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HR 1476 110th Congress House

Senior Safety and Dignity Act of 2007

Official title: To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to expand the nursing home patients' bill of rights to include the right to receive care from a credib… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to expand the nursing home patients' bill of rights to include the right to receive care from a credible caregiver by requiring background checks on direct access employees and the right to a safe environment during an emergency or natural disaster by requiring nursing long-term care facilities to establish disaster emergency and evacuation plans.

Introduced: March 28, 2007 See on congress.gov
Health Administrative procedureCommerceConsumer educationCrime and Law Enforcement
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Criminal justice informationDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDisastersElder abuseEmergency ManagementEmployee selectionEvacuation of civiliansFines (Penalties)Government Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperworkHome care servicesHospitalsIdentification of criminalsLabor and EmploymentLawLong-term careMedicaidMedicareMental care facilitiesNursing homesPatients' rightsPlanningSocial WelfareTerminal care facilities
This bill died when the 110th Congress ended
It never became law before the 110th Congress (2007–2008) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 23, 2007
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 13, 2007
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 12, 2007
Introduced in House
Mar 12, 2007
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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 Latest action March 23, 2007

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Senior Safety and Dignity Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) and title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to include in the nursing home patient's bill of rights the right to receive care from a creditable caregiver.

Requires a skilled nursing facility (SNF), before hiring a worker, to conduct a background check on the applicant. Prohibits the hiring of abusive workers or workers convicted of a relevant crime. Establishes civil penalties for violations of this Act, including knowing retention of SNF workers who fail background checks.

Applies such requirements and prohibitions to a long-term care facility or provider.

Directs the Secretary to establish a national criminal background check program, after evaluation of the pilot program under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, in order to prevent abuse of nursing facility and SNF residents and individuals receiving home health care services and other long-term care services under the Medicare or Medicaid programs. Requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct such criminal background checks.

Requires the national criminal background check program to be made available to a long-term care facility or provider.

Adds to the nursing home patient's bill of rights the right to a safe environment during an emergency or natural disaster.

Requires a SNF under Medicare and Medicaid to: (1) have a clear and preestablished disaster plan; and (2) inform residents and next-of-kin about it and the location of possible evacuation in case of an emergency disaster.

Applies the same requirement to other long-term care facilities.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1476: Senior Safety and Dignity Act of 2007. 110th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-1476/
MLA
"H.R. 1476: Senior Safety and Dignity Act of 2007." 110th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-1476/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1476, 110th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-1476/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1476: Senior Safety and Dignity Act of 2007](https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-1476/)
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