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Should We Beware of These Nursing Homes?

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An Associated Press article posted today on MSNBC cited an interesting development on the Medicare website—Medicare is “outing” the 54 worst nursing homes in the country, an unprecedented move for the large government-funded agency. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reviews all Medicare-certified skilled nursing facilities. In the past, it seemed as if major repercussions were never applied to sub-par facilities or those in need of improvements.

Medicare, it appears, is changing. And the result should benefit consumers. Individuals looking into nursing care are often unaware of potential homes to avoid. However, this is no longer true thanks to a group of lawmakers led by the bi-partisan team of Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl, chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging and the Iowa Senator Charles Grassley. These lawmakers convinced the Bush administration to publish the list of the 54 Worst Nursing Homes. As I read this article I found it so refreshing that the senator’s goal is not to be “punitive” but to increase every facility’s quality of care. This same idea of “raising the bar” in a crucial industry was one of the very reasons I started Gilbert Guide; consumers deserve access to this type of information so they can make the most informed decisions for themselves or their loved ones.

Back to Work...Jill

Posted in: Editorials

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