Module 2 Assessment: Nursing Home Residents Act of 2019 Analysis

This assignment analyzes the Quality Care for Nursing Home Residents Act of 2019 (H.R.5216), focusing on its provisions for improving care in nursing homes. It examines the bill's description, legislative intent (aiming to address staffing shortages and enhance patient care), proponents (Repres...Read More

Legislation Comparison Grid Template
Use this document to complete Part 1 of the Module 2 Assessment Legislation
Comparison Grid and Testimony/Advocacy Statement
Health-related
Bill Name Quality Care for Nursing Home Residents Act of 2019 (Congress.gov.
2019)
Bill Number H.R.5216
Description
This legislation is proposed for the quality care given to patients in
nursing homes. This bill guarantees the protection of the rights of
patients in the nursing care facilities. This bill is for establishing
minimum nursing staff under medicaid and medicare for nursing homes,
increasing training facilities and supervision for the nursing staff, it
explores the chances for whistleblowers and protection for nurses and
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Legislation Comparison
Grid Template

patients, and it allows the prohibition of using forced arbitration between
the nursing home residents and the medical team. Lastly, it forms a
protocol for the nursing facilities for obtaining consent from residents
regarding treatment including psychotropic drugs
(Theconsumervoice.org. 2019).
Federal or State? This bill is proposed by Congress, which is the legislative branch of the
federal government of United States.
Legislative Intent The legislative intent of this act is to address the issue faced by the
residents of nursing homes such as the shortage of staff for their care.
The bill proposes the law of providing 4.1 hours of direct patient care to
an individual patient. As studies suggest that the given time is necessary
to decrease the common quality problem a patient faces.
Proponents/
Opponents
Proponents: The bill was proposed by Representative Jan Schakowsky
and Senator Richard Blumenthal on 22 November, 2019.
Opponents: There are no opponents for this bill as of now.
Target
Population
The target population is the nursing home residents and the nursing staff.
Status of the bill
(Is it in hearings
or committees?
The bill is just introduced in the parliament house and it has not been
passed by the government. It is in the committee and has been receiving
press coverage. Media has been following the updates of this legislation
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Is it receiving
press coverage?)
and has taken interviews from the representative and the senator.
(Schakowsky.house.gov. 2019).
General
Notes/Comments
The issue of inadequate staffing and poor patient care has been a matter
of concern for the government in the United States. Since the past 20
years the intensity of medical complexity and care is increasing with
medical innovations that has helped patients get discharged earlier than
before. After the discharge they are sent to nursing homes and due to
inadequate nursing staffs the patients are not receiving quality care.
(Milstead & Short, 2019).
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Assignment 2
Advocating for the position of the Bill number H.R.5216 Quality Care for Nursing Home
Residents Act of 2019.
To the Honorable judge,
This bill should be passed as it is for the benefit of the senior
citizens as well as the other residents of a nursing home. The horrifying situation of the
healthcare sector in the country needs a serious intervention and it is only possible if the
law and judiciary of the country make amendments in the legislations. This bill ensures
quality treatment of patients and enables them to obtain optimum care, which will lead to
less malfunctioning of medical protocols. Over the last 2 decades, United States has been
suffering from inefficient service in the medical sector that is causing dissatisfaction
amongst the consumers and fatality to a major extent.
This testimony statement proposes in favor of the bill and request the government to pass
the bill for the welfare of the healthcare industry.
The opponent of this bill will be addressed by explaining the situation of the current
system in the nursing homes such as the inadequate staffing leading to poor quality of
care. The residents of the nursing homes suffering due to the lack of expertise and less
number of staffs, and not getting the appropriate treatment. Incidents have occurred such
as patients dying due to overdose of lethal injections and patients developing bed sores
due to the lack of attention and care.
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The amendment in support of my position is The Health Care for All Amendment (H.J.
Res. 17) that states:
“Health care, including care to prevent and treat illness, is the right of the people and
necessary to ensure the strength of the Nation. The Congress shall have power to enforce
and implement this article by appropriate legislation.”
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References
Congress.gov. (2019). All Info - H.R.5216 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Quality Care
for Nursing Home Residents Act of 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019, from
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/5216/all-info?r=6&s=2
Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th
ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Schakowsky.house.gov. (2019). Schakowsky, Blumenthal Introduce Bill To Improve
Quality Of Care At Nursing Homes. Retrieved 15 December 2019, from
https://schakowsky.house.gov/press-releases/schakowsky-blumenthal-introduce-
bill-to-improve-quality-of-care-at-nursing-homes/
Theconsumervoice.org. (2019). National Consumer Voice. Retrieved 15 December 2019,
from https://theconsumervoice.org/news/detail/latest/minimum-staffing-
standards-bills-introduced
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