Recent data published by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) shows that as of November 2022 there are more than 1.4 million individuals living in over 15,500 Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes across the United States. These residents should live in an environment that is free from harm, but the unfortunate reality is just the opposite. The work of the OIG has uncovered pervasive substandard and inadequate care by the staff within these nursing homes. Between 2013 – 2017, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that 82% of all inspected nursing homes had an infection prevention and control deficiency, including a lack of regular hand washing.
Many families trust nursing homes to provide their elderly loved ones with the extra care and assistance they need. Most decide to hire the services of a nursing home because they feel they can’t give their older relatives the proper care and attention they need by themselves. Sadly though, instances of neglect by the very people entrusted to care for our older family members are much more common than you might think.
Recent data has found that resident outcomes are significantly worse at private equity nursing homes. Nursing homes are big business for private equity firms. From 2000 to 2018, private equity firms’ investment in nursing homes has increased from $5 billion to more than $100 billion and now more than 5% of all nursing homes are owned by private equity.
The findings are alarming. Residents in nursing homes acquired by private equity were 11.1% more likely to have a preventable emergency department visit and 8.7% more likely to have a preventable hospitalization when compared to other for-profit nursing homes not associated with private equity
Transparency had been an issue and finding ownership information for nursing homes was often difficult to find. Late last year, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a searchable list of the names of all nursing homes and the identity of the owners and ownership percentage. A list of all nursing homes and their owners can be found here: https://data.cms.gov/provider-data/dataset/y2hd-n93e
If you or a loved one have been abused or neglected while staying in a nursing home, you can file a lawsuit to recover damages for what has happened. As experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys, we have successfully handled cases involving many different types of injuries resulting from the following:
- Preventable falls
- Pressure ulcers
- Medication errors
- Burns
- Wrongful death
If you know of or suspect nursing home abuse or neglect, our attorneys can help. When nursing home abuse or neglect occurs, you have the right to file a lawsuit to recover damages and compensation. Our skilled and knowledgeable team will stand with you to protect your rights and make sure that you recover the full and fair compensation to which you are entitled.
If you want to file a claim or have questions about suing a nursing home, a competent and experienced nursing home neglect lawyer is ready to talk to you. You can contact us online anytime or call (866) 335-4787 to schedule a free consultation. We’ll be happy to evaluate your case and discuss what we can do to help you.
