Albany, NY – Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz has passed legislation (A2037) which requires every nursing home facility in New York state to display prominently the most recent star rating pursuant to the inspection rating system of the U.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This information must be posted prominently in the physical facility itself as well as linked or posted on the nursing home facility’s website and the Department of Health website.

The legislation was first introduced in June 2019, but the issue of nursing home care quality has only recently entered the mainstream zeitgeist as a result of the tragic deaths of more than 13,000 nursing home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Family members often do not have the resources or skills required to properly care for their aging loved ones and are reliant on professional nursing home facilities to provide the care they need. In addition to the emotional stress of accepting that a loved one requires more care than the family can provide, there is also significant variability in the caliber of different facilities.

The U.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has established a five-star rating system (seen here) that factors in health inspection results, staffing, and quality measures composed of 15 different physical and clinical measures for nursing home residents. However, these ratings are not always easy for consumers to find.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D - Bronx) said: “We must keep our focus on what matters most – ensuring high quality patient care at all nursing homes in New York. CMS ratings are an essential transparency metric that can help families choose the best home for their aging loved ones, and we should make it as easy as possible for families to find this information. As an added bonus, perhaps if we make it easier for families to vote with their feet – more nursing home providers will finally start putting people over their profits.”