“Poor Patient Care at Many Nursing Homes Despite Stricter Oversight,” by Jordan Rau, New York Times

“While special focus status is one of the federal government’s strictest forms of oversight, nursing homes that were forced to undergo such scrutiny often slide back into providing dangerous care, according to an analysis of federal health inspection data. Of 528 nursing homes that graduated from special focus status before 2014 and are still operating, slightly more than half — 52 percent — have since harmed patients or put patients in serious jeopardy within the past three years. . . . Yet, despite recurrences of patient harm, nursing homes are rarely denied Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.”

LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):
Most nursing homes rely primarily on reimbursement from Medicaid at less than the cost of care. So it’s no wonder care quality suffers, but Medicaid can’t always deny reimbursement. Who would provide care of any quality if it did? The only answer is to stop trapping the middle class on Medicaid and pull more private financing at market reimbursement rates into long-term care. No amount of “oversight” can make up for inadequate funding.

Poor Patient Care at Many Nursing Homes Despite Stricter Oversight

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