Shusterman bill signed in to law by Gov. Shapiro

Law to improve communication between Health Department and nursing homes

Rep. Melissa Shusterman    July 18, 2024 | 12:43 PM

HARRISBURG, July 18 – State Rep. Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester, is celebrating final passage by the General Assembly of H.B. 1853. Governor Shapiro signed the bill in to law on July 17 and it has become Act 75 of 2024.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Shusterman, and co-sponsored by Rep. Kristen Marcell (R-Bucks), in November 2023. It passed out of the House in April of this year with a strong bipartisan vote of 124-77. Senate final passage occurred on July 11 with a bipartisan vote of 47-2.

Act 75 will require that the Department of Health’s nursing care field officers hold annual meetings with staff from the licensed nursing facilities under their jurisdiction. The goal of these meetings is to discuss and share information on survey results, patterns, trends and best practices to improve quality care across the Commonwealth.

“I want to thank my colleagues in both the House and Senate for their support of this legislation,” said Shusterman. “I will always support initiatives to improve the lives of seniors in our Commonwealth. By encouraging communication between the Department of Health and nursing home staff, we hope that the exchange of ideas and information between these two groups will lead to a unified effort to provide the best senior care possible. I’m proud to have this bill signed in to law by Governor Shapiro.”

“To promote quality health, we must promote community collaboration for the care of our most vulnerable loved ones and neighbors,” said Tim Ward, director of advocacy and government relations for the Pennsylvania Health Care Association. “House Bill 1853 is now law thanks to the leadership of Reps. Melissa L. Shusterman and Kristin Marcell. With this law, newly required collaboration between nursing home providers and state surveyors will help us forge a better partnership to enhance care outcomes. It takes a community to care for our state’s elderly and adults with disabilities –– and that community extends beyond the walls of a nursing facility.”