Tuesday, April 14, 2009

"State License to Kill"

State officials have allowed nursing homes to operate without insurance in violation of state law, leaving vulnerable residents without recourse when they are abused and neglected, lawyers charged in a lawsuit.

John Holland, who filed the lawsuit with a team of lawyers, including Jay Reinan and Kathleen Mullen: "These people die, they get abused, and they have no redress. It's like a state license to kill without financial responsibility."

Howard Roitman, director of the health facilities division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and Jo Donlin, director of external affairs for the Colorado insurance commissioner said they couldn't comment on pending litigation. Their departments are named as defendants in the lawsuit.

The lawyers are seeking court authorization to sue as a class representing all disabled residents in nursing homes throughout the state. The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring the state to make sure the homes are properly insured and to revoke licenses of homes that are not.

Full Article and Source:
Suit says nursing homes get "state license to kill"

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Colorado is not the only state with this insane situation. Most people do not know that there is no recourse for neglect and abuse or worse, death of the nursing home resident.

Anonymous said...

What right should a state have to allow operations of this kind without oversight and monitoring?

Wake up you legislooters! Your obligation is to the voting public, not to the lobbyists!

Anonymous said...

State officials should be reprimanded for risking the public trust.

Nursing homes must be watched closely. And even in doing that, they still rarely give minimum care.

wisernow said...

Hey, folks this is a NO BRAINER.

Follow the $$$$ and the votes; who is bankrolling, who is wining and dining and gifting, funding the legislators who draft the laws?

Who has the most influence?

1) The victims, the residents of the nursing homes?

2) You?

3) Me? OR is it the

4) daily parade of special interest groups and lobbyists in this case bribery on behalf of the nursing home industry?

Money speaks. Who has the most influence and $$$$? You? Me? or does $$$$$ speak loudly to our elected officials?

Another NO BRAINER issue and we, the chump taxpayers, are paying the elected officials salaries, expense accounts, extraordinary health care plan, generous pension, lifetime rewards of status etc.

Anonymous said...

It is a state license to kill without any accountabilty or respolnsibility.

How many people have suffered with no redress because of this situation?

One is too many but you can bet it's more than that.