The comment period ends today on a Trump administration ploy to block nursing home residents and their families of the right to sue over alleged abuse, neglect or sexual assault. DNC deputy communications director Adrienne Watson released the following statement:

“Today is the last day to comment, please contact the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services to stop Trump from blocking crucial protections for nursing home residents. These are our grandparents, mothers and fathers. Instead of protecting older Americans and easing strains on their families, Trump is trying to take away their rights and leave them vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment. We knew Trump lacked compassion, but now he has taken his disrespect for these Americans to a dangerous new level.”

The Hill: Fight over right to sue nursing homes heats up

By Lydia Wheeler

Consumer groups are making a last ditch effort to stop the Trump administration from stripping nursing home residents and their families of the right to take facilities to court over alleged abuse, neglect or sexual assault.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans in June to do away with an Obama-era rule that prohibited nursing homes that accept Medicare or Medicaid funds from including language in their resident contracts requiring that disputes be settled by a third party rather than a court.

Public comments on the CMS proposal to do away with that rule are due Monday, and groups are urging the agency to reconsider.

More than 75 consumer, health and advocacy groups have come together to form the Fair Arbitration Now Coalition to stop CMS from reversing what they claim is a critical protection for the elderly.

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