Hunter
12/15/23
Republicans in the Iowa Statehouse have rejected a formal request from Democrats to investigate the state’s nursing home crisis, saying regulators are already too busy monitoring those facilities.
The Des Moines Register reports state Democratic lawmakers on Thursday formally requested a Senate Oversight Committee to conduct an inquiry into challenges plaguing Iowa nursing homes, stating there needed to be a bipartisan effort to increase transparency and accountability in facilities across the state caring for older Iowans.
In a letter to committee chair Senator Amy Sinclair, Democratic Senator and ranking member of the committee Claire Celsi said the reason for her request was well-documented instances of assault, sexual misconduct, abuse and neglect of residents in Iowa nursing homes. At a press conference yesterday, Celsi said the state has an obligation to investigate and provide workable solutions to the crisis.
Sinclair told the Des Moines Register later in the day that she would not be scheduling a meeting, saying the fact that regulators and inspectors have issued 2800 citations in the past twelve months is evidence that the state is taking the issue of elder care seriously.
Despite the Senate increasing funding for nursing home care by nearly $75 million over the last six years, the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals is 49th in the country for the number of nursing home inspectors per capita.
Nursing home officials say high turnover and worker shortages are the main causes for issues in their facilities. They are calling for greater investment to offer competitive wages, although the state approved an additional $15 million in funding to nursing homes through Medicaid reimbursement for fiscal year 2024.