Nursing homes are regulated by both federal and state laws. In 1987, Congress enacted amendments, known as the Nursing Home Reform Law, to the Social Security Act, the 1965 law that created Medicaid and Medicare. The Nursing Home Reform Law requires nursing homes and skilled nursing homes to provide certain services to their residents and to meet certain standards, in order to receive Medicaid or Medicare payments. Learn more about nursing home law and residents’ rights below.