It’s a debate now unfolding in courtrooms in Iowa and Texas: the needs and rights of nursing home residents and their loved ones vs. the needs and rights of nursing home owners and operators.
The issue: does the federal government, as primary payer of nursing home services (to the tune of an estimated 100 billion taxpayer dollars annually), have the authority to establish a rule that every nursing home in America receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding must agree to provide a minimum level of staff to serve residents?
The federal government says it not only has the authority, but also the obligation, to ensure that every nursing home resident is in a safe environment, free from abuse and neglect; that residents get timely and full attention to their needs and receive services in a dignified and compassionate manner…