A bill that would mandate greater financial transparency at the state’s nursing homes by establishing a nursing home workforce standards advisory board, has been reintroduced in the state Senate a year after it passed the legislature, but was vetoed by the governor.
“We have a crisis of care in our nursing homes,” said state Sen. Dawn Euer, D-Dist. 13 of Newport and Jamestown, among 10 Senators who are sponsoring the bill.
Since passing what Euer characterized as “one of the strongest nursing home staffing bills in the country” in 2019, she said the law is not being enforced.
“Unfortunately” the law not being enforced, while the industry claims the issue is lack of workers and the low reimbursement rate, Euer said.
While supporting an increase in reimbursement rates, and pushing for “a workforce standards board,” Euer said it is not enough. “It is also key that we have financial transparency to ensure that the money actually flows to the workers and isn’t diverted to the multiple corporate owners.”
If the 13-member nursing home workforce standards advisory board passes the legislature, and is not vetoed, it would:
- Advise the general assembly and the department of labor and training about market conditions, wages, benefits, and working conditions in the industry.
- Recommend minimum statewide compensation and working standards for nursing home employees.
- Propose minimum standards for training programs.
- Assist in ensuring employers comply with recommended standards.
Last year, the bill was passed with strong support in both the Senate and the state House of Representatives, but it was among a few bills vetoed by Governor Dan McKee.
At the time, McKee said the state “needs comprehensive solutions to resolve its critical nursing home emergency,” which he said the bill did not do, failing to address “years of underfunding, increased costs and the lack of available workforce.”
Over the last several years, the state’s nursing home industry has faced numerous challenges, including staff shortages, low Medicaid reimbursements, and closures. According to several reports, Rhode Island nursing homes have lost 11 percent of their workforce over the last six years, six nursing homes have closed over the last five years, and nursing homes have been fined millions of dollars for various violations.
