A diverse crowd of nursing home quality care advocates gathered in Louisville Thursday, calling on Senators Bunning and McConnell to support the Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act (S2641) – legislation that would improve the quality of care by ensuring that residents and taxpayers know who owns nursing homes, who is responsible for the care they provide, and how taxpayer funds are being used.

Senators Grassley (R-IA) and Kohl (D-WI) introduced legislation in the Senate, but the nursing home industry is fighting hard against it.

Advocates, caregivers, and others have raised concerns about the effect that private equity buyouts could have on quality of care at nursing homes, and about the lack of transparency that characterizes the leveraged buyout business model. Last year, the Carlyle Group bought out ManorCare nursing homes, one of the largest chains in the nation. According to SEC filings, Carlyle’s buyout was financed with up to $5.5 billion dollars in debt. Lawmakers and advocates have questioned how Carlyle will service that debt while fixing care problems and improving staffing at ManorCare homes. ManorCare owns the Christopher East Health Care facility in Louisville.

Visit the campaign website: http://www.fixseniorcare.org