New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced on Thursday a $45 million settlement with a nursing home operator accused of neglecting its clients.
Last year, James filed a civil action accusing the owners and operators of Centers for Care, which operates nursing facilities in White Plains, the Bronx, Queens, and Buffalo, of misusing Medicaid and Medicare monies while failing to care for nursing home residents.
What Letitia James Said
In a statement, the Democrat accused the Centers for Care of years of mistreating residents.
“Residents at these Centers nursing homes endured years of tragic and devastating mistreatment and neglect, while the owners made millions of dollars in profit,” James said. “Centers’ owners operated the nursing homes with insufficient staffing so that they could pocket tens of millions of taxpayer dollars meant for resident care.”
The attorney general added, “Residents suffered tragic harm and their families were often left in the dark or in despair about their loved ones. Now, Centers and its owners will pay for the harm they caused and will continue to make major reforms at their facilities to ensure residents receive the care they deserve.
“My office will continue our work to make sure that nursing homes are safe and supportive environments for seniors to live out their years with dignity.”
Accusations Against Centers for Care
James’ lawsuit claimed that staff members were overwhelmed and unable to properly care for residents, denying them assistance with basic daily chores.
“Call bells regularly went unanswered, residents were forced to sit in their own urine and feces for hours, meals were not provided in a timely manner, and personal belongings, including hearing aids, dentures and clothing were often lost or stolen,” a press release from James’ office said. “Residents, visiting family members, and staff reported unsanitary conditions, including neglected food trays, vermin, flies and persistent smells of human waste.”
The settlement requires Centers for Care to invest $35 million in improving resident care and staffing, while Medicaid and Medicare programs will get $8.75 million in reparations.
The court appointed independent monitors shortly after filing the lawsuit to investigate operations and finances.
What Centers for Care Said
Centers for Care stated in a prepared statement that it welcomed the closure of the action and that the settlement “dismisses all allegations of wrongdoing against Centers.”
“Over the last three decades, Centers has cared for thousands of residents across dozens of facilities, while maintaining the highest standards of care and resident welfare,” the statement said. “We are committed to fully implementing the settlement terms, including a significant investment in resident care.”
