WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ranking
Member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, delivered the following remarks at
a hearing entitled, “A National Tragedy: COVID-19 in the Nation’s Nursing Homes.”
The text of Ranking Member
Crapo’s remarks, as prepared, is below.
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
“At the national, state and local
levels, the pandemic has challenged our sense of normalcy. It has tested every institution of
daily life we know, threatening the physical and economic health of our nation. Americans from all walks of life
have experienced a year full of tremendous hardship and tragedy.
“It is the people living and working
in our nation’s nursing homes, however, who bore an outsized burden. More than 174,000 people died as
COVID-19 ravaged our long-term care facilities. That number represents almost
one-third of all U.S. deaths that have occurred during the pandemic.
“Both long-stay nursing homes and
short-stay post-acute skilled nursing facilities rely on direct care workers –
such as licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants and personal
care aides – to provide most hands-on care. These workers are in close physical
contact with residents, assisting with bathing, dressing and eating.
“Current data shows that long-term
care workers are typically female and a disproportionate share are women of
color. Many of these direct care workers
live paycheck to paycheck. Over the past year, they have put
their lives on the line. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
“Thank you to the dedicated nursing
home workers like Adelina Ramos, one of our witnesses. These workers hear Americans calling
them heroes, but they are often underappreciated when on the job. To these frontline workers, please
know that the sacrifices you are making every day do not go unnoticed or
unappreciated.
“Today, we will hear from a number of
expert witnesses who will provide key insights into nursing home conditions
over the past year. This testimony will help us better
understand exactly what happened, when it happened and why it happened. It will give us insight into
policies that produced results, as well as areas that need improvement.
“Hearings are just one oversight tool
this Committee uses to hold government agencies, the health care industry and
individual providers accountable. Another key part of oversight is
securing reliable and accurate data. Transparent data reporting brings
accountability and helps drive decision-making.
“As we look to the future, it is
vital that all states report accurate COVID-19 data. That is the only way for economists,
researchers, advocacy organizations and policymakers to tackle the challenges
facing the nursing home sector head-on. This is not a job for the federal
government alone. Multiple federal, state, and local
programs and partnerships work to support the health care needs of our nation’s
most vulnerable populations.
“We must work together – in an honest
and transparent manner – to safeguard our nursing home residents and the
workers who care for them.
“Over the weekend, the New York Times
published the results of an investigation into the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) nursing home five-star rating system. The investigation questions the
objectivity and accuracy of the CMS star ratings system. This rating system, which was first
implemented during the Obama Administration, is designed to help beneficiaries,
their families, and caregivers compare nursing home quality more easily. Care Compare is another online tool
available to help seniors, the disabled, and their families find out if a
particular nursing home facility meets federal health and safety standards,
staffing levels, and quality performance metrics.
“After several bipartisan hearings
held by the Finance Committee during 2019, CMS implemented changes to Nursing
Home Compare that specifically denote nursing homes that have been cited for
incidents of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. That may have been a start, but
clearly there is a lot more work that needs to be done.
“I am grateful to each of our
witnesses for the work that they are doing and for taking the time to join us
today.
“Their expertise will help us advance public
policies that slow the spread of COVID-19, and lessen its devastating impacts
on our nation’s elderly and the disabled.”
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