Not so grand nursing home under government scope

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently publicized a list of nursing homes that were the worst in their states. The implementation of the list was due to lawmakers and advocacy group urging the Bush administration to provide consumers with an easier way to identify homes with poor performance records. Advocates complain that a large number of homes with serious discrepancies failed to improve adequately or do so temporarily.

Among the list are fifty-four nursing homes from thirty-three states and the District of Columbia. The fifty-four nursing homes that made it to the list are among more than one hundred and twenty home that merit more oversight. These homes are being inspected every six month instead of annually by the state. States inspections are carries out for homes that receive federal payments. It is estimated that nursing home care costs taxpayer $72.5 billions annually.

The list will urge homes from falling under the standard level of care for elders. The already listed home will now have to focus on improving care in order for it to be lifted from the list. Homes that cannot fixes major discrepancies or repeatedly failed to comply to the standard level will be cut off from federal payments. Funds can then be diverted into the weakening Social Security Program. Consumers now have valuable information when it comes to finding a place for their elders. It also limits the abuse of federal funds.

Intelligence spending figure revealed

Urged by the September 11 commission and Congress the National Intelligence Director, Mike McConnell, declassified the fiscal 2007 national intelligence agency budget on Tuesday. The figure shows the total amount the nation’s various intelligence agencies have spend over $40 billion this past fiscal year. Military intelligence operation spending was not included in the figure. McConnell also added that “beyond the disclosure of a top-line figure, there will be no other disclosures of currently classified budget information because such disclosures could harm national security.”

The fiscal national intelligence agency budget figures have only been declassified by in 1997 and 1998 while former CIA Director George J. Tenet was commissioned. The figure for 1997 and 1998 was 26.6 billion and 26.7 billion respectively. But prior to 1997 and after 1998 the figure remains classified until now. The current figure shows that there is a dramatic increase in intelligence spending since 9/11, almost doubled since the last declassified figure in 1998.

According to McConnell the release was due to legal matter pertaining to Section 601 of the law. Section 601 requires certain intelligence funding information be available to the public. The law was passed in July.