List of struggling nursing homes to be released publicly

Nursing homes in New Mexico and throughout the country don’t always live up to the standards that are expected of them. Therefore, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, has created the Special Focus Facility program. There are currently 88 slots available in the program, but CMS says that nearly 400 facilities could benefit from being a part of it. After this was revealed in a Senate report, CMS agreed that it would release the list to the public.

A representative from CMS also said that the list would be updated on a monthly basis after it had been posted. Those who are interested in learning more about the quality of a nursing home can use the Nursing Home Compare tool to do so. According to CMS, there are 3,000 facilities out of 16,000 that have a one-star rating in the United States.

Of facilities that take part in the Special Focus Facility program, 90% successfully complete it. Those that don’t graduate from the program lose access to Medicaid funds. CMS says that it can’t expand the program because of financial restrictions. However, it has made efforts to improve oversight and enforce rules and regulations. The agency has been granted an additional $45 million for oversight and other efforts as part of the proposed 2020 federal government.

If a senior facility or nursing home fails to provide adequate care to a resident, it could be liable for that person’s injury or death. Negligence could include not medicating a patient properly or failing to provide proper nutrition. Those who are not moved on a regular basis could experience bedsores or other injuries that may result in medical bills or other financial losses. An attorney may work to help the family of a resident obtain a favorable result in a nursing facility lawsuit.