With a year-end deadline looming to close a $6.6 billion takeover deal, the Carlyle Group and HCR Manor Care, the nation's largest nursing home chain, are attempting to steamroll the regulatory process in states to avoid addressing concerns about resident care.

Despite a push to get states to rubber stamp approval of the buyout, state officials in Florida, Maryland, Oklahoma, Kansas, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, and West Virginia have yet to issue licenses for the Carlyle takeover of nursing homes, according to the latest information available to SEIU.

Those eight states have approximately 120 Manor Care nursing homes, nearly half of all Manor Care's skilled nursing facilities.

Despite the fact that eight states have not approved the takeover, Manor Care spokesperson Rick Rump was cited by the Associated Press as claiming that, "Regulators in more than 30 states have now approved the sale.... The only state that hasn't is West Virginia."

"Carlyle and Manor Care are pulling out all the stops in an attempt to steamroll the process," said Gerry Hudson, Executive Vice President, SEIU Healthcare, "They seem to want this deal all packaged up with a bow for the holidays, even if it means ignoring the responsible questions of state officials and others about the impact on care. It appears they weren't prepared for people to ask questions about the impact of this deal on nursing home residents and caregivers."

Manor Care staffing levels are below those identified by experts in a federally commissioned study as improving patient outcomes and its homes have been cited repeatedly for deficiencies that violate resident care standards. Residents, family members, and caregivers are calling on regulators and lawmakers to make sure the Carlyle buyout will make care better and increase staffing to recommended levels.