Nursing Home Association Gives Big Dollars to Congress

Dan Frith

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I know almost all organizations give money (call it "lobbying") to Congress. Everyone wants to be heard by their representatives in Congress. Wonder how much money the nursing home industry is giving to Congress to influence its decisions?

The American Health Care Association (AHCA), which represents nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, spent $860,000 in the first half of 2007 and $881,000 in the second half, according to a disclosure form posted Feb. 14 by the Senate's public records office. That is a total of $1.7 Million Dollars!

Do you think the AHCA was lobbying for higher staffing ratios? How about better trained nurses and aides? Maybe they wanted Congress to pass a law which prohibited the use of mandatory arbitration which prevents the nursing home from being held accountable under our civil justice system?

Doubtful....Damn Doubtful!