{"id":355759,"date":"2016-04-04T11:01:54","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:01:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/elder\/elder-care-law\/nursing-home-law-basics.html"},"modified":"2022-10-25T10:30:05","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T15:30:05","slug":"nursing-home-law-basics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/elder\/elder-care-law\/nursing-home-law-basics.html","title":{"rendered":"Nursing Home Law Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Nursing Home Basics, Costs, Laws, and Resources<\/h1>\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Both federal and state laws regulate nursing homes. In 1987, Congress amended the Social Security Act, the 1965 law that created Medicaid and Medicare. These amendments formed the Nursing Home Reform Act. It created rights for residents.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

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Federal and state laws regulate nursing homes. In 1965, the federal government passed the Social Security Act, which created the public benefit programs Medicaid<\/a> and Medicare<\/a>. In 1987, Congress enacted amendments to the Social Security Act, known as the Nursing Home Reform Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Nursing Home Reform Act requires nursing homes to provide certain services to their residents and meet specific standards to receive Medicaid or Medicare payments. In 2021, Congress passed The Nursing Home Reform Modernization Act<\/a>, establishing a ranking system for long-term care facilities.<\/p>\n

This article explores the history of elder care law, nursing home residents’ rights, and nursing home and long-term care facility requirements.<\/p>\n

Background and History of the Laws<\/h2>\n

In 1986, at the request of Congress, the Institute of Medicine issued a report<\/a> on assisted living providers in the U.S. The report concluded that many senior caregiving facilities had:<\/p>\n