Washington Post: Senators challenge assisted living industry over wandering deaths, poor care
Erie News Now: Senator Casey chairs hearing on assisted living facilities
Penn Capital-Star: U.S. Senate panel examines quality, costs of assisted living centers
The Hill: Assisted living facilities fall short when caring for aging US population, witnesses tell senators
KFF Health News: Senate probes the cost of assisted living and its burden on American families
McKnight’s Senior Living: Senators ask for federal study of assisted living, seek consumer feedback, ponder oversight
Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, held a hearing on the American assisted living facilities and concerns residents and their families face regarding cost, transparency, and adequacy of care. The hearing, along with letters Chairman Casey sent to three of the largest corporate owners of assisted living facilities and the Government Accountability Office, constitute the most significant congressional review of the American assisted living industry in 20 years.
At the hearing, Casey issued a public call for families to share their experiences navigating the assisted living landscape with the Aging Committee.
Read excerpts of the coverage of Chairman Casey’s inquiry below:
Washington Post: The chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), called Thursday’s hearing citing The Post’s reporting. He said deliberations about potential federal regulations would continue and asked the public to send stories of costs and care to help inform the committee. Casey said Thursday’s hearing — which included testimony from an advocate, an industry representative and a loved one who called the committee to report bad care — was the start of the biggest review of assisted living by the Senate in 20 years. “Unfortunately, what I heard today makes clear that we have a long way to go when it comes to guaranteeing the level of care that older Americans in assisted-living facilities deserve,” Casey said in a statement after the hearing.
Penn Capital-Star: Sen. Bob Casey, chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, led a hearing Thursday to highlight the panel’s fact-finding mission. Unlike nursing homes, assisted living care is largely unregulated at the federal level. “It is long past time for Congress to reexamine this model and ensure that it’s meeting our nation’s needs,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said in his opening remarks. Citing a recent survey that found 80% of adults would not be able to afford four years in an assisted living facility, Casey appealed directly to the public to share their experiences. “I want to hear from you about the true cost of assisted living,” Casey said, holding a sign that urged people to submit stories to aging.senate.gov/assistedlivingbills.
Erie News Now: Senator Casey spoke on how estimates for the cost of care is important to learn more about, as it can be unpredictable at assisted living facilities. “The more assistance and care a resident needs, the more they pay," said Casey. “And in some cases residents and families don't know the total cost until they receive their monthly bill.” Casey is asking Pennsylvania families, and all U.S. citizens, to share their monthly assisted living bills at the website here, so the committee has a better picture of the true cost of care.
The Hill: Assisted living facilities are already inadequately prepared for the aging population, witnesses told a Senate panel during a Thursday hearing…Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) cited a survey from the National Council on Aging that found 80 percent of adults are unable to afford four years in an assisted-living facility.
KFF Health News: Sen. Bob Casey, the Pennsylvania Democrat who chairs the panel, put out a call for residents and their families to submit their bills so the panel could assess the industry’s business practices. “I want to know more about what people are paying for assisted living and to have people tell their stories,” Casey said. “We want to hear from you about the true cost of assisted living and understand whether families have the information — the information that they need — to make this difficult financial and health care decision for a family member and for the family.”
McKnight’s Senior Living: The spotlight on the assisted living industry got a little hotter on Thursday as congressional leaders called for a government study on industry pricing and transparency, announced a website and email address where consumers can share their bills and their experiences interacting with providers, and pondered increased federal involvement…Casey said that the “dramatic” growth of assisted living in recent decades makes it long past time for Congress to re-examine the model to ensure that it is meeting the nation’s needs. The United States, he added, must have the best long-term care system in the world.
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