Quality of care allegations against long term care providers are a focus for the Biden administration, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the HHS-OIG – all of whom are targeting providers whom they deem to be providing grossly substandard care to their residents. For example, in June 2022, the DOJ filed a high-stakes lawsuit under the False Claims Act against nursing homes for allegedly providing grossly substandard skilled nursing services to residents. Similarly, in May 2021, the DOJ reached an $11.2 million settlement with a nursing home provider to resolve allegations that the company provided grossly substandard nursing care in violation of the False Claims Act.
Promises to upgrade nursing home care made a cameo appearance in President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address for the second year running. But a cornerstone of his plan faces strong opposition as updated regulations begin to roll out. Central to Biden’s plan are more caregivers – nurses as well as the assistants who do the bulk of the day-to-day work with residents. People who run nursing homes say the president’s proposal to set stringent staffing requirements is impractical, arguing the real problem is that the government doesn't pay enough to hire the number of care workers recommended under federal guidelines. Some advocates for seniors say many nursing homes have plenty of money – they just need to spend more of it on staffing.
Citing a projected $5.5 million dollar operating deficit by 2024, continued staffing challenges and low insurance reimbursement rates, county commissioners are looking to put the Crawford County Care Center up for sale. Commissioners Friday confirmed to the Tribune the county is looking to sell the county-owned and operated nursing home to “a buyer with a proven track record of following CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) and (Pennsylvania) Department of Health standards.” The 157-bed nursing home facility formally is not on the market as yet, though Crawford County Care Center administration and employees were informed of the move toward a sale this week. Commissioners have been in contact with commercial real estate broker Walker & Dunlop Inc. and will seek advertise for request for sale proposals in the coming weeks.
As four nursing home facilities in Hampden County prepare to close, 22News talking to Congressman Richard Neal about the issue. During hearings this week, families said they are having a hard time finding a new nursing facility for their loved ones, finding many facilities in our area are not accepting patients. Neal told 22News, “There is a shortage of beds in long term care and part of the challenge is that the Medicaid supplement sometimes is not adequate for what is necessary but we certainly want to assist wherever we can.”
A recent report from the Pennsylvania Department of Health shows the facility failed to provide medications to residents on two occasions. On the flag waving outside the entrance to Claremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County are the words "now hiring.” While it’s a familiar phrase, its impacts are often unseen. However, a recently released inspection report from the Pennsylvania Department of Health shows it declared the long-term care facility in “Immediate Jeopardy” and residents were placed in harm's way.
The Ensign Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENSG), the parent company of the EnsignTM group of companies, which invest in and provide skilled nursing and senior living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, other rehabilitative and healthcare services, and real estate, announced today that it acquired the operations of Hampden Hills Post Acute, a 218-bed skilled nursing facility located in Aurora, Colorado, and Mapleton Post Acute, an 84-bed skilled nursing facility located in Lakewood, Colorado. These acquisitions were effective March 1, 2023 and will be subject to long-term, triple net leases. “We are thrilled about our continued growth in Colorado,” said Barry Port, Ensign's Chief Executive Officer. “We have admired these facilities for some time and are excited for the opportunity to combine these with our existing facilities in Colorado,” he added.