Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog

In response to states drafting false claims acts that are not at least as strong as the federal False Claims Act, the government is providing an incentive for states to strengthen and pass these laws.

As part of the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), the government will provide a 10 percent increase in the state's share of Medicaid fraud recoveries if their laws are at least as strong as the federal False Claims Act.

For more information:
http://www.taf.org/cashbackstatefca.htm

The FDA today released technical guidance to help hospital bed manufacturers, hospitals, nursing homes, and private caregivers assess the safety of bedrails.

The guide can be downloaded here:
Download file

To combat staffing insufficiencies and ensure that family members of nursing home residents are aware of the staffing at homes, new regulations have been published in the Oct. 28th Federal Register.

Facilities are required to post - at the beginning of each shift and "in a prominent place readily accessible to residents and visitors":
•Actual hours worked (as opposed to scheduled to be worked) by direct care workers by category - RN, LPN/LVN, and CAN
•Resident census

To download the regulations and CMS's explanation of them, go to: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/.
Click on "Browse" and then "Back Issue." The regulations are under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.