Comment
Rate
Health care facility could lose Medicare eligibility
| Advertisement |
By Angie Hutschreider
News Tribune
A local health care facility has been notified it will lose its Medicare eligibility if deficiencies are not corrected.
A recent public notice shows Jefferson City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC., has been cited with a 23-day termination track from the Health Insurance for the Aged and Disabled Program (Medicare) and will be terminated on Aug. 18, at the close of business, if the deficiencies noted by Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) surveyors are not corrected.
The Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services has determined that the facility is not in “substantial compliance” with Medicare regulations.
“Earlier this month, the state went into the facility and completed a survey based on a complaint, and a deficiency was cited,” said Julie Brookhart, public affairs specialist with the center.
“Last week, state surveyors were in the facility again, based on another complaint, and an Immediate Jeopardy was cited.”
Brookhart described Immediate Jeopardy as “a situation in which the provider's non-compliance with one or more requirements of participation has caused or is likely to cause serious injury, harm, impairment or death to residents.”
Administrators at Jefferson City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC., released a statement saying the facility is working with the health department to resolve the issues.
The statement said: “As always, the health and welfare of our residents is our primary concern and we will continue to provide them with quality care. Residents and their families are, as always, welcome to call the facility with any questions they may have.”
If the facility corrects the deficiencies within the 23-day period - up to and including Aug. 18 - it will not lose its state and federal Medicare funding.
Jefferson City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC., has at least six lesser deficiencies dating back to December 2004, which is when DHSS began keeping electronic records.
DHSS officials said they could not comment on the ongoing investigation.
But, said Shelly Williamson, operations manager for the section of long-term care with DHSS, “It is not very often do we go into any facility and not find a deficiency.”
Deficiencies listed for the facility are not too different from others noted at various long-term care facilities in the area.
Deficiencies noted include violations of the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association, such as having doors propped open with trash cans and not having exterior lights connected to emergency power.
Other deficiencies at various facilities involve protecting resident funds, proper hygiene in food preparation areas, physicians' rounds, staff treatment of residents and the protection of resident personal and medical privacy rights.
Williamson estimated 85 to 90 percent of the facilities that are inspected at least two times a fiscal year during recertification visits were found to have deficiencies.
DHSS surveyors do both state and federal inspections. Federal inspections are required every nine to 15 months. There are 233 surveyors in the state budget.
Facilities are given time periods by DHSS to comply and correct any deficiencies, and they are given different time tables to make the corrections, depending on the deficiency.
For the most serious deficiencies, facilities are given 20 days to comply, while other deficiencies need to be corrected within 60 days.
Even termination tracks, like the one imposed on Jefferson City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC., can vary in time. In the most severe cases, facilities will have 23 days, but can have up to six months on a termination track to make the needed corrections. The facility should also expect to have a revisit from a surveyor before the end of the termination tract.
A recent public notice shows Jefferson City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC., has been cited with a 23-day termination track from the Health Insurance for the Aged and Disabled Program (Medicare) and will be terminated on Aug. 18, at the close of business, if the deficiencies noted by Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) surveyors are not corrected.
The Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services has determined that the facility is not in “substantial compliance” with Medicare regulations.
“Earlier this month, the state went into the facility and completed a survey based on a complaint, and a deficiency was cited,” said Julie Brookhart, public affairs specialist with the center.
“Last week, state surveyors were in the facility again, based on another complaint, and an Immediate Jeopardy was cited.”
Brookhart described Immediate Jeopardy as “a situation in which the provider's non-compliance with one or more requirements of participation has caused or is likely to cause serious injury, harm, impairment or death to residents.”
Administrators at Jefferson City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC., released a statement saying the facility is working with the health department to resolve the issues.
The statement said: “As always, the health and welfare of our residents is our primary concern and we will continue to provide them with quality care. Residents and their families are, as always, welcome to call the facility with any questions they may have.”
If the facility corrects the deficiencies within the 23-day period - up to and including Aug. 18 - it will not lose its state and federal Medicare funding.
Jefferson City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC., has at least six lesser deficiencies dating back to December 2004, which is when DHSS began keeping electronic records.
DHSS officials said they could not comment on the ongoing investigation.
But, said Shelly Williamson, operations manager for the section of long-term care with DHSS, “It is not very often do we go into any facility and not find a deficiency.”
Deficiencies listed for the facility are not too different from others noted at various long-term care facilities in the area.
Deficiencies noted include violations of the Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association, such as having doors propped open with trash cans and not having exterior lights connected to emergency power.
Other deficiencies at various facilities involve protecting resident funds, proper hygiene in food preparation areas, physicians' rounds, staff treatment of residents and the protection of resident personal and medical privacy rights.
Williamson estimated 85 to 90 percent of the facilities that are inspected at least two times a fiscal year during recertification visits were found to have deficiencies.
DHSS surveyors do both state and federal inspections. Federal inspections are required every nine to 15 months. There are 233 surveyors in the state budget.
Facilities are given time periods by DHSS to comply and correct any deficiencies, and they are given different time tables to make the corrections, depending on the deficiency.
For the most serious deficiencies, facilities are given 20 days to comply, while other deficiencies need to be corrected within 60 days.
Even termination tracks, like the one imposed on Jefferson City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center LLC., can vary in time. In the most severe cases, facilities will have 23 days, but can have up to six months on a termination track to make the needed corrections. The facility should also expect to have a revisit from a surveyor before the end of the termination tract.
 |
 |
|
| Portrait: Jessica Smith shares stories to bond with students and to help them generate story ideas | Several injured in accidents at Lake |
Article Rating |
|
Before commenting read the News Tribune Forum's policies and procedures.
Thanks.
To add your comments you must be registered and logged in |
RSS
