In the wake of the ongoing controversy regarding Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “void” of reporting COVID-19 fatalities in statewide nursing homes, Bronx assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz just passed new legislation in both the assembly and senate to expand transparency in such care facilities.
Though, this legislation predates the pandemic back to 2019 and focuses on having all New York nursing homes display their most recent “star” inspection ratings from the U.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for all to see.
“Family members often do not have the resources or skills required to properly care for their aging loved ones and are reliant on professional nursing home facilities to provide the care they need,” Dinowitz’s office stated in a release.
Now such information must be “posted prominently” inside the facility itself as well as to be linked or posted on the nursing home’s website in addition to the state’s Department of Health site.
This five-star rating system factors health inspection results, staffing, and quality measures composed of 15 different physical and clinical measures for nursing home residents.
“We must keep our focus on what matters most – ensuring high-quality patient care at all nursing homes in New York. CMS ratings are an essential transparency metric that can help families choose the best home for their aging loved ones, and we should make it as easy as possible for families to find this information,” Dinowitz said.
“As an added bonus, perhaps if we make it easier for families to vote with their feet – more nursing home providers will finally start putting people over their profits.”
