American consumers are known for their shopping savvy. Whether searching for the best deal on a car, computer or this season’s 'must-have' toy, Americans spend valuable time comparison-shopping either on-line or on Main Street.
Usually, the extra time spent is well worth the effort. Most folks feel good when they get in on a bargain. At the same time, few are willing to compromise quality for the sake of convenience or a little extra savings. That should also be the case when it comes to health care services, particularly when it comes time to finding quality long-term care for a loved one.
Unfortunately, good comparative information about the standards of care provided at the nation’s 17,000 nursing homes hasn’t been so easily available to ordinary consumers. And while the majority of the nation’s nursing homes provide high-quality care with dedicated staff on tight operating margins, most Americans likely are aware of the horror stories involving incidents of negligent care.
For years I have led a crusade in Washington to improve and enforce higher standards of care in U.S. nursing homes. Four years ago as then-chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, I led congressional hearings that exposed deplorable conditions of substandard care and neglect in California nursing homes. While many nursing home residents receive perfectly fine care, others suffer from malnourishment, dehydration, bedsores or abuse from staff or fellow residents.
Nursing homes provide essential, around-the-clock care for millions of America’s most vulnerable citizens. Taxpayers foot a good share of the money that pays for nursing home care to the tune of $58 billion a year. Billions more come from the nursing home population’s own pockets or long-term care insurance. Taxpayers ought to know that their hard-earned money is being spent on good care. And frail elderly residents and their loved ones ought to have confidence that should they require 24-hour care, their neighborhood nursing home will measure up to high standards.
That’s why I have kept a tireless eye on efforts to implement quality reforms throughout the nursing home industry and enforce regulations designed to improve and maintain decent care. Making nursing homes accountable for taxpayer-financed care will help raise standards of care for residents.
In November, the administration unveiled a nationwide resource for consumers to compare the track record for Medicare-certified nursing homes located anywhere in the nation. Building on its Nursing Home Compare initiative launched last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have expanded the quality measurements available for consumers to check, including the percentage of residents experiencing pain, delirium, rehospitalization, pressure ulcers, psychotropic drug use, loss of ability in basic daily tasks and use of restraints.
The information is available on-line at www.medicare.gov or toll-free at 1-800-MEDICARE.
As a longtime advocate of improving nursing home care, I support the administration’s commitment to nursing home quality. I encourage consumers to use this data resource as a tool in their search for the best nursing home to meet their needs. However, it’s critical that consumers continue to visit facilities in person, talk with residents and staff members and check for any complaints filed to the state.
As the incoming chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid policy, I will continue my scrutiny of the federal government’s regulatory responsibilities and enforcement of the nation’s nursing home laws.
At my request, the General Accounting Office reviewed this latest initiative and identified some problems with the reliability, validity and accuracy of the data in this project. I’ll work with the administration to correct the shortcomings and fine-tune the project to make it as useful and effective as possible. It should help to accurately inform the public and motivate nursing homes to improve.
As a longstanding government watchdog, I’ve taken the attitude to let sunshine be the best disinfectant. By making a quality check-list readily available to the general public, consumers will be empowered and nursing homes will have extra incentives to improve their standards of care. And that’s in the best interests of taxpayers, nursing home residents, their loved ones and the long-term care system in America.