new nursing home laws
Nursing Home Health Care Reform May Have Positive Effects for Oklahomans
The next four years will be critical in reforming health care in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult-day care centers, and residential-care homes in Oklahoma and nationwide, according to an article on NewsOK.com. Approximately $777 million is being used to instigate reforms in nursing homes across the country, which will include immediate reporting of crimes to authorities, steep penalties for crimes that are not reported, criminal background checks by way of fingerprinting, and penalties against long-term care administrators who retaliate against whistleblowers. Facilities with “non-compliance” reports will be evaluated every six months. The article states that most reforms will begin in 2011 and 2012.
In addition, the reform will provide more thorough and accurate disclosure requirements, which will make it easier for law enforcement agencies as well as the general public to identify an owner of a nursing home or other elder care facility. Another requirement that these facilities will have to adapt is a 60-day notice of closure with relocation and transfer plans of all residents. The consequence for not doing so would be a fine upwards of $100,000.
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