South Carolina Nursing Home Blog : South Carolina Nursing Home Lawyer & Attorney : Poliakoff & Associates Law Firm : Elderly Care, Senior Care

The Hartford Courant had an article about another greedy nursing home CEO. The former chief executive of a now defunct nursing home chain pleaded guilty to federal charges that he improperly used money intended for the homes to buy real estate.   Raymond Termini pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and engaging in unlawful monetary transaction.

Termini stole a $6 million loan for private business transactions, and up to $2 million for sprinklers at the nursing homes instead to buy real estate and other purposes.  Termini was CEO of Middletown-based Haven Healthcare, one of the state's largest nursing home chains before it filed for bankruptcy protection in 2007, operating 27 facilities in five states, including 15 in Connecticut.  Termini agreed to forfeit $500,000.  So he steals millions but he "agreed" to pay a measly half a million. 

"Mr. Termini admitted he made some errors," Keefe said. "Otherwise he did a lot of good for a lot of people in that industry."

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

The Hour had an article about Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announcement that her administration has given the Legislature's Public Health Committee testimony in support of her bill to provide greater state oversight over nursing home administration and management including ongoing financial monitoring and expanded quality of care reviews of nursing homes.

An Act Concerning Oversight of Nursing Homes would:

1.  identify areas of the state which either need or have a surplus of nursing home beds;

2. create an oversight committee to focus on financial solvency and quality of care issues;

3.  enhance the public's access to important nursing home data;

4.  provide for greater oversight by the Department of Social Services when there is an application for a change of ownership;

5.  require expanded financial reporting to DSS;

6.   require that nursing homes submit quarterly reports of accounts payable to DSS -- as unpaid bills are a key indicator of financial health; and provide state regulatory agencies with expanded subpoena authority.

"Placing a loved one in a nursing home is often a necessary, but difficult decision and family members deserve the peace of mind of knowing that the finances and the quality of care issues of these facilities are closely monitored," Rell said. "When a nursing home goes out of business due to financial issues, both patients and their families must suffer through the turmoil of a new placement.

"Nursing homes are an important part of the network of care and services for Connecticut residents and quality of care issues are paramount to individuals who have a family member in a nursing facility," the governor said. "We must do everything in our power to ensure a standard of care that instills confidence in the people who are entrusting loved ones to a nursing facility."
 

I wish every State especially South Carolina would pass similar legislation.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks