Santorum made inquiries for nursing home, official says (Scandal?)

[RamboLiberal]

This is an ongoing trial in Pittsburgh on charges against a nursing home. This story makes it look like the Senator intervened to keep the Feds from closing. Could be a huge scandal in PA if it proves out. BTW, check the story out in the PA forum - I posted PG links on the trial

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05216/548813.stm

Federal officials reconsidered a decision to cut off new Medicare and Medicaid funds to a troubled nursing home after receiving an inquiry from U.S. Rick Santorum.

An official with the agencies testified today in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh in the fraud trial for the former Ronald Reagan Atrium I Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Robinson and its administrator, Martha Bell.

Dale Van Wieren, from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said officials were considering cutting off funding for new patients at Atrium as of Jan. 26, 2001. Most patients receive some form of federal funding, and the cutoff would have affected any new admissions, not patients already staying there.

The cutoff notice was sent after state inspectors, whose work is used for Medicare eligibility determination, found widespread deficiencies in three visits to the facility, Van Wieren said.

But before federal funding was cut off, an unusual fourth inspection of the facility was made after federal officials received a request from Santorum, Van Wieren testified.

[RamboLiberal]

1. I'm giving this a kick cause I think this may blowup in

little Ricky's face. :kick:

[davidinalameda]

5. one can only hope

and I did a double take at the name of the place as well

they'd name a dead cat after him

[Iowa]

2. The Ronald Reagan Nursing and Rehabilitation Center...

Now there's a name that inspires confidence! Rush right out and put your dear old Mom there, because there's no chance that home will be owned by a greedy, corporatist, sleazebag with no conscience. :sarcasm:

[Doremus]

3. LOL A sleazy, violation-filled nursing home named after Ronnie. :)

Aptly named I'd say. :)

[jazzjunkysue]

6. Send grandma over to Ron Where Am I Reagan Nursing home.

Great plan.

[Auntie Bush]

4. kick