Nursing home companies and lobbyists in two states found themselves in the burning spotlight of consumer media this week, targeted over donations to lawmakers.

In one case, the lawmakers have seemingly done nursing homes a favor, passing a budget that commits $1.4 million to improve quality of care — nevermind that a good share of that amount went toward new enforcement activities and that a rate increase is tied to new quality incentives.

Cleveland’s Plain Dealer splashed across its front page on Sunday a story about nursing home execs donating nearly $500,000 to the House Finance Committee Chairman’s “eye-popping” fundraising campaign.

In the other state, the implication was that nursing home companies might be looking for a favor.

The Albany Times Union on Wednesday used recent campaign filings to identify high-level donors to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). Among the list of contributors, the paper found “an unusual source of money” pouring into campaign coffers: what it described as tens of thousands of dollars from executives and operators of nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, “some of whom have recently been accused of egregious violations that include mistreating residents.” 

Nevermind that those charges of Medicaid fraud, intentional understaffing and patient mistreatment have come from the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is an elected official operating independently of the governor’s office.

Despite the salacious headlines, donations to political figures who help shape laws that dictate the interests of healthcare providers — SNFS or otherwise — are hardly new or unusual.

Patient advocacy groups also pour thousands of dollars into the pockets of campaigning lawmakers. Why should their voices be the only ones to inform operational and funding decisions?

Nursing home owners and leaders very much have valid viewpoints on the sector they put their hearts (and financial resources) into each and every day. The idea that they have to buy their way into conversations with leaders in a position of power is far more bothersome to me than the fact that they have the audacity to try to influence these folks in the first place. 

Much like the nursing home reimbursement system, the campaign contribution system in this country is embarrassingly broken, but hopefully not permanently so. And until the fix is in in both places, nursing home providers must do what they can, within the rules, to stay in the game.

Kimberly Marselas is senior editor of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.

Opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News columns are not necessarily those of McKnight’s.