Ohio Senate OKs bill linking nursing home payments to quality measures

This week the Ohio Senate passed a bill that would require nursing homes to meet a set of accountability standards before receiving state incentive payments (Source: “Senate OKs nursing-home bill,” Columbus Dispatch, Dec. 1, 2011).

Senate Bill 264 would require nursing homes to meet at least five of 23 accountability measures to receive their share of the $300 million in funding that has been set aside for nursing home quality-incentive payments.

“For the first time ever, we are recognizing that we want to measure and pay for quality,” said Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, the sponsor of the bill, which passed the Senate unanimously. “This sets the stage for a huge transformation in the industry.”

The bill now will head to the House, which is expected to pass the measure as well.