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Tell Congress to Say NO to Immunity for Nursing Homes and Other Long-Term Care Facilities

July 31, 2020

This week, Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, introduced a bill that would have devastating consequences on nursing home residents. The legislation, called the Safe to Work Act (S 4317), would remove a nursing home’s liability for all negligent care that harms or results in the death of residents from 2019 until 2024 - including harm totally unrelated to COVID-19.  Please act now to urge your members of Congress to strongly oppose this bill.
 
Over 62,000 residents of long-term care facilities have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began.  Countless other residents have fallen victim to short-staffing and inadequate care during the same time. These numbers continue to grow every day, and, in some states, COVID-19 infections are growing exponentially in nursing homes. 

At a time when residents of nursing homes need more protections than ever, this bill would rob them of their right to pursue justice through the courts. It would also remove one of the last remaining protections for nursing home residents. With family, friends, and residents’ advocates banned from visiting, and state survey agencies rarely present in facilities right now, judicial recourse is the last avenue available to residents to hold facilities accountable. Without accountability there is nothing to deter facility  practices and actions that harm residents.
 
Congress may be deciding what to do with immunity as soon as this weekend. Please use our advocacy tool to tell Congress to say NO to granting immunity to nursing homes and other long term care facilities. Send your Representative and Senators a message that you will not tolerate removing protections for nursing home residents during the middle of a pandemic that has had such a disproportionate impact on residents.
 
Thank you for your advocacy!