Moratorium on Nursing Home Staffing Standards On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law. One of its provisions placed a moratorium on the Biden Era minimum staffing standards for nursing homes. Specifically, Section 71111 of the OBBBA provides: Subchapter B—Preventing Wasteful Spending SEC. 71111. MORATORIUM ON IMPLEMENTATION OF RULE […]
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As an initial proposition, all relevant evidence is admissible. See Federal Rules of Evidence, Rule 402. In 1993, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993). Since then, expert testimony (subject to Rule 702) is not relevant unless it is “(1) scientific knowledge that (2) will assist the […]
[Note: Section 71111 of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act placed a moratorium on enforcement of the nursing home minimum staffing standards through September 30, 2024] On April 22, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced a new final rule requiring minimum staffing levels in nursing homes. The new rule applies to all […]
On April 1, 2024, the Washington Post published an article titled “Algorithms guide senior home staffing. Managers say care is suffering.” The article indicates that a system, called Service Alignment, was developed more than two decades ago when assisted living facility (ALF) executives began timing caregivers performing tasks. That data was fed into a computer […]
In White v. Stanley (Georgia Ct. App. 10/3/2023), Rhonda White appealed a jury verdict in favor of the defendants relating to a motor vehicle collision. White argued that the trial court gave an improper jury instruction regarding the Preponderance-of-the-Evidence Standard. The trial court instructed the jury using the existing pattern jury instructions. However, the law […]
Ideally, health care providers do the right thing. Good Care is provided. There is no negligence. But what if they don’t do the right thing? What if they are negligent? Should you have the right to consider your options regarding how to hold them accountable? Over the past two decades, many long-term care providers, especially […]
Nursing homes are intended to be places of comfort and healing. More than 1.4 million individuals live in over 15,500 Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes across the nation. Everyone knows staffing is the most significant issue when determining whether your loved one gets the care he or she needs. Staffing levels have a direct impact […]
There are many types of “Plaintiff’s cases.” This article focuses on injury cases. Injury cases can be as simple as a car wreck or as complex as a medical malpractice case. Regardless, they generally require four essential elements: duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages. See Calhoun First Nat’l Bank v. Dickens, 264 Ga. 285 […]
Nursing home residents have the right to who they will spend time with and how they will spend it. Specifically, 42 C.F.R. § 483.10(f)(1) – (3), (8) provides that residents have the right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice, including but not limited to the rights […]
Nursing home residents have a right to refuse unnecessary transfers within the facility. Specifically, 42 C.F.R. § 483.10(e)(7) and (8) provides that the resident has a right to be treated with respect and dignity, including: (7) The right to refuse to transfer to another room in the facility, if the purpose of the transfer is: […]
Nursing home residents have a right to share a room with whomever they wish as long as both residents agree. Specifically, 42 C.F.R. § 483.10(e)(4) – (6) provides that the resident has a right to be treated with respect and dignity, including: (4) The right to share a room with his or her spouse when […]
Nursing home residents have a right to reasonable accomodation of needs and preferences. 42 C.F.R. § 483.10(e)(3) provides that the resident has a right to be treated with respect and dignity, including: (3) The right to reside and receive services in the facility with reasonable accommodation of resident needs and preferences except when to do so […]
42 C.F.R. § 483.10(e)(2) provides that the resident has a right to be treated with respect and dignity, including: (2) The right to retain and use personal possessions, including furnishings, and clothing, as space permits, unless to do so would infringe upon the rights or health and safety of other residents. Appendix PP: All residents’ […]
Nursing home residents have the right to visitation. Specifically, 42 C.F.R. § 483.10(f) provides that residents have the right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice, including but not limited to the rights specified in paragraphs (f)(1) through (11) of this section. (4) The resident has a […]
Nursing home residents have the right to make their own choices. This includes basic life choices, the right to information and to socialize, and rights concerning financial matters. Specifically, 42 C.F.R. § 483.10(f) provides that residents have the right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice, including […]
Nursing home residents have the right to make their own choices. This includes basic life choices, the right to information and to socialize, and rights concerning financial matters. Specifically, 42 C.F.R. § 483.10(f) provides that residents have the right to and the facility must promote and facilitate resident self-determination through support of resident choice, including […]
Nursing home residents have the right to choose his or her attending physician. The physician must be licensed to practice, and if the physician chosen by the resident refuses to or does not meet requirements specified in this part, the facility may seek alternate physician participation as specified in paragraphs (d)(4) and (5) of this […]
