News Article

GAO Report Finds Large Gaps in Regulation of Assisted Living Facilities

February 05, 2018

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report finding large gaps in the regulation of assisted living facilities.  The report found that states are spending more than $10 billion a year in federal and state funds for assisted living services for more than 330,000 Medicaid beneficiaries.  But, very little federal and state standards regulate the industry. The GAO report found that the federal government does not have basic information about the assisted living services being provided.  More than half of states were unable to provide information on the number and nature of cases involving the abuse, neglect exploitation or unexplained death of Medicaid beneficiaries in assisted living facilities.  Only 22 states were able to provide information on "critical incidents - cases of potential or actual harm," and in one year the states reported more than 22,900 incidents. 

Read the full GAO report, and find more information in the New York Times article.