From staff reports
U.S. Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., are introducing a bipartisan bill to enhance accountability among the nation’s poorest performing nursing homes, according to a joint news release.
Quality of care in a subset of nursing homes have persistently fallen short, and there are more than 500 facilities nationwide that have consistently failed to meet federal safety and care requirements, the release said.
Of those facilities, only a maximum of 88 are chosen to participate in the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program, which provides additional oversight and inspections.
Casey said more than 94,000 residents and workers in nursing homes and long-term care facilities have died from the virus since February.
“We have an imperative to help nursing homes’ residents and workers amid this public health crisis, and we must also improve care quality in nursing facilities – especially those that have a consistent pattern of failing safety and care standards,” Casey said. “I urge my colleagues to pass this bipartisan bill immediately.”
According to Toomey, two of every three Pennsylvanians to die from COVID-19 were residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
“Unfortunately, some of the largest outbreaks occurred in facilities with records of persistent failure to protect their residents,” Toomey said.
“This new bipartisan legislation will provide greater oversight and resources to systemically underperforming nursing homes. The Senate should pass this bill without delay.”
The legislation also would increase educational resources for all underperforming facilities and establish an independent advisory council to inform the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on how best to foster quality improvements, according to the release.
