Nursing Homes & Emergency Generators-Round One Goes to the SNFs

Recall that I had previously blogged about the impact of Irma on some nursing homes and how the Florida Governor had issued an emergency administrative rule requiring nursing homes to have emergency generators. The suit brought by facilities challenging the rule wasn't a particular surprise. The judge assigned the case ruled in late October in favor of the facilities. As reported in an article in the Wall Street Journal, the judge  "ruled against state efforts to force elder-care facilities to rapidly upgrade their generators by mid-November, siding with industry groups that argued the state’s time demands were unrealistic."  Florida Judge Rules Against Emergency Nursing-Home Generator Measures notes that in the lengthy opinion, the ALJ  explains “it is impossible for the vast majority of nursing homes” and assisted-living facilities to comply with the orders by the deadline."  The Governor's office indicated that it would appeal while also working with the Florida legislature regarding bills filed on this issue.  The article notes some facilities are already in compliance and that the objection was more about the timeline than the requirement.  Stay tuned....