Bills Designed To Protect Nursing Home Residents Threatened
In Kentucky, nursing home deaths from abuse and neglect often aren't prosecuted because the coroner isn't called to investigate. House Bill 69 would require Kentucky nursing homes to report all deaths to the local coroner. It is facing opposition from the nursing home industry and the state's chief medical examiner, Tracey Cory.
Corey said she would need to hire three medical examiners and support staff to handle the additional death investigations that could result from calling coroners after each nursing home death, and, thus, she has budget concerns with the bill's requirements.
A bill requiring nursing homes to conduct criminal background checks on all employees also now appears to be blocked in the Senate. Under current law, employees who provide direct care to residents must have criminal background checks, but custodians, food service workers and others do not.
