New Rule Enacted by Bush Administration Impedes Cases Against Nursing Homes

[babylonsister]

New Rule Enacted by Bush Administration Impedes Cases Against Nursing Homes

By Cindy Skrzycki
Tuesday, February 24, 2009; Page D02


The Bush administration shut off a source of information last fall about abuse and neglect in long-term care facilities that people suing nursing homes consider crucial to their cases.

The change, which affects the $144 billion nursing-home industry, was enacted with no public notice or attention.

"This is pretty stunning," said Mark Kosieradzki, a plaintiff attorney in Plymouth, Minn. "Nobody was told. It was just done."

snip//

"This change hurts nursing-home residents and their families by allowing bad practices to be kept in secret by nursing homes and inspectors," said Eric M. Carlson, an attorney with the National Senior Citizens Law Center in Los Angeles. "Government inspectors have the right to go into nursing homes and investigate, and they learn things that residents and families otherwise could never find out."

The new rule, which was issued in September, generally prohibits state health departments and contractors from participating in private lawsuits involving facilities that are in the federal assistance program without approval by the head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/23/AR2009022302752.html

[oldtime dfl_er]

1. just when you think

just when you think you've heard it all....these asshats have left behind all kinds of things like this, I'm sure. It's going to take decades to uproot them all.

[Solly Mack]

2. Just saying...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2030676&mesg_id=2030676

[babylonsister]

3. Thank you! CARLYLE! I was trying to remember the name of who

would benefit. There you go!

[Solly Mack]

4. I saw your thread title and went looking for the link

I remembered...but wanted to have the link.

[Enthusiast]

5. These assholes always

have an ulterior motive that involves greed. Another example of Reich Wing style 'transparency'.