The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a memo “affirming the continued right of nursing home residents to exercise their right to vote.”

October is Residents’ Rights Month an annual event to honor individuals receiving long-term care.

The National Ombudsman Resource Center released trainings for facility administrators, direct care staff, and family members of individuals living in long-term care facilities, as part of the training series, Understanding Trauma and Ensuring Person-Centered Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The recently introduced Senate bill - the Safe to Work Act (S 4317) - would remove a nursing home’s liability for all negligent care that harms or results in the death of residents from 2019 until 2024 - including harm totally unrelated to COVID-19.  Please act now to urge your members of Congress to strongly oppose this bill.

The Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes has announced it is accepting ideas and suggestions from the public until 5pm Friday, July 17.

We urge you to submit comments calling on CMS to mandate that additional data be collected and that nursing homes share with residents, their representatives, and their families the same information they report to the CDC.

It is now unclear whether Congress will pass any COVID-19 relief legislation, including any provisions related to immunity for nursing homes from liability for COVID-related care.

HR 4334 passed the House and will now go to the President to sign.

Congress has approved another short-term reauthorization of the Money Follows the Person program as a part of the minibus spending bill.