There are several legislative initiatives underway in some states for the beginning of 2016 that could have an impact on nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
- Pennsylvania – The State cannot enact part of the Older Adults Protective Services Act which would enforce a lifetime criminal ban on working in nursing homes for those convicted of certain crimes. According the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, crimes that were included on this list included violent crimes, drug-related felonies and theft. The court ruled that a lifetime ban would be a violation of due process protection.
- Connecticut – Veterans in Connecticut will be able to live in assisted living facilities with their stays covered by the VA if the Veterans Residential Care Choice Act is passed. Coverage for veterans under a federal bill limited the group of veterans covered to those who were already in these facilities, not ones who would enter in the future, according to this article.
- New Jersey – The minimum staffing standards for CNAs in New Jersey nursing homes that we posted about last year passed the Senate mid-month and await voting in the Assembly. Northjersey.com looks at both sides of the coin, from the provider side to the family members’ concerns in this recent article.