A bipartisan bill introduced by two members of the House of Representatives seeks to reduce malpractice risk against Medicare and Medicaid providers—a move that intends to lower healthcare costs and improve patient care. H.R. 4106, colloquially known as the “Saving Lives, Saving Costs Act,” is a joint effort between Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY) and Ami […]
Category: Legislation
Assisted living residents in New Jersey cannot use an existing state law that protects nursing home residents to file suit against providers, a federal court recently ruled. The case Andreyko v. Sunrise Senior Living Inc. (No. 12-7240) ruled that the New Jersey Nursing Home Responsibilities & Rights Act (NHRRRA) does not cover assisted living communities […]
Lawmakers have proposed a package of bills meant to reform California’s assisted living industry after an investigative series revealed what the UT-San Diego termed “inadequate supervision and other problems” at several communities. Senators Marty Block, Ellen Corbett, Mark Leno, and Assembly Members Toni G. Atkins, Susan Talamantes Eggman, Nancy Skinner and Mariko Yamada are among […]
California lawmakers will hold hearings in February to examine assisted living providers in the state, following a San Diego Union-Tribune report outlining problems with assisted living homes. The publication worked with the California Healthcare Foundation Center for Health Reporting at the University of Southern California on the investigations cited in the reports, which included two […]
Florida lawmakers last week urged the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration to make laws in short order that would help the state in enforcing the closures of unlicensed assisted living facilities. The nature of the request was firm and urgent, according to a local report on the Florida Senate hearing. “Tell them to hustle,” […]
Because assisted living is regulated on the state level, there are multiple efforts under way at any given time to update and refresh assisted living rules and regulations. Even when legislators are not in session, they are still making progress on aligning regulations with the changing needs of assisted living residents. “States, usually on an […]
A bill that would forbid employers from having policies against lifesaving measures has reached the desk of California Governor Jerry Brown after passing both houses of the state’s Legislature. Sponsored by Sen. Norma Torres (D-Pamona), AB633 aims to protect employees who perform lifesaving procedures during emergencies. The bill is a response to the death of […]
The Affordable Care Act may be massive, but one component in particular is proving a major consideration for senior living providers: the “employer mandate” to provide health coverage for all “full-time” employees who work 30 hours or more per week. Initially slated to take effect in 2014, the Obama Administration has pushed the rule back […]
Memory care training in Massachusetts nursing homes is becoming more stringent for the communities that advertise specialized care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Under new rules currently being reviewed by state regulators, those who advertise memory care in the state will be required to provide at least eight hours of initial training for care staff […]
AARP issued a statement Friday stressing the need for lawmakers to focus on long term care regulations via the Commission on Long-Term Care, with a focus on care based in homes and communities as a cornerstone. The commission held a hearing last week in preparation for a September deadline by which the commission is tasked […]