by Sawyer Bess
Senate Bill 910’s sponsor, Sen. Adam Schnelting, R-St. Louis, said he believes requiring care facilities to have liability insurance would help guarantee financial reimbursement to victims of abuse or neglect.
The bill would also increase penalties for abuse or neglect in facilities and require public warning be noted on the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ website for poor care at a facility.
Long-term care providers like nursing homes and assisted living facilities are not required to carry liability insurance for cases of elder abuse.
Schnelting said facilities could instead hold a reserve of $1 million in an account as long as it is separate from their operational fund.
Schnelting and Lt. Gov. David Wasinger heard stories from Missouri residents during their 2025 “Protect our Seniors” tour regarding cases of elder abuse.
“When someone gets hurt or their loved one gets hurt, facilities shouldn’t be able to just say ‘Well, you’re out of luck, I don’t have the insurance,’” Schnelting said.
Schnelting and other supporters compared the bill to owning a car, where having car insurance is about protecting others and establishing responsibility.
“I was appalled to find out that these owners are not regulated or required to carry insurance,” said Jane Opperman, an occupational therapist who discovered the lack of regulation after starting her own senior care facility. “We are taking care of a very vulnerable population here, and we owe the families that respect and that accountability,” she said.
Nikki Strong, representing the Missouri Healthcare Association, is concerned that “good” long-term care providers could struggle to continue providing care.
“The unfortunate reality of Senate Bill 910 is that the unintended consequences of this bill ... will most likely force facilities out of business,” Strong said.
Other opponents said that adding higher costs could be destructive to rural providers, which already struggle with lower patient counts.
The bill would require the Missouri DHSS website to mark long-term care facilities with an icon if they have previously committed abuse or neglect. Medicare’s website already uses a similar icon system to flag abuse.
Oppermann said she supports icons as a method of transparency because families looking for long-term care providers already struggle to choose the right care facility.
“When they are already overwhelmed and vulnerable, just a little icon would make a significant impact on their searches,” Oppermann said.
The bill would make elder abuse by a care provider a class E felony, up from a class A misdemeanor. The DHSS would also have to report cases of neglect to the House, Senate and the lieutenant governor.
Similar legislation requiring care providers to have liability insurance failed to pass in the General Assembly in 2009.
Full Article & Source:
Bill seeks to increase protection for elders in care facilities
No comments:
Post a Comment