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Specialized Information for:
Long-Term Care ConsumersFamily MembersAdvocates
November 19, 2024
Listen to a new episode of the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care podcast on the latest CDC guidance on respiratory illnesses for nursing home residents.
October 15, 2024
Twenty state attorneys general filed suit in federal court to block the implementation of the most significant increase in protections for nursing home residents in decades, the minimum staffing rule, which is estimated to save at least 13,000 lives annually.
October 08, 2024
Congratulations to the 2024 Consumer Voice Leadership Award Winners Patricia McGinnis and Ernest Tosh.
August 28, 2024
If you live in a nursing home, federal nursing home regulations emphasize that you have the same rights as any other citizen of the United States – this includes your right to vote!
August 27, 2024
Listen to a conversation with Gwen Orlowski, Executive Director of Disability Rights New Jersey to discuss how residents and their families can ensure their voices are heard in the upcoming elections.
July 11, 2024
Consumer Voice is at the forefront of efforts to support resident and worker interests in defending the rule and advocating for safe staffing in nursing homes. Please help us continue this critical work.
July 01, 2024
New episode of the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care podcast on guardianship over residents of long-term care facilities, less restrictive alternatives, and strategies for supporting residents under guardianship.
June 26, 2024
Retaliation, and the fear of retaliation, can prevent residents and family members from raising their concerns about care and safety. Listen to the podcast to learn more about addressing these concerns.
June 26, 2024
Retaliation, and the fear of retaliation, can prevent residents and family members from raising their concerns about care and safety. View the new fact sheet available for long-term care consumers, their families, and advocates.
June 26, 2024
Consumer Voice, along with over 270 other national and state organizations, sent a letter to Congressional leaders expressing their opposition to efforts in Congress to prevent the recently issued minimum staffing rule in nursing homes from going into effect.
June 17, 2024
Consumer Voice opposes H.J. Res. 139, a resolution to block staffing standards in nursing homes.
June 10, 2024
Consumer Voice sent a response to a Request for Information from the Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Federal Trade Commission regarding corporate greed in nursing home care.
June 06, 2024
Listen in on a discussion between Consumer Voice’s Lori Smetanka and Sam Brooks, who talk about the importance of the rule, what it says, and how we can start thinking about using it in advocating for quality care.
May 16, 2024
Consumer Voice sent a letter to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce’s Health Subcommittee voicing opposition to the Building America’s Health Care Workforce Act (H.R. 468) and the Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act (H.R. 3227).
May 15, 2024
Read Consumer Voice’s summary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ long-awaited final rule implementing a minimum staffing standard in nursing homes.
May 14, 2024
In a new episode of the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care Podcast, hear nursing home residents discuss the new minimum staffing standard in nursing homes and their advocacy tips.
May 13, 2024
This week Consumer Voice is celebrating long-term care resident advocacy. Bringing the voice of residents and family members to the policy and advocacy tables is powerful!
April 23, 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the final rule implementing a minimum staffing standard in nursing homes.
April 23, 2024
In this episode, the National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) talks to a certified volunteer from New Jersey about her experience and dedicated advocacy.
April 12, 2024
Attorneys Tony Chicotel and Pam Walz discuss how they have been successful in getting new laws and regulations passed and promulgated.
March 26, 2024
Listen to the new podcast episode on how existing federal and state legal authorities can improve care in nursing homes.
March 20, 2024
While short on details, the President’s budget laid out various proposals that would affect both nursing home care and Home and Community Based Services.
March 05, 2024
Since the Biden Administration announced its intention to propose a minimum staffing standard in nursing homes, the focus has been on how a staffing standard would hurt nursing home owners and operators. Often lost in the discussion are residents, the people who suffer the consequences of understaffing. To bring the focus back on residents, Consumer Voice surveyed over 120 nursing home residents in the fall of 2023, asking for their perspectives on staffing and how they are affected by staffing levels daily.
February 22, 2024
Marcella Goheen, a family member and advocate, discusses how families can individually and collectively, through family councils, be a strong voice for quality and for change in nursing homes.
February 15, 2024
Consumer Voice has received a two-year grant from Arnold Ventures to provide direct support, technical assistance, and training to two states interested in advocating at the state level for increased transparency and accountability in nursing home finances and ownership.
