nursing homes

Recent audits reveal critical flaws in Tennessee nursing homes, and the state's legislature this term decided that protection was needed not for those residents, but for protecting the owners of nursing homes from lawsuits. 22 facilities had admissions suspended in 2007 and 13 have already had similar suspensions so far in 2008.

Tom Humphrey discusses:

Dick Williams, veteran volunteer lobbyist for Common Cause in Tennessee, says that, regardless of the specifics in a given case, the law perhaps should be amended to provide at least some disclosure requirement for former officials who get into public relating on a public policy issue shortly after leaving office.

On shifting Tenncare funds from nursing homes to home-based care:

“People simply need more choices,” Bredesen said. “In the months ahead we’re going to fundamentally restructure how our state deals with long-term care in the TennCare program.”

Tennessee needs to give residents more long-term health care options beyond nursing homes, Gov. Phil Bredesen told members of the Murfreesboro Rotary Club Tuesday, reports the Daily News Journal in the 'boro. Republican legislators have been pushing for exactly that kind of reform, including home-based care options, for years.

R. Neal comes out against proposed tort reform legislation in Tennessee which would protect nursing home operators from potential lawsuits:

A total of 1,804 people participated in the early vote period for Tuesday's primary elections, including 1,680 in person at the courthouse and another 124 who voted by mail or at nursing homes,...