Nursing home overhaul bill would boost staffing, oversight
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senior Democratic senators are introducing legislation that responds to the ravages of COVID-19 in nursing homes. The bill unveiled Tuesday from a group led by Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania aims to increase nurse staffing, improve infection control and bolster inspections. It’s part of a broader overhaul of long-term care that’s just getting started. Separately, President Joe Biden is asking Congress for $400 billion to expand home and community based alternatives to nursing homes. Nursing homes and long-term care facilities house a tiny proportion of the U.S. population but they’re estimated to account for about 3 in 10 coronavirus deaths.