The Senior Care Policy Briefing covers important long-term care issues by highlighting policy updates, news reports, and academic research.

Read the full Senior Care Policy Briefing below or download here.

December 16, 2024.

NEWSFLASH

  • Centers Health Care has agreed to a $45 million settlement with New York State following accusations of misappropriating government funds and understaffing its facilities. Announced by Attorney General Letitia James, the settlement includes $35 million allocated directly to improve patient care and the remainder reimbursed to Medicare and Medicaid.
  • People with dementia are less likely to be admitted to high-rated nursing homes (with four- or five-star staffing ratings), compared to those without the disease, according to a new study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia. The study found that admission to higher-rated facilities reduces short-term mortality and readmission risks, with more pronounced benefits for individuals with dementia, highlighting the need for equitable access to quality care and enhanced staffing in nursing homes.

LTC BY THE NUMBERS

  • Home Care VNA LLC, a Hartford, CT-based home health agency, and its current and former owners, agreed to a $361,520 civil settlement with federal and state authorities for alleged Medicaid violations. Investigators found the agency billed Medicaid for home health services without compliant plans of care.
    • Notably, Home Care VNA and its owners previously paid $630,000 in 2022 to settle similar Medicaid fraud allegations in Massachusetts. According to its website, it continues to operate there.
  • National Healthcare Corp. (NHC), the nation’s oldest publicly traded senior healthcare company, reported significant financial growth for Q3 2024, with net operating revenues and grant income increasing to over $340.2 million.
    • NHC was one of the nursing home companies to which US lawmakers sent letters in May 2024, calling out their hypocricy for opposing the federal minimum staffing rule.
  • CareTrust REIT, previously noted for its “record stash of credit and cash,” has now acquired a 46-facility skilled nursing and seniors housing portfolio in the Midwest for $97M and reported progress on its Tennessee portfolio acquisition. These transactions bring CareTrust’s 2024 investment total to over $1.3B.

Does this sound like an industry lacking the funds to provide adequate staffing, fair wages, & quality care?

SOCIAL MEDIA ABUSE

  • An Iowa nursing home was fined $1,000 after a staff member allegedly shared unauthorized photos and videos of residents, including degrading captions like “This man is literally dying.”
    • The Good Samaritan nursing home has a one-star federal rating and a history of noncompliance, with $14,500 in fines issued in December 2023 for multiple violations, including inadequate staffing and poor care quality.
  • Gerontologist and dementia behavior specialist Eilon Caspi provides ten suggestions for combatting social media abuse in nursing homes, including focusing on staff education and strict enforcement of policies.

SHINING A LIGHT ON ONE-STAR NURSING CARE

The latest Elder Justice Newsletter focuses on the injustices occurring in facilities that have received a one-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Nursing homes with these lowest possible one-star ratings often fail to meet basic care standards, putting residents at risk.