AARP Reconsiders Position On Nursing Home Lawsuits

[Karmadillo]

AARP also reconsiders its position against soylent green being served in its executive dining room. That's one organization I'm increasingly looking forward to not joining.

http://tampatrib.com/News/MGAR7BA1YND.html

TALLAHASSEE - A powerful senior citizens lobbying group may reverse its earlier opposition and join forces with nursing home owners seeking greater protection against abuse and neglect lawsuits, a move that has caught some political observers by surprise.
The AARP, formerly called the American Association of Retired Persons, is working with the nursing home industry on legislation that could be introduced during the regular session of the Florida Legislature in March. A select legislative committee, created largely because of complaints from nursing home companies, will convene Tuesday in the Capitol to start taking testimony.

Nursing home operators say a 2001 law that limited punitive damages in lawsuits didn't go far enough. The expected drop in lawsuits against nursing homes never materialized, they say. Consequently, nursing homes still cannot afford insurance, even if adequate coverage is available.

AARP leaders say they share the same concerns about the insurance market. Lyn Bodiford, a lobbyist for the organization, said many nursing homes carry such scanty insurance coverage, they couldn't pay a claim even if a resident did file a successful lawsuit. Some nursing homes carry as little as $20,000 in coverage. In those cases, a lawyer will not even bother to bring a suit, even if the abuse or neglect is egregious.

more...

[liberalhistorian]

1. You have GOT

to be fucking KIDDING me, right? RIGHT? This is so un-fucking-believable and so infuriating that I almost can't see straight right now! AARP was NEVER like this before, WTF is happening to it? EVERY SINGLE AARP MEMBER ON DU SHOULD DROP THEIR MEMBERSHIP RIGHT NOW!!!!! And get everyone else they know to drop their membership, as well. I'm calling my mother right now and telling her and my stepdad to get the hell out of that group, even though they just paid their renewal fees.

[goddess40]

3. AARP Pirates

My mom finally got an email from AARP that she will be getting her dues refunded as she cancelled her membership. It took a phone call, numerous emails and a letter (that enclosed her cut up membership card) to get this refund. And if she doesn't get it she will continue to barrage them. They told her to discard any materials from AARP she might get in the mail. She is going to cut them up and send them back to AARP if they enclose any prepaid envelopes.

[liberalhistorian]

5. LOL!

Good for her! I just talked to my mom, who couldn't believe it because, in the 12 years she's been a member, it's always been pretty liberal. She wants to cancel, but they're really tight with money now and she just paid the renewal fees. I told her I would GIVE her the fees myself if she did the right thing and cancelled.

[Hawkeye-X]

2. Well... AARP has now become irrelevant

and even more senior citizens should be aware of this and demand their money back and join somewhere more responsible, and there are few. I expect to see more than 75% of the AARP membership to go down and AARP should be very concerned by continuing to give Republican lip services.

Hawkeye-X

[pistoff democrat]

4. That's it:

Dump the AARP! (American Association of Repiglican Persons)


Could this be an issue? Seniors VOTE!

[Good Fences]

6. Litigation abuse in FL.

You gotta see it to believe it. Something’s got to be done about the proliferation of frivolous suits in Florida.

Companies that operate nursing facilities have largely fled the state. The remaining nursing facilities operate with very thin margins. In a few years facilities will begin closing because they can't afford the upkeep.

[Mairead]

7. .

.

[Good Fences]

8. ?

?

[pistoff democrat]

10. !

!

[Bridget Burke]

9. "Frivolous suits"

Where have I heard that term? We just got a "tort reform" amendment to the Texas Constitution that was supposed to make malpractice insurance rates tumble. Hasn't happened.

Our little (owned by insurance companies when Tom Delay gives him a day off) governor presented all the constitutional amendments in a special election. If they'd been on last November's ballot, more people would have voted & "tort reform" (along with a few other idiocies) might have been defeated.

You're welcome to provide us with serious links to Florida's "Litigation Abuse".

