Recession Tied to Decreased State Nursing Home Oversight, Fewer Citations

​The worldwide recession that lasted from December 2007 to June 2009 and had lasting effects on state budgets led to a decrease in nursing home oversight by state agencies, according to the latest Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Nursing Home Enforcement Report. That recession sapped state budgets, limiting their ability to conduct surveys because of layoffs and hiring freezes. According to CMS, the effects of this decreased oversight can be seen in the declining frequency of citations even after 2009. In addition to overall citations, findings of immediate jeopardy or substandard care were also less frequent each year after 2006, which CMS also links to budget constraints imposed by the recession. CMS also notes three special areas of emphasis during this period that each had an effect on deficiency rates.