Elderly Protection Act Gets First-Round House Approval

Oder Missourians would find it easier to pay for nursing home care and problems within homes would be easier to prosecute under a bill moving forward in the House.The sponsor of the Elderly Protection Act doesn’t like all the changes the House made to his bill, but Representative Craig Hosmer (D-Springfield) is happy it has passed its first-round vote.Hosmer objects to an amendment that would allow nursing homes cited for deficiencies to petition the Division of Aging for more money, saying it provides the wrong incentive. Another increased the assets a person could have to qualify for Medicaid reimbursement from $1,000 to $7,000. The original bill would increase the asset level to $4,000 for a single person and $6,000 for a couple. Hosmer favors the original language.The bill stiffens criminal penalties against nursing homes. It allows county prosecutors to work with the State Division of Aging when allegations of criminal conduct arise. It also requires monetary fines be imposed, rather than waived as is the common practice now once a nursing home takes corrective action. It needs another favorable vote to move to the Senate.