Nursing home providers and legislators in Oklahoma have different opinions about new legislation requiring nursing homes to carry at least $250,000 inliability insurance. 

Lawmakers and consumer advocates have said the mandatoryinsurance is simply the “cost of doing business,” but providers havea different take on the situation. They say that insufficient reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid put nursing homes in the awkwardposition of having to choose between liability insurance and quality care. 

Medicare and Medicaid funds cover roughly 70% of nursinghome residents in Oklahoma, according to the Oklahoma Association of HealthcareProviders. The Oklahoma Center for Consumer and Patient Safety say that 56nursing homes, comprising nearly 20% of the state’s beds, do not have liabilityinsurance. The law is awaiting approval from the house.The state’s senate passed the bill unanimously.