Legislation Quick Search
03/19/2024 06:42 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20190&cosponId=28907
Share:
Home / House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: March 20, 2019 10:10 AM
From: Representative Frank Burns and Rep. Jeanne McNeill
To: All House members
Subject: Death Reporting Requirements for Care Facilities
 
Elder care facilities, such as nursing homes, assisted living residences and personal care homes, provide much needed care to our state’s most vulnerable older adults. Unfortunately, we have all heard of cases involving neglect and abuse that leads to serious injury and death. This demonstrates a deficiency in state and local oversight and an absence of commitment to quality of life and dignity for residents.

Currently, facilities only contact their local county coroner for a death that is suspicious, such as the result of homicide or accident, not deaths that may have occurred from natural causes or a progressive disease. This can lead to subjective decision-making in determining deaths to report that may have actually been a result of inadequate care – something that bad actors in these facilities might try to hide in order to prevent further investigation.

As such, we will be introducing two bills that will require nursing homes, assisted living residences and personal cares homes to report all deaths, regardless of cause, to their county coroner. The county coroner would then determine if a formal investigation is warranted after discussing the cause of death and the medical history of the patient with the facility.

Please join us in supporting this legislation to better protect the health and safety of all residents of these facilities.



Document #1

Introduced as HB1713

Description: Bill #1
This bill would require nursing homes to report to their county coroner the death of any resident of their facility.
 
 

Document #2

Introduced as HB1714

Description: Bill #2
This bill would require personal care homes and assisted living residences to report to their county coroner the death of any resident of their facility.