Washington, DC – Emphasizing the need for a more streamlined approach in assessing long term care facilities, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) today praised Congressman Bart Stupak, for introducing the Enhancing Quality through Survey System Improvements Act of 2010 (HR 6074). This measure would seek to modernize the decades-old survey system that assesses and monitors long term and post-acute care facilities.
“This bill moves the current long term care survey system a step forward, and we thank Congressman Stupak for his leadership in introducing this legislation,” stated Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA. “Put simply, the current survey system is in need of long overdue changes. We are committed to supporting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and we believe this legislation would ensure a more efficient use of resources by enhancing CMS’s ability to focus additional time and energy on facilities that are in the greatest need of guidance.”
Federal regulations require every Medicare or Medicaid-certified nursing facility be surveyed at least once every year. HR 6074 would enable CMS to allocate its resources more appropriately by freeing surveyors from spending unnecessary time in high quality facilities. In addition, this legislation ensures the wealth of data collected by CMS through these surveys is consistent with efforts of the Obama Administration by preparing the agency to better utilize its collected data, ensuring better health outcomes.