WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma seeking more information into what happened in the case of an elderly Iowa woman who passed away seemingly due to lapses in care by staff at the Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center, Iowa. The letter is in response to a report published by the Des Moines Register.

“Neglect and abuse of senior citizens cannot be tolerated in any setting, ever,” Grassley said. “People responsible for neglect and abuse of seniors must be held accountable.”

Grassley has been an advocate for seniors throughout his time in Congress, particularly through his oversight work. In 2017, Grassley pressed CMS for answers on why it failed to ensure that nursing home abuse and neglect cases are reported to law enforcement as required, as well as its lack of urgency in responding to an early alert from the agency watchdog on the problem. Grassley also called on Snapchat and other social media companies to explore how they could stop users from posting humiliating and demeaning photos of vulnerable individuals after reports surfaced of nursing home workers in at least 18 facilities taking unauthorized photos of elderly residents.

Also last year, Grassley introduced the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act, which became law. The law enhances enforcement against perpetrators of crimes targeting senior citizens. Specifically, it increases training for federal investigators and prosecutors and calls for the designation of at least one prosecutor in each federal judicial district who will be tasked with handling cases of elder abuse. It also ensures that the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection and the Department of Justice will both have an elder justice coordinator and increases penalties for perpetrators.

You can the letter here or below.

The Honorable Seema Verma

Administrator

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

7500 Security Boulevard

Baltimore, MD 21244

 

Dear Ms Verma:

Recently, an investigative news report in Iowa indicated that the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals has proposed a fine for the Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center, IA. This fine was the result of the facility reportedly failing to provide a timely medical assessment and corresponding treatment to an elderly resident who exhibited symptoms of severe dehydration. The fine was proposed on June 25, 2018, four months after the death of the resident. The news report also noted that the proposed fine is currently held in suspension pending action by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).*

Based on the reporting, this entire episode illustrates a failure to respond to a resident's medical needs and to keep the family appropriately informed. In order to better understand the situation, please provide answers to the following no later than August 17, 2018.

1. When did CMS first become aware of potentially improper activity at Timely Mission? What is the current status of CMS' involvement? Please explain.

2. Please list all complaints received by CMS regarding Timely Mission for each of the past 5 years and the current status of each.

3. Does CMS currently have a plan to employ corrective action at Timely Mission? If so, what is that plan? If not, why not?

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