Bill Clinton: “Amendment No. 953 would empower Medicare beneficiaries and their families in making decisions about nursing homes and…”

“Amendment No. 953 would empower Medicare beneficiaries and their families in making decisions about nursing homes and home health services. Data on nursing home quality is publicly available through a project strongly supported by Administrator Scully, and I am very appreciative of that because that information is imperative. However, I know from talking with people throughout New York that there are still many problems in nursing homes with respect to errors and mishaps that undermine the quality of care, the quality of life and, in some respects, even the health of the nursing home residents. Many people still don't know about this existing quality data and about the existing ombudsman program within the administration on aging that is intended to help families navigate nursing home decisions. This amendment would establish a national long-term care ombudsman resource center, which will help to develop and train ombudsmen. The amendment would establish pilot programs, including grants to create ombudsman offices in 10 States. These are the people--it should really be 'ombudspeople,' I guess--who are uniquely positioned to know about the facilities they serve.”