The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the U.S. government agency that administers the federal Medicare program, announced a new program to let the public easily find out about nursing home abuse. “The Trump Administration is putting critical information at consumers’ fingertips, empowering them and incentivizing nursing homes to compete on cost and quality,” said Seema Verma, Administrator of CMS.
Nursing Home Compare has detailed information about every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country. The CMS Nursing Home Compare website will add a consumer alert icon next to nursing homes with reported violations of abuse, neglect or exploitation that led to patient harm or potential patient harm beginning October 23, 2019. The website provides detailed information about each Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the U.S.
According to a CMS press release announcing the new service for consumers,
“Through the “transparency” pillar of our five-part strategy to ensure safety and quality in nursing homes, we are giving residents and families the ability to make informed choices.”
CMS said nursing home violations are already listed on their website, but they can be difficult to find. They plan to update the icons every month so consumers don’t have to wait for quarterly updates and nursing homes won’t be unnecessarily flagged.
The new program is part of CMS’ initiative to keep nursing home residents safe under Administrator Seema Verma’s five-part approach to ensuring safety and quality in America’s nursing homes:
1. Strengthening Oversight
2. Enhancing Enforcement
3. Increasing Transparency
4. Improving Quality
5. Putting Patients over Paperwork
When it comes time for advice or if you find out about nursing home issues or other legal concerns, a Lombard elder law attorney can help. To discuss your situation and learn more about getting help from a dedicated and caring lawyer, contact us today to set up a consultation.
