A new report says the government may be spending billions on dangerous nursing homes.

The Department of Health and Human Services says Medicare paid $5.1 billion in taxpayer funds for people to stay in nursing facilities.

But one out of every three was placed in a home that failed to follow basic care requirements, resulting in dangerous and neglectful conditions. Investigators estimated the homes failed to address patients' health problems in one out of five stays.

"These findings raise concerns about what Medicare is paying for," the report said.