Plan to Reduce Nursing Home Reviews Is Killed
The White House quickly abandoned a proposal to reduce inspections of many nursing homes Tuesday, saying the idea was never actively considered by President Clinton.
A number of consumer groups and state officials had panned the proposal, which had been outlined in policy documents distributed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Officials said the administration is seeking better ways to crack down on nursing homes that violate federal standards and the proposed changes were meant to result in targeting the worst cases. Following the outcry, they began saying fewer inspections didn’t seem to be the answer.
“It’s probably not going anywhere any time fast,” said White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry. The Los Angeles Times and the New York Times reported the proposed policy change Tuesday, saying officials felt that narrowing the scope of reviews would make it easier to target the worst offenders. They noted government data that show more than two-thirds of nursing homes do not fully comply with federal standards.
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