Fairness In Nursing Home Arbitration Act

On June 18th, the Senate Special Committee on Aging and the Committee on the Judiciary Sub-Comittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights conducted a joint hearing on the Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act (S2838). The act provides that a pre-dispute arbitration agreement between a long-term care facility and a resident (or anyone acting on the resident's behalf) shall not be valid or specifically enforceable. The bill is sponsored by Senator Marinez (FL) and co-sponsored by Senators Feinegold, Kohl and Leahy. The House has a similar bill (HR6126) introduced by Representative Sanchez (CA) and co-sponsored by Representatives Cohen (TN), Conyers (MI), Delahunt (MA), Johnson (GA), Kucinich (OH), Lofgren (CA), Pastor (AZ), Ros-Lehtinen (FL), and Waxman (CA).