White House Announces Nursing Home Reforms
New guidelines will affect Sacramento Nursing Homes, Improve Staffing and Hold SNF’s Accountable.
The President of the United States has announced a set of reforms aimed at improving the safety and quality of nursing home care in the country, including Sacramento County. These reforms, which are being implemented through the Department of Health and Human Services, are designed to ensure that Sacramento nursing homes provide a sufficient number of adequately trained staff to provide high-quality care, hold poorly performing nursing homes accountable for improper and unsafe care, and improve transparency about nursing home conditions so that potential residents and their loved ones can make informed decisions.
The announcement of these reforms comes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has highlighted the tragic impact of substandard conditions at nursing homes, including those in Sacramento. Despite the tens of billions of federal taxpayer dollars flowing to Sacramento nursing homes each year, many continue to provide poor, sub-standard care that leads to avoidable harm to residents. In fact, failure to comply with federal guidelines at Sacramento nursing homes is widespread. The Government Accountability Office found that, from 2013 to 2017, 82% of all inspected nursing homes had an infection prevention and control deficiency, including a lack of regular handwashing, that was identified through Medicare and Medicaid surveys.
Without decisive action now, these unacceptable conditions may get worse. Private equity firms have been buying up struggling Sacramento nursing homes, and research shows that private equity-owned nursing homes tend to have significantly worse outcomes for residents. Too often, the private equity model puts profits before people, which is particularly dangerous when it comes to the health and safety of vulnerable Sacramento seniors and people with disabilities.
The reforms announced by the President will ensure that Sacramento nursing homes provide sufficient staffing levels, hold poorly performing nursing homes accountable, and improve transparency about nursing home conditions. This will help to ensure that Sacramento seniors, people with disabilities, and others living in Sacramento nursing homes receive the high-quality care that they deserve. It will also help to prevent avoidable harm to nursing home residents and improve the overall quality of Sacramento nursing home care in the United States.
If you have had a loved one injured, neglected or abused in a Sacramento Nursing Home, please contact Sean Laird who specialized in nursing home neglect and abuse.
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