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A Place for Mom, assisted living referrals draw Wisconsin scrutiny
Some lawmakers worry companies that connect families with assisted living facilities aren’t transparent enough.
Websites, such as the most commonly used service called A Place For Mom, receive a commission from the assisted living facilities and tout the fact that they don't receive a fee from users.
But the referral industry has been a lightning rod for criticism in recent years, with accusations that the businesses promote substandard facilities and have a baked-in incentive to steer consumers to the most expensive care.
Wisconsin lawmakers are considering making the companies disclose upfront to potential residents the possible conflicts of interests and to make the fee structure more straightforward.
"It's really just a matter of making sure that everyone is on the same page, that there's a level playing field, and that there's just complete transparency in terms of what's going on," said Mike Pochowski, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Assisted Living Association, a trade group that represents long-term care facilities.
