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July 26, 2013 Daniel R. Levinson Inspector General Department of Health and Human Services 330 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 Submitted Electronically Dear Mr. Levinson: A report today that your office has canceled plans to investigate antipsychotic drug use in nursing homes is disappointing and alarming. Two years ago we answered your challenge to … Read more

UNITED STATES SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING OVERPRESCRIBED: THE HUMAN AND TAXPAYERS' COSTS OF ANTIPSYCHOTICS IN NURSING HOMES November 30, 2011 Testimony of Toby S. Edelman Senior Policy Attorney Center for Medicare Advocacy The misuse of antipsychotic drugs as chemical restraints is one of the most common and longstanding, but preventable, practices causing serious harm … Read more

The Administration on Aging defines a subcategory of elder abuse – “physical abuse” – as “inflicting physical pain or injury on a senior, e.g. slapping, bruising, or restraining by physical or chemical means.”[1] Administering antipsychotic drugs to more than a quarter of a million nursing home residents meets the definition of elder abuse and, left … Read more

October 14, 2015 Andrew M. Slavitt Acting Administrator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Department of Health and Human Services Room 445-G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building 200 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, D.C.  20201 Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Reform of Requirements for long-Term Care Facilities CMS-3260-P Submitted electronically:  http://www.regulations.gov Dear Mr. Slavitt and CMS Colleagues: The … Read more

Last week’s Alert discussed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’s) National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care and the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) recent report on antipsychotic drugs.[1]  The CMS Partnership and the GAO reported different numbers of nursing home residents receiving antipsychotic drugs.  Some of the differences appear to reflect the different databases … Read more

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Department of Health & Human Services Attention: CMS-4159-P P.O. Box 8013 Baltimore, MD 21244-8013 March 7, 2014 Submitted Electronically: http://regulations.gov Re: CMS-4159-P To Whom It May Concern: The Center for Medicare Advocacy (Center) is pleased to provide the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) comments on the Notice of … Read more

As required by the 1987 federal Nursing Home Reform Law,[1] CMS has developed, tested, and periodically revised a survey protocol that state surveyors, who are generally employed by the state health departments, must use to determine nursing facilities' compliance with federal standards of care.  The survey protocol, which is composed of two Appendices to the … Read more

The recent settlement of criminal and civil charges against Johnson & Johnson for off-label marketing of Risperdal for nursing home residents once again brings the issue of antipsychotic drugs and nursing homes to public attention.  A group of residents' advocates working to reduce the inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing facilities recently issued a … Read more

November 14, 2013 For Immediate Release Statement of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, Center for Medicare Advocacy, Legal Aid Justice Center, Long Term Care Community Coalition, The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care Washington, DC – The Department of Justice's $2.2 billion settlement with Johnson & Johnson over allegations that it illegally promoted … Read more

Examining Inappropriate Use of Antipsychotic Drugs, a Report in three Parts, looks at antipsychotic drug use in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and nursing facilities (NFs) from two perspectives.  First, it analyzes the antipsychotic drug deficiencies that were cited in seven states in calendar years 2010 and 2011 (Part One).  Second, in this Part, it reports … Read more

The misuse of antipsychotic drug is a pervasive problem in American nursing facilities.  Misuse causes physical and psychological harm and death to residents and costs many hundreds of millions of dollars annually,[1] both for the drugs themselves and in efforts to reverse the poor resident outcomes that are the common consequence of their misuse.  Examining … Read more

On May 31, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an initiative to reduce the rampant misuse and overuse of antipsychotic drugs in nursing facilities.  The Center for Medicare Advocacy has been working to educate policy makers, advocates, and the public about the misuse of antipsychotic drugs for many years, and is … Read more

Introduction and Discussion (Attorney Toby Edelman's testimony at the Senate Aging Committee on Nov. 30, 2011) Articles and Updates Other Resources      The misuse of antipsychotic drugs as chemical restraints is one of the most common and longstanding, but preventable, practices causing serious harm to nursing home residents today.   We thank the Senate Special Committee on … Read more

April 18, 2012 Contact: Toby S. Edelman at (202) 293-5760 tedelman@medicareadvocacy.org The Center for Medicare Advocacy knows that huge savings in nursing facility costs, and advances in resident care, could be achieved if facilities eliminated the inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs and provided sufficient staff to meet resident needs.  The Center commends the Senate Special … Read more

The Future of Long-Term Care: Saving Money by Serving Seniors Senate Special Committee on Aging April 18, 2012 2:00 p.m. Statement for the Record Toby S. Edelman Senior Policy Attorney Center for Medicare Advocacy 1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 709 Washington, DC  20036 The Center for Medicare Advocacy suggests that huge savings in the cost … Read more

Contact: Toby S. Edelman at (202) 293-5760 tedelman@medicareadvocacy.org   Washington, DC – Advocates for nursing home residents who have been working for many years to eliminate all misuse of antipsychotic drugs for nursing home residents applaud the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS's) new national initiative to address the drugging epidemic.  CMS's "National Initiative … Read more

Center Attorney Toby Edelman Testifies at Senate Aging Hearing About Overuse of Antipsychotic Drugs in Nursing Facilities Medicare Enrollment Period Ends December 7, 2011 January 2012 Brings Round 2 of CMS' Competitive Bidding Program for Suppliers of Durable Medical Equipment Orthotics And Supplies (DMEPOS) Center Attorney Toby Edelman Testifies at Senate Aging Hearing About Overuse … Read more

For many years, advocates for nursing home residents have argued that when residents are denied good care, the costs of trying to treat and correct avoidable conditions and bad resident outcomes are high.  Advocates refer to this phenomenon as "the high cost of poor care."  Others identify the phenomenon as "the business case for quality."  … Read more

Many nursing home residents who do not have a diagnosis that supports their taking antipsychotic medications are nevertheless given antipsychotic drugs.  These drugs are both dangerous to residents and extremely expensive for the Medicare program.   Reducing the use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing facilities would both dramatically improve the quality of care and quality of … Read more

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Please use the links below to navigate to a list of articles by topic.  Other articles prior to 2010 can be found in our Historical Archive. Acute Hospital Care Antipsychotic Drugs Chronic Conditions Connecticut Consumers Coverage for People with Disabilities Discharge Planning Health Care Reform – The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Home Health Care The Improvement … Read more

Introduction The three-year old, and still ongoing, investigation and criminal prosecution of former staff members of a California skilled nursing facility for improper use of antipsychotic drugs on residents raises issues that go far beyond the gruesome facts of the case; issues that remain current today. This Alert discusses that case, research and Federal Drug … Read more