AAHSA applauds Sen. Russ Feingold for introducing the Improving Quality of Care in Nursing Homes Act

May 26 2010

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging's (AAHSA) President and CEO Larry Minnix applauds Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) for introducing the Improving Quality of Care in Nursing Homes Act.

If passed, this legislation would call on the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) to review the current state of nursing home care in America as well as the federal and state oversight system and provide recommendations for improving the law. The researchers' review will be focused on issues in nursing home oversight and quality standards enforcement identified by the Government Accountability Office and concerns that members of the Wisconsin Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (WAHSA) shared with the senator.

According to WAHSA Executive Director John Sauer, the provider community "fully embraces Senator Feingold's efforts to evaluate the nursing home survey and certification system. The current system too often impedes comprehensive quality improvement initiatives while at the same time hampering the ability of nursing home regulators to target facilities with frequent and serious care issues. Our hope is that the IOM study will encourage innovative regulatory reforms and enable the system to recognize facilities that provide exemplary care and services."

"We commend Senator Feingold for not accepting the status quo and fighting for a system that will ensure America's nursing home residents can receive the highest quality care possible," AAHSA President and CEO Larry Minnix said. "AAHSA and its members call on Congress to support this legislation to ensure nursing home quality that people can trust."