New Jersey Assemblyman Ronald Dancer introduced a bill on November 25th, 2013 that serves as a response to recent media coverage that long term care residents’ trust funds are vulnerable due to lack of oversight. USA Today conducted an investigation and found that “thousands of nursing home residents have had their savings stolen while held in the trust accounts, usually by business managers, bookkeepers and other office staff.” This bill, A4480, attempts to provide additional oversight in the state by requiring the New Jersey Commissioner of Health to examine at least 10% of nursing home residents’ personal funds each year to find evidence of misappropriation and deter staff from these practices.
