE TREATED THIS WAY AND NOT BE ABLE TO STAND UP FOR THIER SELF, SO EVEN IF YOUR LOVED ONE MAY BE GITTING READY TO DIE OR IS JUST GOING TO BE THERE FOR A LONG TIME OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, PUT YOURSELF IN THIER SHOES, WOULD YOU LIKE SOMEONE TO YOUSE A RAZOR ON YOU THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN YOUSED ON GOD KNOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE OR A TOOTHBRUSH, OR ANYTHING? WELL I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I WOULDNT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO ME OR ANYONE I CARE ABOUT, OR IF YOU ARE LIKE ME NOT EVEN KNOWING THESE PEOPLE AND STILL WANTING TO HELP SOMEHOW…
Posted on April 2, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Becky says:
i am so very concerned for all the elderly now and for the future which does not look much brighter. the abuse, negligence, and wrongful deaths are taking our families much sooner than should be. please send a response and i will be glad to talk to anyone willing to listen.
nursing home and hospital nightmares—–my animals and convicts in prison get better treatment that the elderly do. this is such a very sad world we live in, so very frightening , upsetting, and sad.
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 8:30 pm
Amanda says:
nursing home and hospital facilities——if i could i would write and publish this information—-they lie—they cheat—they steal—-and they kill. these nightmare places should be bull dozed and destroyed, just like they do to our loved ones….they destroy everyone they get their slimy hands on……the staff members all deserve to rot in —-……they killed my loved one and because of that reason i will never trust anyone ever again.
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:50 am