‘Shedding a light on something will be better for all,’ top defense attorney says of feds’ nursing home ownership transparency push
Providers should not necessarily fear regulators’ ramped up scrutiny efforts on nursing home operators and private-equity investors in the long-term care space. The temperature in these pursuits is only going to continue to rise anyway. These are just a few of the key observations from someone who knows all sides of the federal legal landscape well, Jolie Apicella, a partner with Wiggin and Dana LLP, and a former assistant US States Attorney.
Even though a proposed new nursing home ownership disclosure rule could lead to more whistleblower lawsuits, Apicella says “shedding light will be better” for everyone. Greater accountability will “put everyone on the same page” and should lead to greater quality of care and better reputations all around, she reasons in this McKnight’s Newsmaker podcast moderated by McKnight’s Executive Editor James M. Berklan.
Apicella also offers providers advice on what to look for in an investor, when to walk away from a proposed deal, and whom to contact to be in close contact with to make sure they stay on the right side of the law.