Reforms follow deadly year in New York nursing homes
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — After a deadly year in New York's nursing homes, state lawmakers have passed legislation intended to hold facility operators more accountable for neglect and potentially force them to spend more on patient care.
Rules passed in recent days as part of a state budget deal would require for-profit homes to spend at least 70% of their revenue on direct patient care, including 40% on staffers who work directly with residents.
Under the deal, set to be signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, home operators will also face limits on their profit margins. Any profits in excess of 5% would have to be sent to the state.
“The goal is here to not only protect people in nursing homes but to dissuade bad actors from coming into this business,” Sen. Gustavo Rivera, Senate health committee chair, said. New York’s budget would also send $64 million to nursing home and acute care facilities to increase nurse staffing levels.
The nursing home industry has blasted the new revenue requirements, saying operators need flexibility for things like construction costs.
Stephen Hanse, president and CEO of the New York State Health Facilities Association, which represents nursing homes, said the big problem in the industry isn't owner greed, but poor reimbursement rates for care. He said it costs $266 on average to provide skilled nursing care per resident each day, but New York pays an average of $211.
The state's new spending mandate, he said, “harms the highest quality, fully staffed 4- and 5- star nursing homes by requiring that funds be redirected from other patient care investments and building improvements and be used only for certain staff.”
More long-term care residents have died of COVID-19 in New York than any other state. Nursing homes alone have...