[Good Fences]

11. The research is there.

As for me I've just been living through it. Pardon my lack of objectivity. So I'm not at liberty to disclose. But still..... lets say someone is about 90, terminal with CA- nature takes its course and the family sues your facility alleging that "but for" your care and treatment.... yada yada. It happens. All the F-ing time. That’s frivolous. Is frivolous a loaded word? Sorry. Didn’t realize that. I'll substitute "balloon juice" lawsuits instead.

[Bridget Burke]

18. You're "not at liberty"?

So, you work at a care facility that's being sued? No wonder you're defensive.

"Frivolous" IS a loaded word. You have a lot to learn.

Just supply us with some serious research & we'll discuss it.

[Good Fences]

19. No thanks.

By allahs red backside it gets mean 'round here fast.

BB I'm only stating fact. You can do the research and lemme know what you find. I'm too busy living it. I cannot tell you the nature of the balloon juice suit because it would involve a public discussion of the medical history of the plaintiff.

Nearly every SNF in Florida has been sued-- possibly the gold seal faciities are exceptions. Major chains have left the state- Beverly, Kindred, Extendicare, Genesis, IHS. Mariner would leave if only someone would pretty please buy the homes they're stuck with.

And I’m way beyond defensive. Just because yer paranoid doesn’t mean the sharks aren’t out to get you.

[Wapsie B]

22. If it's there then show me.

I'm not from Missouri but my bs detector just went off big time.

[goddess40]

13. Law Suits

Perhaps if the nursing homes in Florida gave good care there wouldn't be so many law suits. If a family has a loved one in a GOOD nursing that gives good care they won't sue. It's too hard to find a good nursing home so you wouldn't put it at risk by a law suit.

[Good Fences]

15. Good Care.

Yeah good help is hard to find. Its not a frivolous suit when bad care results in an avoidable negative outcome. Its a baloon juice suit when, and this happens all the time, people sue in spite of the good care. From experience, I know that bedside manners go alonmg way in heading off lawsuits,generally. Not always though. And then of course the plaintiffs might not ever have "loved" the resident to begin with....

ps. thank you for reading and writing. gotta go. edit the spelling later.

[Cat Atomic]

12. Doesn't it seem like the AARP has suffered a Republican coup of

their own?

Taken along with their endorsement of Bush's Medicare bill, it almost seems like their leadership is doing everything they can to discredit the AARP and hand everything to corporate interests on their way down.

[Faygo Kid]

14. What is HAPPENING here? (Forgive the caps this time, moderator).

My gosh, as a member, I cannot believe what is going on here - and so rapid, as well. Has Karl Rove gotten to the leadership? What is going on with AARP? This is outrageous.

[ieoeja]

16. Sounds Like School Boards

Creationists ran stealth campaigns throughout the country for school boards. I wonder if Rightwingers haven't done the same within the AARP.

If all the sensible people quit, then the AARP will become a rightwing organization. In the case of school boards this was, fortunately, not as much of an option. So while the State of Kansas had to suffer through a term with a ban on science that disagreed with school board members' religious beliefs, those members were shown the street at the next election and science restored to the classroom.

[depakid]

17. Does anyone see the contradictions here?

"The expected drop in lawsuits against nursing homes never materialized"

Yet

"many nursing homes carry such scanty insurance coverage, they couldn't pay a claim even if a resident did file a successful lawsuit... and in those cases, a lawyer will not even bother to bring a suit, even if the abuse or neglect is egregious."

[Good Fences]

21. A couple years ago...

when I first came down to FL I was riding my brother's motorcycle in Miami. I'd been told about the massive plaintiff's ad campaign run by Wilkes law firm but I thought it was just so much whining. Well, every G-D bus in Miami had a billboard sized ad w/ a sad faced elderly women. They read "Is you mother in a nursing home? If so, chances are she's been abused. Call the law firm of.... yada yada" Amazing.

[Cleita]

20. They've evidently been swallowed by the pods.

It's not the organization that I joined.