If one is fortunate enough to live long enough to end up in a nursing home, you may find yourself or family member with substandard care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is advocating for standardized reporting methods to make sure there is adequate nursing to patient ratios. Prior to the ACA law, care facilities were only required to self-report on staffing levels, which has led to discrepancies in what is actually happening in nursing homes. In order for a facility to be Medicare/Medicaid certified they have to meet federal staffing requirements and it is the States responsibility to enforce those staffing requirements. Understaffing leaves residents at risk for falls, poor nutrition and medical care. Lower levels of care are associated with a higher likelihood of injury and even death. As a requirement of the ACA, payroll reporting is supposed to be implemented to verify staffing…and in many places it hasnt been. Reporting discrepancies are nationwide, but the states with the greatest reporting gaps are in the South. The fact that our elderly are not being cared for in this country is a terrible mark on a nation of such wealth as ours. The fact that states who receive Medicare/Medicaid payments for their residents refuse to comply with State and Federal staffing requirements for whatever reason is equally shameful. publicintegrity.org/2014/11/12/16246/analysis-shows-widespread-discrepancies-staffing-levels-reported-nursing-homes?utm_campaign=syndication&utm_source=yahoo-news&utm_medium=continue-reading-link
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 17:36:33 +0000
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