More Evidence Nursing Homes Do Not Pay Staff Enough - Homes Want Exemption From Health Care Law's Requirements
In an article in today's New York Times, Robert Pear describes the efforts the nursing home industry is undertaking to escape from the requirements of the new Affordable Care Act. The first sentence in Mr. Pear's article says it all: "It is an oddity of American health care: Many nursing homes and home care agencies do not provide health insurance to their workers, or they pay wages so low that employees cannot afford the coverage that is offered."
Why is it important that nursing home workers have access to affordable health care? According to Ms. Charlene A. Harrington, a professor at the School of Nursing at the University of California, San Francisco: "If employees have health insurance, they are more likely to be treated for illnesses, less likely to pass on infections to nursing home residents and more likely to get early treatment for occupational injuries.” Unfortunately: "Among workers who provide hands-on care to nursing home residents, one in four has no health insurance."
Shouldn't the people responsible for caring for nursing home residents be paid a living wage and, thus, be able to afford health insurance? Shouldn't these same people have access to affordable healthcare? Aren't nursing home residents safer if staff can afford to see a physician when they are ill or injured? The answer to all of these questions is: "Yes."
If you think nursing homes should have to abide by the new Affordable Health Care Act by offering staff affordable health care beginning in 2014, as the law requires, do not remain silent. Contact your congressperson. Let them know your thoughts. Nursing home residents would be safer if all staff had access to affordable healthcare.
