WASHINGTON, July 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Medicare program Friday launched a pilot program to conduct comprehensive background checks on prospective workers at long-term care facilities.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mark McClellan said the goal is to reduce incidents of abuse and neglect in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
The program was mandated by the Medicare Modernization Act, which allocated $25 million for the pilots and to evaluate the results. Pilot programs will operate in up to 10 states through the end of fiscal 2007.
The programs will be designed to help CMS identify "best practices" for long-term care providers, so anyone with a criminal record or other disqualifying event in their background will not be allowed to work with patients.
The pilot programs will be begun by the states, which will apply for grant money from Medicare to pay for operations.
