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Specialized Information for:
Long-Term Care ConsumersFamily MembersAdvocates
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.
September 27, 2022
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), has made additional data publicly available on the ownership of all Medicare-certified nursing homes.
September 21, 2022
On September 14, 2022, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report detailing the catastrophic failure of nursing homes to protect residents from COVID-19.
September 08, 2022
A new Consumer Voice report shows that nursing homes with higher staff turnover provide poorer care; have higher instances of resident abuse; and have higher numbers of substantiated resident complaints.
August 31, 2022
Despite ending the waiver in June, CMS continues to allow nursing homes to employ uncertified staff for longer than four months. On August 29, 2022, CMS issued formal guidance to nursing homes, counties, and states on how they may continue to operate without properly certified staff.
August 24, 2022
Central to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ goal of establishing a minimum staffing standard is a multi-faceted staffing study to be conducted by CMS.
August 17, 2022
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky has introduced the Linking Investors and Nursing Home Quality (LINHQ) Act and the Infrastructure Modernization Project Related to the Overall Enhancement of Nursing Homes Act (IMPROVE Nursing Homes Act).
August 10, 2022
The new regulations from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) included changes to the requirements for the Director of Food and Nutrition Services and updates to the Life Safety Code.
July 12, 2022
Consumer Voice has created a Reference Guide and summary to help consumers understand and access updated guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
June 30, 2022
On June 29, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued long-awaited guidance to state survey agencies.
June 22, 2022
Join us in-person in Baltimore, Maryland November 14-16, 2022 and virtually December 8-9, 2022.
June 21, 2022
Consumer Voice Executive Director Lori Smetanka participated in a discussion on nursing home reform, enforcement and residents’ rights.
June 15, 2022
In this podcast episode we are talking with Dr. Laura Mosqueda, a professor of Family Medicine and Geriatrics, and Beverley Laubert, the National Ombudsman Program Coordinator at the Administration for Community Living about abuse of those living in long-term care facilities – an issue that affects thousands of residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term care settings.
June 15, 2022
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) serves as a call-to-action for our communities to raise awareness about abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elders, and reaffirm our commitment to the principle of justice for all.
May 24, 2022
Research has shown that staffing in nursing homes - numbers of staff, skills mix, and training - are critical indicators of quality care and positive resident outcomes. Yet too many nursing homes are understaffed, and the long-term care industry claims it does not have the resources to hire more staff. But is that really true?
May 17, 2022
A new fact sheet, “Difficult” is Not a Diagnosis: What to Do When Your Loved One is Being Pushed to Take Antipsychotic Drugs, is now available for advocates and family members.
May 12, 2022
In this episode, we continue our conversation with long-term care residents about the most significant nursing home reforms announced in decades. We speak with two residents to discuss the problems they face in their day-to-day lives from inadequate staffing, the ways nursing home ownership has impacted their lives throughout the pandemic, as well as what can be done to improve their lives in long-term care.
April 28, 2022
The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Notice of Proposed Rule Making that included requests for information regarding the implementation of a minimum staffing standard in nursing homes and input on measuring health disparities in resident outcomes.
April 27, 2022
Consumer Voice needs your support more than ever to ensure that recently announced nursing home reforms become reality for nursing home residents across the country.
April 26, 2022
The Superior Court of California issued a declaratory judgment that under federal law, a nursing facility cannot refuse to readmit a resident who has been cleared by the hospital to return to their facility.
April 14, 2022
On April 7, 2022 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memo rescinding several temporary emergency waivers issued in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency with the intent to provide health care providers with extra flexibility in responding to the pandemic.
April 13, 2022
Consumer Voice’s new report looks at federal data regarding nursing home staffing levels and how it affects outcomes for residents.
April 12, 2022
The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality: Honoring Our Commitment to Residents, Families, and Staff, a report released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), includes recommendations that strongly support the Biden Administration’s historic nursing home reforms.
April 05, 2022
In this episode of the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care podcast, we take a deeper look at the Biden Administration’s nursing home reforms, announced on February 28, 2022. These reforms include the most significant improvements to nursing homes in decades.
March 25, 2022
In this episode of the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care podcast, we speak directly with two long-term care residents, in Texas and Ohio, about the importance of these reforms, the problems they face in their day to day lives from inadequate and untrained staff, and what other improvements they would like to see that would help improve their lives in long-term care.
March 22, 2022
Consumer Voice’s new report, Using the Five-Star Quality Measure to Mask Bad Care, looks at how Quality Measures on CMS’ Care Compare, which are largely self-reported by nursing homes, can obscure poor ratings in the other categories of staffing and health inspections.
March 16, 2022
Read our summary of the wide-ranging reforms aimed at improving the quality of nursing home care for residents recently announced by the Biden-Harris Administration.
March 15, 2022
On March, 10, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its nursing home guidance on visitation and quarantine and also updated its guidance on testing.
March 01, 2022
Consumer Voice’s new report, Inadequate Staffing During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Catastrophic Effects on Nursing Homes Residents, looks at federal data regarding nursing home residents and documents the true price of inadequate staffing.