Federal Funding Withdrawn Due to Nursing Home Neglect: Due to multiple violations of state law as well as a lack of concern for residents’ welfare, seven homes owned by a Louisiana nursing home owner have been cut off from receiving federal health care money.
A Louisiana nursing home owner whose seven homes were stripped of their state licenses after the owner evacuated hundreds of residents away from Hurricane Ida to a warehouse where they endured dangerous conditions has now been excluded from federal funding, says a U.S. News and World Report article.
In late May, the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced via press release that, in light of the findings by the Louisiana Department of Health regarding the nursing homes owned by Bob Dean and the cruel neglect of the residents within them, the HHS would now be excluding the facilities from participation in federal health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
The Louisiana DOH was alerted to the facilities owned by Dean when, in the wake of Hurricane Ida in August 2021, complaints were made about the terrible conditions for the over 800 residents moved to a warehouse too small to accommodate them. State health inspectors were dispatched to inspect the site. Despite Dean’s efforts to prevent their inspection with threats and intimidation, inspectors found what the HHS later called “inhumane and squalid conditions.” In a building reeking of urine, residents were discovered lying on mattresses on the ground, their makeshift beds spaced only one foot apart and close to standing water. It was reported that many residents were either partially or fully naked, some of them isolated in soiled diapers and crying for help. Seven residents died. Citing multiple violations of state law as well as what HHS called “cruelty and indifference to the residents’ welfare,” the Louisiana DOH revoked the nursing home licenses for Dean’s homes.
The nursing homes owned by Bob Dean include the following:
- New Orleans—River Palms Nursing and Rehab and Maison Orleans Healthcare Center
- Jefferson Parish—Park Place Healthcare Nursing Home, West Jefferson Health Care Center and Maison DeVille Nursing home of Harvey
- Lafourche Parish—South Lafourche Nursing and Rehab
- Terrebonne Parish—Maison DeVille Nursing Home
As federal funding withdrawn due to nursing home neglect, Dean intends to appeal the state license revocations. If these appeals are successful, federal funding will be restored to his homes.
Holding Nursing Homes Responsible for Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse
Determining the quality and safety of the Philadelphia/PA or NJ nursing home where your loved one lives is essential. Meeting health and safety standards and to ensuring the physical, mental, and psycho/social well-being of their residents is a requirement to which Pennsylvania and New Jersey nursing homes must adhere. Should you have concerns about the quality of care in a Pennsylvania or New Jersey nursing home, or if you suspect neglect, abuse, or fraud has occurred at the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, or New Jersey nursing home where your loved one lives, please contact nursing home abuse attorney Brian P. Murphy to discover your legal rights and options.
