On March 23, Consumer Voice submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) emphasizing the urgent need for greater transparency and accountability in nursing home finances. In response to a federal Request for Information Related to Comprehensive Regulations To Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH) and on reducing fraud, waste, and abuse, Consumer Voice highlighted that despite nearly $70 billion in annual public funding, many nursing home residents continue to face poor care, understaffing, and unmet needs. A central concern is the widespread use of related-party transactions, where nursing home owners pay affiliated companies for services like rent and management, often obscuring profits and diverting funds away from resident care.
Consumer Voice calls on CMS to strengthen oversight by increasing financial disclosure, auditing cost reports, and holding owners accountable, as well as to stop certifying operators with a history of poor care. These reforms are essential to ensuring taxpayer dollars are used appropriately and to improving outcomes for some of the nation’s most vulnerable individuals.
