Blumenthal & Hirono Introduce Legislation to Uphold the Rights of Americans in Nursing Homes

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced legislation to protect the rights of Americans in nursing homes. The Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act prohibits long-term care facilities from requiring or soliciting residents to enter into pre-dispute, mandatory, binding arbitration agreements.

“Too many of our nation’s most vulnerable individuals—especially seniors—are exploited by the very people who are supposed to care for them,” said Blumenthal. “Forced arbitration is an unfair and un-American practice, and with this bill, we provide critical protections for these individuals and their families by ensuring they will not be forced into harmful or exploitative contracts.”

“Nursing home residents deserve access to the high-quality care they need without being forced into mandatory arbitration agreements and, oftentimes, unwittingly signing away their rights,” said Hirono. “By prohibiting nursing facilities from enforcing forced arbitration agreements in disputes with residents, the Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act will help to protect older Americans and provide peace of mind for nursing home residents and their loved ones.”

This bill is a companion to legislation reintroduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year, led by U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA) and cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Judy Chu (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC), Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ), and Paul Tonko (D-NY).

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

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