Data released Thursday suggest that the long-term care industry is an economic juggernaut, but an ongoing inspector general investigation is examining how nursing homes have incorporated hospice care into their business model and whether that’s good for patients or Medicare.

The data, released today the American Health Care Association, show that in 20 states, long-term care is one of the top 10 employers. In eight states - California, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio and New York - the industry provides more than 100,000 jobs.

‘In this economic engine that is the American economy, long-term care is one of the pistons, consistently firing even in the worst of hardships,