February 06, 2024
Each year, nursing homes funnel Medicare and Medicaid dollars meant for nursing home resident care through companies they own with little to no scrutiny on how this money is used.
January 10, 2024
Consumer Voice seeks a Policy and Program Specialist with at least three years of experience and a passion for consumer empowerment and justice for long-term care residents to join our team.
December 12, 2023
Read our newly updated fact sheet for what to look for when visiting, tips and activity ideas for visiting your loved one, ways to engage with residents, and examples of potential gifts for residents.
November 22, 2023
For nearly 50 years, Consumer Voice has been working to engage and empower long-term care residents and their families in the pursuit of quality care and services, quality of life, and protection of rights. Support our advocacy!
November 16, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final rule implementing increased ownership and managerial disclosure requirements in nursing homes.
November 14, 2023
Congratulations to the 2023 Consumer Voice Leadership Award Winners! These individuals have demonstrated exceptional commitment to improving the lives of long-term care consumers.
November 09, 2023
In this episode, join our discussion with author M.T. Connolly as we talk about the challenges of aging well, ageism, and advocacy for a better long-term care system.
November 07, 2023
Read full comments from Consumer Voice and other organizations in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)‘s proposed nursing home staffing rule.
October 24, 2023
Listen to the new podcast episode where we speak with nursing home resident advocates Floyd Hartley and Cindy Napolitan.
October 03, 2023
Consumer Voice’s new fact sheet, Advocating for Rights and Better Care, provides tips for resident and families for advocating for change in their nursing facilities and advocacy strategies for impacting long-term care policy.
October 02, 2023
This newsletter provides information on residents’ rights and care issues; news and updates on national policy; and self-advocacy tips for obtaining person-centered, quality care.
September 29, 2023
Read our new one-pager about how non-profit homes staff, on average, 23% higher than for-profit homes.
September 28, 2023
Listen to the newest episode of the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care podcast with State Ombudsmen Kelly Richards and Mairead Painter.
September 27, 2023
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled “Limitations of Using CMS Data to Identify Private Equity and Other Ownership” that shows transparency gaps in the data collected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify private equity and other owners in nursing homes.
September 22, 2023
While Consumer Voice appreciates that a standard has been proposed, it must be made much stronger so that all nursing home residents are safe and living a high quality of life.
September 01, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the long-anticipated Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) that would implement a minimum staffing standard in nursing homes.
August 23, 2023
Consumer Voice submitted comments to the Administration for Community Living (ACL)‘s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Older Americans Act.
August 18, 2023
Listen to a conversation with Victoria Schall, trial attorney, about why nursing home residents should not sign pre-dispute arbitration agreements and what arbitration may look like for residents who have already signed their contracts.
August 18, 2023
Check out can’t-miss sessions at this year’s Consumer Voice Conference - in-person in Baltimore and livestreaming.
July 27, 2023
Listen to our new podcast episode on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision and why it’s important for nursing home residents’ rights.
July 12, 2023
CPSC issued a rule establishing a mandatory performance requirement and test procedure to reduce the risk of entrapment and other hazards associated with the use of adult portable bed rails.
July 05, 2023
Consumer Voice submitted comments and suggestions to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) supporting the proposed “Medicaid Program; Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services” rule.
June 27, 2023
We are joined by Sherrill Wayland, Director of Special Initiatives at SAGE (Services and Advocacy for LGBTQ Elders) to discuss some of the challenges LGBTQ+ residents face.
June 27, 2023
Consumer Voice and the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) have created a fact sheet outlining the consequences of loneliness and social isolation and providing tips to improve the social connectedness of long- term care residents.
June 15, 2023
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is seeking input on proposed updates to the regulations for its Older Americans Act (OAA) programs, including the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.
June 13, 2023
The United States Supreme Court delivered a victory to nursing home residents residing in state run Medicaid-funded nursing facilities, by finding that these residents have a private right of action against a nursing home if it violates rights conferred upon residents by the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987.
June 08, 2023
In a new podcast episode, Consumer Voice Executive Director, Lori Smetanka, is joined by award-winning writer/director Susie Singer Carter and former federal prosecutor Rick Mountcastle to discuss their upcoming documentary, No Country for Old People.
