I received an email today – with the following link: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/15805694.htm. The State of Texas is suing a nursing home for failing to care for the patients. Well I think that is a great idea – and here is why. Often times you hear people allege that the only people who win in negligence / malpractice lawsuits, are the plaintiff lawyers. Well – if the state is trying to enforce standards of care as well, then it means patient care will improve – and people will not claim the lawsuit is motivated by money.
Also, I think its great that a government would realize it is in their best interest, that nursing homes provide the care they are required to provide – which is the same care you pay them to provide.
In most of our Nursing Home cases, Medicare (and sometimes Medicaid) will come back after settlement or jury verdict – and take a chunk of the money to repay for the medical services they had to provide to the patient, as a result of the facilities’ negligent care. Well – if medicare or medicaid started filing the negligence lawsuits – in order to recover for their expenses, less people would think the suit was motivated by greedy attorneys – so I say, WAY TO GO TEXAS.