Georgia Injury Lawyer Blog
As we have written on this blog numerous time over the years, many nursing homes and other long-term care facilities use forced arbitration contracts to prevent their residents from bringing a legal action against the facilities in a court of law, and are instead forced into expensive, secretive arbitration proceedings. As of this week, a federal government rule looks to put an end to the practice of pre-dispute forced arbitration.
A new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “CMS” rule will bar nursing homes from compelling residents to settle disputes in arbitration as a condition of admission. Residents and facilities will still be able to use arbitration on a voluntary basis after a conflict occurs, however, CMS says. In these cases, CMS requires that these arbitration agreements be clearly explained to residents, including the understanding that these agreements are voluntary, and that these agreements should not discourage or prevent residents and their loved ones from alerting authorities to concerns about quality of care. Though again, all of this would occur after an incident or injury in the nursing home has taken place.
“Today’s rules are a major step forward to improve the care and safety of the nearly 1.5 million residents in the more than 15,000 long-term care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs,” Andy Slavitt, said the acting administrator for CMS. Along with the pre-dispute arbitration ban, the final rule also mandates nursing home operators provide “nourishing, palatable” dietary options that meet residents’ nutritional needs and preferences, create an infection prevention and control program and develop a comprehensive, person-centered care plan for each resident within 48 hours of admission. A nurse aide and a member of the dietary staff must contribute to that care plan, the rule reads. The rule also includes new and updated regulations on elder abuse, staff competency and discharge planning.