AARP, Patient Rights Advocacy Forum urges Governor to veto Senate Bill 134

BATON ROUGE, LA — Today, AARP Louisiana State Director Denise Bottcher issued the following statement urging Governor to veto Senate Bill 134:

 “Today we have submitted formal requests to Governor Landry to veto Senate Bill 134, also known as the nursing home bill or Bob Dean Protection Act. This measure, if enacted, would effectively eliminate a resident’s right to hold nursing homes accountable in cases of abuse and neglect in a court of law.

“Nursing home residents deserve quality care. If the nursing home bill becomes law, Louisiana would be the first state in the nation to extend medical malpractice protection to nursing homes, leaving our elderly and most vulnerable residents unable to seek justice. We believe Senate Bill 134 is dangerous.

 “Louisiana is ranked last in nursing home safety and quality. They also have some of the worst outcomes and lowest staffing ratios in the nation. Giving a gift of virtual immunity to a handful of operating companies and insurers is unwarranted and does nothing to improve nursing home quality and safety.”