The Trump administration wants to roll back regulations that are onerous for nursing homes, according to a recent report from NPR.
Although at odds with regulators on many recent moves, providers are not necessarily opposed to some of the administration’s proposals that were noted in the NPR report.
Calling them burdensome and inflexible, the administration is seeking to soften certain policies. Among the rules being proposed are changing the way antipsychotics are prescribed. Under a proposed rule, the doctor could keep renewing a prescription without seeing the patient again for a month or two. While elder advocates have objected to this proposal, the American Health Care Association expressed that it represents an improvement as the doctor has to document why the medicine should be continued. The nursing home is receiving more guidance from doctors, and that is a welcome development, provider advocates say.
The administration is proposing other regulations, such as reducing fines for substandard care, and limiting standards and staff time on everything from policies in the kitchen to infection control to filing grievances, the news report noted.
