Michigan’s Nursing Home Reform Law

This article examines Michigan’s new nursing home reform law, which has been hailed as “landmark legislation” and as a model for the entire country. Part I examines the past failures of nursing home regulation and the need for reform. Part II analyzes the law’s key provisions. Part III examines the weaknesses of certain enforcement measures. The article proposes the following improvements: (1) extension of the law’s protection to residents of homes for the aged; (2) greater access to patients by approved organizations; (3) adoption of nurse-patient ratios; (4) improvement of inspection procedures; and (5) allowance for patients or their representatives to initiate receiverships proceedings.