Provider group supports review of nursing home survey system

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging has endorsed a new bill that would reevaluate the current state of nursing home oversight.

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced the Improving the Quality of Care in Nursing Homes Act of 2010 before the Senate recessed for the Memorial Day holiday. The bill calls for a study into current methods of nursing home evaluation, as well as the relationship between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and nursing homes, and the accuracy of the survey process. The bill assigns the Department of Health and Human Services to work with the Institute of Medicine to conduct the study.

The time has come “for a fundamental review of how far the nursing home field has come” in the area of quality assurance, Feingold, the bill's chief sponsor said. The Government Accountability Office has identified significant issues that need to be addressed when it comes to nursing home oversight and enforcement of quality standards, according to Feingold.

"We commend Senator Feingold for not accepting the status quo and fighting for a system that will ensure America's nursing home residents can receive the highest quality care possible," AAHSA President and CEO Larry Minnix said in a statement.