The nursing home industry recently celebrated a triumph in a long term battle to scale back fines and regulations, regulations that were put in place to protect residents from abuse and neglect. The Trump administration has agreed to shift Medicare’s penalty protocols by discouraging inspectors to impose fines on nursing homes in violation of federal regulation.
“Since 2013, nearly 6,500 nursing homes — four of every 10 — have been cited at least once for a serious violation, federal records show. Medicare has fined two-thirds of those homes. Common citations include failing to protect residents from avoidable accidents, neglect, mistreatment and bedsores.” –New York Times
Nursing home professionals in favor of the adjusted regulations argue they’ll have more time to provide patient care instead of focusing efforts on dealing with the red tape surrounding possible fines, etc.
Those opposed to the new regulations fear that an already failing system will likely worsen, putting countless nursing home residents at risk for abuse and neglect.
You can read more in the New York Time’s article Trump Administration Eases Nursing Home Fines in Victory for Industry. If you suspect your elderly loved one has suffered nursing home abuse or nursing home neglect please contact us as soon as possible.