June 07, 2023
Consumer Voice has submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its April 10, 2023 Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM).
June 01, 2023
Join us in Baltimore, and via livestreaming sessions, for a conference that educates and empowers long-term care consumers and consumer advocates.
May 23, 2023
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Susan Wehry, a nationally recognized keynote speaker and workshop facilitator on depression, dementia, and healthy aging, about the impacts of severe isolation and extreme loneliness many residents have experienced, not just during the pandemic, but before and after.
May 18, 2023
The report details a nationwide staffing crisis at state survey agencies that is directly impacting the health and well-being of nursing home residents.
May 10, 2023
According to a recent poll, 80% of U.S. registered voters supported candidates who support requiring minimum staffing standards in nursing homes.
May 10, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released updated nursing home visitation guidance stating that while the Public Health Emergency is ending, CMS still expects all nursing homes to adhere to infection control procedures.
May 08, 2023
Read and share the new issue of our newsletter for residents of long-term care facilities.
May 05, 2023
In this episode of the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care podcast, David Farrell, a licensed nursing home administrator, discusses the long-term care facilities that had better outcomes than their peers during the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing crises.
May 04, 2023
Consumer Voice sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), regarding the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) report which found widespread inaccuracies in the information reported to the public on Care Compare.
May 02, 2023
The Biden Administration announced it would be ending the federal requirement that nursing home workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new guidance addressing how the end of the PHE would affect certain regulatory waivers.
April 20, 2023
Consumer Voice strongly supports the actions announced in the executive order, and thanks President Biden for taking decisive action to support long-term care workers and family caregivers.
April 18, 2023
Consumer Voice’s Sam Brooks and attorney Ernie Tosh discuss how there is little accountability for how nursing homes spend taxpayer dollars, despite receiving tens of billions of dollars each year in Medicare and Medicaid dollars.
April 14, 2023
Consumer Voice, along with other advocates, submitted comments on nursing home ownership regulations recently proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
April 12, 2023
CMS issued revised nursing home guidance which strengthens enforcement efforts for noncompliance with infection control deficiencies and vaccine immunization requirements for staff and residents.
April 06, 2023
In these two episodes of the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care podcast, we are sharing audio from two of Consumer Voice’s webinars that were part of the Dignity for All: Staffing Standards Now! campaign.
March 28, 2023
Consumer Voice is releasing its new report, “Where Do the Billions of Dollars Go? A Look At Nursing Home Related Party Transactions,” which documents how each year nursing homes funnel billions of dollars through related party companies (companies they own) with little to no oversight by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
March 27, 2023
Consumer Voice’s Annual Report highlights the year’s priorities and accomplishments.
March 21, 2023
In a March 13, 2023 letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, 113 members of Congress urged CMS to propose strong mandatory minimum staffing standards in the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Medicare payment rule.
March 15, 2023
Hear from a nursing home worker and resident about what it’s like to work and live in a nursing home without adequate staff.
March 08, 2023
A new booklet as a part of the Avoiding Drugs as Chemical Restraints campaign provides information and tips on having clear communication with long-term care providers, ensuring that resident needs are met, how to provide nonpharmacological interventions, what to do if an antipsychotic drug has been prescribed, and residents’ rights regarding antipsychotic drugs.
February 24, 2023
The report, released by the Senate Finance Committee and Senate Special Aging Committee, calls for the implementation of a minimum staffing standard in nursing homes and increased funding for enforcement.
February 23, 2023
This month marks the one-year anniversary of President Biden’s announcement of historic nursing home reforms, which included creating a minimum staffing standard. Join our campaign to center the discussion of staffing on residents and workers.
February 03, 2023
On Thursday, February 3, 2023, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report, “Nursing Homes: CMS Should Make Ownership Information More Transparent for Consumers,” finding fault with how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) currently provides information to consumers regarding nursing home ownership.
February 02, 2023
Consumer Voice along with more than a dozen other advocacy organizations sent a letter to Chiquita Brooks-Lasure, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), expressing strong support for the agency’s efforts to address the staffing crisis in nursing homes across the country.
