California Unionized Nursing Homes Score 10% Lower CMS Ratings, CUF Says

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 26

California nursing homes with unionized staff averaged lower federal quality scores than non-union facilities, with the Center for Union Facts estimating union presence corresponded to nearly a 10% drop in CMS ratings.
CMS data cited in the report showed non-union homes averaging 3.17 stars, versus 3.02 for unionized facilities, 2.96 for SEIU-unionized homes and 2.86 for those represented by SEIU Local 2015.
After controlling for median county household income, CUF said unionization was linked to a roughly 0.3-star decline, though the report said it did not establish that unions caused the weaker ratings.
CUF identified unionized facilities through union materials, online publications and NLRB election records dating to about 2006; homes with no identified union evidence were classified as non-union.
The report lands as California long-term care faces wider federal scrutiny, including CMS's deferral of more than $1 billion in Medicaid funding tied to the state's in-home support services program.

As federal ratings for nursing homes face manipulation claims, what are the true measures of safe, quality care?

Do unions really lower care quality, or are massive federal funding cuts the bigger threat to nursing home residents?