The Senate Health Policy Committee voted 8-1 to approve a bill that would protect nursing home investors from lawsuits if their facilities are accused of abuse and neglect, the Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau reports.
The bill would limit liability to the nursing home’s owner and staff, leaving investors off the hook if the facility is sued. Plaintiff's attorneys would, in return, get easier access to medical records.
Elder-law advocates say that the bill protects profits, not patients. The industry says no one benefits if nursing homes go out of business.