Officials announce nursing home reform efforts

The Biden administration on Monday announced a round of new measures for nursing homes aimed at ensuring adequate care for seniors.

Citing how the pandemic “highlighted the tragic impact of substandard conditions at nursing homes,” the White House announced it would be issuing new requirements through the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to improve the “quality and safety” of nursing homes.

Through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the administration will be proposing new minimum standards of care to be unveiled within the next year following a study to determine the level of care and staffing that is needed.

What’s included: These new measures include reducing resident room crowding and reinforcing safeguards against unnecessary medications and treatments.

Along with these new measures, the administration will also be enhancing the government’s abilities to inspect nursing homes and issue penalties against those that are found to be unsafe. President Biden called for limits on financial penalties against poor-performing facilities to be raised from $21,000 to $1,000,000.