Appendix PP provides the following additional guidance regarding treatment of residents with impaired, or potentially impaired decision-making capacity: Definitions: “Court of competent jurisdiction” means any court with the authority to hear and determine a case or suit with the matter in question. “Resident representative” For purposes of this subpart, the term resident representative may mean […]
Appendix PP provides the following guidance regarding a resident’s right to self-administer medications as provided in 42 C.F.R. §483.10(c)(7). If a resident requests to self-administer medication(s), it is the responsibility of the interdisciplinary team (IDT) (as defined in §483.21(b), F657, Comprehensive Care Plans) to determine that it is safe before the resident exercises that right. […]
Nursing home residents have the same right to participate in the informed consent process as any other patient. 42 C.F.R. § 483.10(c) provides: The resident has the right to be informed of, and participate in, his or her treatment, including: (1) The right to be fully informed in language that he or she can understand […]
Nursing home residents have a right to exercise his or her rights as a resident of the facility and as a citizen or resident of the United States. Speficially, the facility must ensure that the resident can exercise his or her rights without interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal from the facility. The resident has the […]
Nursing home residents have a right to a dignified existence, self-determination, and communication with and access to persons and services inside and outside the facility, including those specified in this section. A facility must treat each resident with respect and dignity and care for each resident in a manner and in an environment that promotes […]
42 C.F.R. § 483.5 defines the following terms: Abuse Abuse is the willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain or mental anguish. Abuse also includes the deprivation by an individual, including a caretaker, of goods or services that are necessary to attain or maintain physical, mental, and psychosocial […]
Nursing homes, also called skilled nursing facilities, provide a wide range of health and personal care services. Their services focus on medical care more than most assisted living facilities. These services typically include nursing care, 24-hour supervision, three meals a day, and assistance with everyday activities. Rehabilitation services, such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy, […]
In our August 26, 2022, News Roundup, we reported that Talevski v. Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (HHC) was headed to the Supreme Court. The case concerns the rights of nursing home residents. The Plaintiff argued the nursing home violated his rights under the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act (FNHRA). The nursing home […]
We regularly scour the internet looking for information relating to elder care, special needs and elder law. Although we review a number of sources collecting information, many of the articles listed here were found using Google Scholar Alerts. If a link you need has gone missing, try pasting the link into the Wayback Machine (Internet […]
There are times when formal “legal” communication is necessary. This post addresses several instances regarding how that can be done. It is not meant to be all inclusive and, in many cases, specific communication rules apply. Beginning a lawsuit: When you begin a lawsuit, a summons must be served on the Defendant(s). Generally, Rule 4 […]
We regularly post links to news articles and other resources related to Elder Law and Special Needs Law. We focus on general news, health and healthcare news, special needs news, events, government sources, financial and retirement news and legal news. Some cited resources are for professionals, but most are news or other helpful articles we […]
In Estate of Vickers v. Diversicare Leasing Corp. (Tenn. Ct. App. 6/13/2022), a dentist extracted 18 teeth from a nursing home resident who was taking blood thinners. The nursing home resident experienced heavy bleeding and was taken to a nearby emergency room. She was released the following day. Eleven months later, plaintiff sent pre-suit notice […]
We regularly post links to news articles and other resources that might be of interest to our viewers. We focus on general news, health and healthcare news, special needs news, events, government sources, financial and retirement news and legal news. Only headlines are listed so you can use this page like a newspaper, reading only […]
In Welch v. Oaktree Health and Rehabilitation Center (2/28/2022), the Tennessee Court of Appeals reversed a trial court’s determination that an arbitration agreement could not be enforced. David Welch was a nursing home resident. Prioer to his death, he executed a power of attorney for health care, designating his brother, James Welch, as his health […]
A new Medicaid lien case is pending in the U.S. Supreme Court. The question presented is “[w]hether the federal Medicaid Act provides for a state Medicaid program to recover reimbursement for Medicaid’s payment of a beneficiary’s past medical expenses by taking funds from the portion of the beneficiary’s tort recovery that compensates for future medical […]
A nursing home resident’s room is considered the resident’s home. That’s why people in nursing home are called “residents” instead of patients. In a nursing home, the resident controls, among other things, when visitors can come and who can visit. Generally, it’s legal to film or record in your own home without the consent of […]
In CL SNF, LLC v. Fountain (Ga. Supreme Court September 21, 2021), the Georgia Supreme Court reversed CL SNF, LLC v. Fountain, 355 Ga. App. 176, 183 (1) (843 SE2d 605) (2020), finding that the Georgia Guardianship Code grants a guardian authority to enter into a binding pre-dispute arbitration agreement. The Clinch County Probate Court […]
