Cash Influx Aimed at Tackling Nursing Home Inspection Woes

The Biden administration’s call to boost funding for nursing home inspections should improve state and federal oversight, but the extra money alone isn’t likely to fix longstanding problems that have undermined the process for years, resident advocates say.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is responsible for inspecting and certifying that most of the nation’s 15,000-plus nursing homes meet federal health and safety guidelines required to participate in both programs. The agency contracts with state “survey” agencies to inspect facilities at least once every 15 months and after complaints and incidents of noncompliance.

The Covid-19 deaths of more than ...