We all hope that our parents and loved ones in their twilight years can live – if not in their own home – in a nursing facility that will give them kindhearted care, and is a facility that places all of the people living there first, above all else.
Unfortunately, in the past ten plus years, the nursing home industry has come to be dominated by private equity funds and other businesses that care more about their profits than the care for which our government subsidizes them. Inevitably, quality care is missing from an equation that, above all else, looks to turn excessive and undeserved profits for the owners who hide behind a web of shadow corporations to conceal any wrongdoing.
A bill was recently introduced in the Pennsylvania legislature to allow the attorney general to review and block the acquisition of any health care facility (including nursing homes and hospitals) that the government determines is “against the public’s interest.” It would take particular aim at the practice of a nursing home’s owner “selling” its building to a third party (often owned by the same people) who would pocket the sale proceeds and, going forward, also receive outsized rent payments from the nursing home.
An investigation by Spotlight PA uncovered the efforts by a powerful industry lobbying group, the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, to oppose this proposed law. The lobbying represents a potent force: in 2024 the nursing home industry spent at least $2.2 million dollars lobbying, and contributed $682,000 to political campaigns. The little guy doesn’t stand a chance.
If Wall Street’s corporations harm a frail elder, the only place where there is a level playing field is in a court of law before a jury. There, the wrongdoing will be revealed and the perpetrators punished.
If your loved one has been injured in a nursing home or assisted living facility in Pennsylvania and you suspect negligence, contact us. We offer decades of experience through a recognized leader in long-term care litigation cases and can provide the skilled legal guidance you need to seek justice.
Please contact us to learn more about how we can help you.