CMS Press Release 9/21/2021 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making it easier to check COVID-19 vaccination rates for nursing home staff and residents with a new feature on Medicare.gov. Today’s announcement makes vaccination data available in a user-friendly format to help people make informed decisions when choosing a nursing home for […]
On the Georgia Supreme Court’s Argument Calendar for May 18, 2021 is Clinch Healthcare Center Et. Al. v. Fountain, As Administrator of the Estate of LeRoy Wiggins (S20G1292). The Court’s Summary is as follows: A nursing home and its owners are appealing a Georgia Court of Appeals decision that upheld Cobb County State Court’s denial […]
The following links can be used to research health care providers and, if necessary, to file a complaint with State licensing boards and boards of certification: Complaint and Discipline Process for Nurses (Powerpoint by Georgia Board of Nursing) Contact Information For Filing a Complaint with the State Survey Agency (CMS.gov) Do your research about your doctor or […]
On June 18, 2021, the National Ombudsman Resource Center will hold a webinar from 3:00 to 4:30 ET regarding resuming in-person visits during Covid 19. It will feature tips for identifying trauma, potential abuse and supporting residents. Dr. Laura Mosqueda, a national and international expert on elder abuse and neglect, will provide tips for Ombudsman […]
Nursing home negligence is a violation of a standard of care, a violation of federal or state laws/regulations, or a violation of a resident’s rights. Nursing home residents deserve better. They have a right to appropriate care that meets professional and legal standards. In this short video, Lance Lourie explains why nursing home litigation is […]
Statutory, Regulatory and Administrative References 42 U.S.C. § 1395i-3. Medicare: Requirements for, and assuring quality of care in, skilled nursing facilities 42 U.S.C. § 1396r. Medicaid: Requirements for nursing facilities. 42 C.F.R. § 483.1 to 483.95. Requirements for Long Term Care Facilities. Proposed Rules, 71 F.R. 62957 (10/27/2006), Medicare and Medicaid Program; Fire Safety Requirements […]
Diversicare Gen. Partner, Inc. v. Rubio, 185 S.W.3d 842 (Tex. 2005). Maria Rubio was a nursing home resident suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. While in the nursing home she was sexually assaulted by another resident. Suit followed alleging a failure to protect. Plaintiff alleged that the sexual assault was not a professional negligence claim that was […]
United States ex rel. Szymczak v. Covenant Healthcare Sys., 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 32112 (7th Cir. 2006). James Szymczak brought a qui tam action against a hospital and nursing home alleging that fraudulent Medicare claims were filed and payment was received for unnecessary, unrendered, misrepresented, and unreimbursable services in violation of the False claims act […]
Ostrom v. Manorcare Health Servs., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4106 (D. Mich. 2007). Plaintiff, an Alzheimer’s patient, exited the nursing home on March 22, 2004 through an unlocked door. He was chased by staff as he went into a courtyard. In the courtyard, he tripped over a light post and suffered injury. He was found […]
Rucker v. Indianola Health & Rehab. Ctr. 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71192 (D. Miss. 2006). Plaintiff filed wrongful death action against a nursing home alleging personal service on February 18, 2005. Default was entered on March 24, 2005. The case was removed to federal court on April 4, 2005. On April 13, 2005, default judgment […]
Russell v. Nat’l Heritage Realty, Inc., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 640 (D. Miss. 2007). Plaintiff filed suit against Indianola Health & Rehabilitation Center. The Defendant is a mere trade name and the nursing home was operated by National Heritage Realty, Inc. Defendant moved to dismiss the claim, and plaintiff failed to file a response. The […]
Martin v. Lafon Nursing Facility of the Holy Family, Inc., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3644 (D. La. 2007). Plaintiff filed suit against a nursing home in State court alleging that Defendant failed to take necessary precautions to protect nursing home residents from Hurricane Katrina. The action was filed as a class action and Defendant removed […]
Atkinson v. Manor Care Health Servs. 2006 Iowa App. LEXIS 744 (Iowa Ct. App. 2006). After instructing the jury, the court realized that no instruction was given on proximate cause. Counsel for both parties consented to the instruction. The court then included it in the written charge delivered to the jury, but it was not […]
Bennett v. Beverly Enters., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 75561 (D. Miss. 2006). Plaintiff filed suit alleging that Defendants participated in an unlawful scheme to fraudulently convey Beverly’s assets through a merger transaction to avoid paying civil judgments. Defendants moved to dismiss. The court found that Mississippi’s long arm statute did not reach the Defendants and […]
Am. Econ. Ins. Co. v. Jackson, 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 3232 (8th Cir. 2007). This case involves an insurance coverage dispute after Freddie Mae Burns died at Leland Health Care Center, a 128 bed skilled nursing facility, due to excessive heat. Teresa Johnson, administrator and former director of nursing, was responsible for controlling the HVAC […]
Redwood v. Dobson, 476 F.3d 462 (7th Cir. 2007). The court identifies this litigation as a “grudge match.” When counsel spent the first 30 pages of a deposition reviewing Gerstein’s criminal history, the questions got under his skin. After he began answering with “that’s none of your business” counsel began instructing him not to answer. […]
