The Seattle Times reported an incredible story of reckless endangerment. Dr. Nishita Bhumkar continued to see elderly and vulnerable patients despite having Covid symptoms. She then tested positive for COVID-19. Bhumkar worked at other facilities where patients had tested positive. A lawsuit alleges that Dr. Bhumkar intentionally misled people about her symptoms. Her boss might

Follow the Money Nursing home companies sued for fraud or accused of wrongdoing received more than $300 million in coronavirus aid. The Washington Post reported that bad actors and corporate criminals in the industry got hundreds of millions of tax dollars. In fact, dozens of nursing home operators accused of illegal acts received funds.  The illegal

The Decision Joe Biden boldly made a groundbreaking decision to pick Kamala Harris as the next vice president. She is the first Black woman and the first person of Indian descent nominated for national office by a major party. Harris is only the fourth woman chosen for presidential tickets. Biden’s groundbreaking decision shows Democrats commitment

The Department of Justice indicted a selfish and greedy nursing home operator for “equity skimming”.  Mark Yampol, according to the indictment, managed and controlled the Rosewood portfolio of nursing facilities in Illinois and Missouri. Yampol faces up to five years in prison if convicted, according to the DOJ. All but one of those facilities had a

Why weren’t nursing homes better prepared?  In Feb 2019 (a year before the pandemic), CMS warned nursing homes and sent this Feb 2019 Notice out. “The Emergency Preparedness Final Rule (81 Fed. Reg. 63860, September 16, 2016) sets out requirements for all providers and suppliers in regards to planning, preparing and training for emergency situations.

Republicans in Congress are pushing to give nursing homes blanket immunity for abuse and neglect. However, the industry does not need the protection of blanket immunity.  The Ensign Group experienced another quarter of “record-breaking results,” executives recently reported. The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis is investigating five for-profit nursing home operators including Ensign.