February 01, 2023
This announcement means that all outstanding waivers granted to nursing homes from certain regulatory requirements will end on May 11, 2023.
January 19, 2023
The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) released a data brief that examined how COVID-19 affected nursing homes during the first year of the pandemic.
January 18, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new steps to stop the inappropriate diagnosing of schizophrenia which often results in the improper use of antipsychotic medications to sedate and chemically restrain nursing home residents.
January 12, 2023
Consumer Voice has released a new issue brief examining why staffing is important in nursing homes and what a federal staffing standard should include.
January 06, 2023
MACPAC, a non-partisan legislative branch agency that provides policy and data analysis and makes recommendations to Congress on Medicaid programs, issued a report finding that without increased transparency in how nursing homes spend Medicaid dollars, it could not properly calculate the actual costs of providing care to Medicaid residents in nursing homes.
December 20, 2022
Two new episodes of the Pursing Quality Long-Term Care podcast are now available: Visiting Nursing Homes This Holiday Season and What Nursing Home Residents and Their Families Need to Know about COVID-19 Vaccinations and Boosters.
December 01, 2022
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services used Medicare data to identify certain characteristics or risk factors that placed nursing home residents at an increased risk of discharge
November 29, 2022
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking about the use of adult portable bed rails. Comments are due by January 9, 2023.
November 29, 2022
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 within congregate settings, including assisted living facilities.
November 28, 2022
With your continued help we will be at the table as decisions are being made to ensure the well-being of residents is at the center of any policy development and ensure resident voices are heard.
November 23, 2022
The holiday season is quickly approaching and nursing home residents will soon be welcoming an increased number of loved ones visiting their facilities. With a little planning and preparation, residents can visit with their loved ones and stay safe during their holiday visits! Remember: Residents have the right to see visitors of their choosing when they choose, and residents can leave their facilities to visit with family, participate in community activities, or for any other reason.
November 18, 2022
Report from Office of Inspector General (OIG) reveals that CMS’s ten-year effort to stop illegal drugging of nursing home residents has failed.
November 01, 2022
Despite noting its success, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it was relaxing enforcement practices regarding its mandate that all nursing home staff be vaccinated against COVID-19.
October 26, 2022
A new fact sheet, Inspiring Community Engagement with Long-Term Care Facilities, provides ideas for building community within a long-term care facility and becoming a part of the larger community outside of the facility.
October 26, 2022
Central to the announcement were changes to the Special Focus Facilities (SFF) program and newly available funds to support good-quality nursing home jobs.
October 24, 2022
New fact sheet available explaining CMS guidance for masking during visitation in nursing homes.
October 20, 2022
In this episode, join us as we speak about this year’s Residents’ Rights Month theme, Inspiring Unity within Our Community. Lori Smetanka, Executive Director, and Jocelyn Bogdan, Senior Policy Specialist, discuss why having a community is important, how residents can exercise their rights around their community, and examples of ways residents, families, and staff can help build a community for residents living in long-term care.
October 14, 2022
A new fact sheet from Consumer Voice and the National Center on Elder Abuse provides information on how families can identify abuse and what to do if you suspect abuse is occurring.
October 12, 2022
Consumer Voice joined an amicus brief, filed with partner organizations, to the U.S. Supreme Court in Health and Hospital Corp. v. Talevski on behalf of residents of nursing facilities to maintain their ability to enforce their rights under the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act and Section 1983.
October 11, 2022
CMS has waived the full training and certification requirements for nurse aides in long-term care facilities for fifteen states.
October 10, 2022
The Fall 2022 issue of The Resident Advocate is now available. This newsletter provides information on residents’ rights and care issues; news and updates on national policy; and self-advocacy tips for obtaining person-centered, quality care.
October 04, 2022
Consumer Voice sent a letter to the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services commenting on the notice of proposed rulemaking on Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Health Care Rights Law (Section 1557 of the ACA) prohibits discrimination in health care on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability.
October 01, 2022
Residents’ Rights Month is an opportunity to focus on and celebrate the dignity and rights of every individual receiving long-term services and supports.
September 27, 2022
Under the new guidance, nursing homes in counties where COVID-19 community transmission is not high can choose not to require visitors to wear face coverings or masks while in the facility, except during an outbreak.