To monitor nursing homes’ compliance with federal standards, the Nursing Home Reform Act requires states to conduct unannounced surveys, including resident interviews, at least once every 15 months.
The surveys are typically broad examinations of whether residents are being well-treated and respected. They concentrate on quality of care and life, resident rights and provided services. If the surveys uncover violations, the government decides how to remedy the violation(s) based on their severity. Unannounced surveying and enforcement helps hold nursing homes accountable and enforces the Nursing Home Reform Act standards.
The following is a list of possible corrective/punitive sanctions approved by the Nursing Home Reform Act to those nursing homes in violation of federal law:
- Civil monetary penalties and fines
- Denial of Medicaid or Medicare funding
- Directed plan of correction
- Government directed staff training
- Government takeover of nursing home
- Increased monitoring by the state government
- Rejection of licenses and other forms of certification