News For Nursing Homes: Federal Government’s Attempt to Ban Nursing Home Arbitration Blocked

George IndestBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On November 7, 2016, a Mississippi federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of the federal government’s proposed ban on mandatory arbitration in cases involving nursing homes. The order from U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills granted a preliminary injunction sought by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and prevents the ban from taking effect on Nov. 28.

The proposed rule, released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), bans so-called pre-dispute binding arbitration clauses in nursing home contracts, which require patients and families to settle any dispute over care in arbitration, rather than through the court system.

To learn more about the rule, click here.

Click here to read the final rule issued by CMS.

Not Everyone Agrees With The Rule.

In Judge Mills’s order, he wrote that the CMS “does not have the authority to ban nursing home arbitration on general policy grounds,” even if the goal of protecting elderly Americans is a worthy one.

Additionally, Judge Mills added that CMS could conceivably justify the ban by citing its authority to protect the health and safety of nursing home residents. But, that would require “an exceedingly broad understanding of agency authority.”

Click here to read Judge Mill’s order in full.

AHCA, a top trade group for nursing homes, shared their disapproval of the ban and stated that they are happy with the outcome. “We believe federal law plainly prohibits CMS from issuing this arbitration regulation, and this injunction will halt implementation of the final rule until the court can consider the merits of the case,” the association said.

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Nursing Home Cases.

The Health Law Firm and its attorneys represent nursing homes and nursing home employees in a number of different matters including incorporation, preparing contracts, defending the facility against malpractice claims, licensing and regulatory matters, administrative hearings, and routine legal advice.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

Sources:

Overley, Jeff. “BREAKING: Feds’ Ban On Nursing Home Arbitration Blocked.” Law360. (November 7, 2016). Web.

Corkery, Michael. “U.S. Just Made It A lot More Easier To Sue Nursing Homes.” The New York Times. (September 29, 2016). Web.

 

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

 

KeyWords: Nursing home arbitration cases, U.S. ban on mandatory arbitration for nursing homes, legal representation for American Health Care Association (AHCA) investigations, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), legal representation for nursing homes, CMS investigation defense lawyer, Medicare and Medicaid defense attorney, reviews for The Health Law Firm, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of George F. Indest III, P.A. – The Health Law Firm, a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 2016 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Pennsylvania Nursing Home Settles Wrongful Death Suit, Agrees to Pay $800,000

Attorney George F. Indest III Headshot By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On December 21, 2017, the Devereux Foundation in Philadelphia, agreed to pay $800,000 to end a wrongful death suit against staff at The Devereux Pocono Center. The suit accused staff at the organization’s residential behavioral health facility in northeast Pennsylvania of failing to recognize symptoms of an infection in a developmentally disabled resident.

Details of the Wrongful Death Suit.

The family of Megan Ramsey, who died in the care of the Devereux Pocono Center in July 2014, asked a Pennsylvania federal judge to sign off on the settlement to end allegations that staff failed to detect symptoms of a perforated bowel and infection. According to court records, the patient had suffered from a rare genetic disorder known as Cornelia de Lange syndrome. Her symptoms included slow growth, small stature, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and issues with behavior and communication.

In July 2014, Ramsey complained of shoulder pain, a symptom of bowel perforation, according to the complaint. She was administered a pain reliever and observed to be uncharacteristically irritable and aggressive and was treated with doses of an anti-anxiety medication, the suit said. Ramsey asked staff members to be taken to the hospital. A residential manager at the facility, however, said only to monitor her closely, offer her fluids, and advise nursing staff of any worsening of her symptoms.

She was found dead the next morning.

The Settlement.

The patient’s family filed a pretrial memorandum in September 2017, in which investigations by state agencies resulted in findings of neglect, intentional or reckless failure to provide treatment, and intentional use of a chemical restraint or isolation.

The settlement of $800,000 includes fees for the plaintiff’s counsel of just under $267,000, the filing said. Click here to read the settlement in full.

To read one of my prior blogs about a similar case involving 14 deaths at a Florida nursing home, click here.

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Nursing Home Cases.

The Health Law Firm and its attorneys represent nursing homes, nursing home employees, mental health facilities and mental health professionals, including psychologists, social workers and mental health counselors, in a number of different matters including incorporation, preparing contracts, defending the facility against malpractice claims, licensing and regulatory matters, administrative hearings, and routine legal advice.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

Sources:

Fair, Matt. “Pa. Nursing Home Settles Patient Death Suit.” Law360. (December 21, 2017). Web.

The Meyer Law Firm. “Wrongful Death in Nursing Homes.” NursingHomeAbuseGuide.org. (December 22, 2017). Web.

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: Legal representation for nursing home, nursing home defense attorney, legal representation for home health care facilities, home health care defense attorney, legal representation for health care facilities, health care facilities defense attorney, legal representation for American Health Care Association (AHCA) investigations, legal representation for nurses, legal representation for physicians, legal representation for licensure issues, legal representation for U.S. Department of Health (DOH) investigations, employment law defense attorney, legal representation for employment issues, legal representation for patient negligence, legal representation for health care negligence, legal representation for wrongful death suits, legal representation for wrongful death allegations, wrongful death suit defense attorney, legal representation for health care professionals, reviews of The Health Law Firm, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews, health law defense attorney, mental health facility defense counsel, mental health professional defense attorney, psychologist defense counsel and legal representation, social worker legal counsel and mental health counselor defense attorney

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 2018 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Big News For Nursing Homes: Federal Government’s Ban On Nursing Home Arbitration Blocked

5 Indest-2008-2By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On November 7, 2016, a Mississippi federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of the federal government’s ban on mandatory arbitration in cases involving nursing homes. The order from U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills granted a preliminary injunction sought by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and prevents the ban from taking effect on Nov. 28.

The proposed rule, released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), bans so-called pre-dispute binding arbitration clauses in nursing home contracts, which require patients and families to settle any dispute over care in arbitration, rather than through the court system.

To learn more about the rule, click here.

Click here to read the final rule issued by CMS.

Not Everyone Agrees With The Rule.

In Judge Mills’s order, he wrote that the CMS “does not have the authority to ban nursing home arbitration on general policy grounds,” even if the goal of protecting elderly Americans is a worthy one.

Additionally, Judge Mills added that CMS could conceivably justify the ban by citing its authority to protect the health and safety of nursing home residents. But, that would require “an exceedingly broad understanding of agency authority.”

Click here to read Judge Mill’s order in full.

AHCA, a top trade group for nursing homes, shared their disapproval of the ban and stated that they are happy with the outcome. “We believe federal law plainly prohibits CMS from issuing this arbitration regulation, and this injunction will halt implementation of the final rule until the court can consider the merits of the case,” the association said.

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Nursing Home Cases.

The Health Law Firm and its attorneys represent nursing homes and nursing home employees in a number of different matters including incorporation, preparing contracts, defending the facility against malpractice claims, licensing and regulatory matters, administrative hearings, and routine legal advice.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.
Sources:

Overley, Jeff. “BREAKING: Feds’ Ban On Nursing Home Arbitration Blocked.” Law360. (November 7, 2016). Web.

Corkery, Michael. “U.S. Just Made It A lot More Easier To Sue Nursing Homes.” The New York Times. (September 29, 2016). Web.

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: Nursing home arbitration cases, U.S. ban on mandatory arbitration for nursing homes, legal representation for American Health Care Association (AHCA) investigations, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), legal representation for nursing homes, CMS investigation defense lawyer, Medicare and Medicaid defense attorney, reviews for The Health Law Firm, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of George F. Indest III, P.A. – The Health Law Firm, a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 2016 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

 

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