“Cutting Corners” Causes Controversy

Journalist Sean Campbell has been investigating how non-profit nursing homes avoid public scrutiny by “cutting corners” on financial expenses. He discovered that residents at the Landmark of Louisville Rehabilitation and Nursing have been harassing other residents and engaging in explicit activities.

The cultivation of these activities comes from the lack of staff and supervision, leading to illegal activities and poor sanitation. These actions stem from many problems within the facility that translate into significant issues for midsize nursing facilities. Hence, government fines have been implemented to stimulate a solution; these fines against the nursing homes stopping government funding from Medicare and Medicaid; however, private investors are finding loopholes around the penalties and accumulating more money into their pocket.

For this reason, the non-profit organization is becoming a for-profit organization, yet the public has no idea. Thus, the idea of “cutting corners and siphoning money has become an excruciating problem for non-profit nursing homes.

“Operating under weak and poorly enforced regulations with financially insignificant penalties, the for-profit sector fosters an environment where corners are frequently cut, compromising the quality of care and endangering patient health.”

– Sean Campbell, Investigative journalist

As a result, the Certified Care Managers (CMC) has proposed a regulation change for midsize facilities like Landmark. The proposal suggested that all information that is collected should be public. For example, who buys the facility, and what affiliations does the company represent? The public personal information that is collected will help inform those who need assistance.

The suggestion made by the CMC is to prevent “cutting corners” for all non-profit and investors involved in midsize facilities. The regulation would create a healthier environment for all parties involved. However, the battle to protect these residents from midsize non-profits and stop all siphoning of money will ultimately be continuous.