Rick Scott -- Removing watchdogs from nursing homes.

Bills would restrict state's nursing-home watchdogs

In the weeks since Gov. Rick Scott called for the ouster of Florida's top nursing-home watchdog, Republican lawmakers have introduced more than a dozen bills that critics claim would further "neuter" the ombudsman program.

The state Department of Elder Affairs also has notified Florida's 400 mostly volunteer ombudsmen, instructing them not to speak to the media without alerting a district manager about the conversation and detailing the questions asked.

"My biggest concern is that we can still speak for residents, still do yearly assessments of the facilities, still handle residents' complaints and not be muzzled by the industry or the governor or anyone else," said Lynn Dos Santos, chairwoman of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman Council and a volunteer herself. "Under the new policy, I shouldn't be talking now. But the truth has to be told."

The developments come as the U.S. Administration on Aging investigates the dismissal of Brian Lee, who led Florida's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program for the past seven years. In part, investigators are looking into allegations that Scott broke federal law by "interfering" with the watchdog program, which is supposed to be independent.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-fl-ombudsman-bills-20110328,0,7558563.story

I said we had to hit rock bottom before people wake up. I think Rick Scott will succeed in getting us their quicker and painfully.

It doesn't matter how bad it gets; the repugs will still convince the non-rich that the poor, immigrants, unions and "liberals" are the cause of everyone's problems, and the Dems will keep electing pro-corporate/ anti-worker politicians and kicking anyone who doesn't support them. No one with a podium is speaking the truth.

bad ideas.

are indigent or nearly so, a lack of oversight could hasten their "exits",,,thus saving the state money :(

you would probably find that scott and his buddies probably have some investments in nursing homes.
Is that so obvious and why they didn't investigate that?

I keep saying that Florida is a Libertarian state, but nobody seems to understand what that means. Dollars take precedent over life. And the community leaders abuse their positions to line their pockets while they ignore the needs of the people they're suppose to watch over.

Those leaders don't care because the only world that matters to them is the network of community leaders and elected officials. The top. Rick Scott will make lots of friends and will have a safe cushion to fall on when this over.

In Florida, the Democrats do it too.

will kill people.

mark

admission to a VA hospital till they die...saves money!

mark

I think procedures and drugs are being tested on those who have the least opportunities to connect with attorneys for malpractice suits. When a woman dies of a botched up stent procedure, whose going to care if she's 80?

and toward home- and community-based care. The Rehnquist Court, in a rare moment of lucidity, ruled 6-3 in Olmstead v. L.C. (1999) that people with disabilities have the civil right to live in the community rather than in institutional settings.

Of course, no state has really fully implemented Olmstead. One can hardly imagine that it would be a top priority for pRick Scott. :eyes:

everything he does is for his gain or his familys' gain. He give no information to anyone and treats the office like he is ceo of the state.

For some reason it seems the media is starting to wake up a bit, maybe just stir to the fact that he's only been here 7 years, that he had to leave

columbia hca due to record fraud and his "no knowlege" of if. But more than anything, they're pissed that he has decided to charge a fee for FIOA

requests to be filled. That allows him weeks to do the FIOA paperwork, then he has to notify whoever wants the information what the cost is, then he

can delay again on grounds of agencies being overwhelmed.

The man is a crook and a crok. I thought * was the only person I could not stand at all, I'm finding out how mistaken I was.