WASHINGTON – On Thursday, Senator Mike Braun, Ranking Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator Debbie Stabenow introduced bipartisan legislation to improve Care Compare’s visibility and use so that consumers, their families, and caregivers can compare nursing homes more easily.
Care Compare allows consumers to find and contrast Medicare-certified nursing homes based on a location, and evaluate staffing and quality of care based on ratings.
Research shows that Care Compare’s five-star rating system is not easily located online or as frequently used when compared to popular consumer review sites.
“Choosing a nursing home is a tough decision that many older Americans and their loved ones have to make,” said Senator Mike Braun. “This bipartisan bill would make the Care Compare website more accessible and up-to-date so Americans can make informed decisions about nursing home care.”
“When our loved ones may need a nursing home, we only want the best for them,” said Senator Debbi Stabenow. “Our bipartisan bill will make it easier for families and caregivers to make an informed decision when choosing a nursing home.”
The SEE Care Compare Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make the Care Compare website and its data more accessible online by reviewing and updating search engine optimization (SEO) practices quarterly to include, but not limited to:
- Using current best practices in indexing and searching.
- Accounting for guidelines, recommendations, and other suggestions from search engines to improve visibility and website ranking.
- Accounting for user research that may inform website design, structure, and content.
Additionally, the bill requires CMS to submit a report on current Care Compare user analytics. A second report is due in one year to determine if the SEO changes have been successful in improving Care Compare’s visibility and use.
