Failure to Provide Accurate Ombudsman Contact Information
Summary
The facility failed to provide accurate and accessible information regarding Ombudsman services to residents, as observed during a resident council group meeting. Five residents attending the meeting were unaware of how to contact the Ombudsman, and there was no mention of this information in the resident council minutes from June to November 2024. Although Ombudsman contact information was posted near the main entrance, it was outdated and incorrect, listing a former employee who no longer represented the facility. Interviews with the Ombudsman, the administrator, and the social service designee confirmed the inaccuracy of the posted information. The Ombudsman had previously requested updates to her contact details, but these were not made. The facility's August 2024 assessment and admission packet indicated that residents should be informed of their rights and provided with accurate contact information for relevant agencies, including the Ombudsman. However, this was not effectively implemented, leading to a deficiency in ensuring residents' rights to access advocacy services.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
The facility failed to ensure that residents were provided with and signed the necessary admission documentation, including the Consent to Treatment and Other Acknowledgements form and the Nursing Home Admission Agreement. This affected 41 residents, resulting in the facility not having consent to bill Medicare/Medicaid or to treat the residents.
Failure to Provide and Obtain Signed Admission Documentation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that residents admitted were provided with a description of the requirements and procedures for establishing eligibility for Medicaid, including the right to request an assessment of resources, as well as information concerning Medicare and Medicaid eligibility and coverage. This deficiency affected 41 residents whose records were reviewed for admission documentation. The review revealed that the Consent to Treatment and Other Acknowledgements form was not signed by the resident or their representative, nor was it witnessed by a facility representative. Additionally, the Nursing Home Admission Agreement, which describes the daily room rate, the right to an assessment of resources, and the authorization to bill Medicaid or Medicare for services rendered, was also not signed or witnessed as required. For instance, Resident #2 was admitted with diagnoses including hypertension, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. The admission documentation for this resident lacked the necessary signatures on both the Consent to Treatment and Other Acknowledgements form and the Nursing Home Admission Agreement. Similar deficiencies were found in the records of other residents, such as Resident #3, who was admitted with hyperglycemia, diabetes, and hypertension, and Resident #5, who was admitted and readmitted with diagnoses including encephalopathy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hypertension. In each case, the required forms were not signed by the resident or their representative, nor were they witnessed by a facility representative. The issue was confirmed during an interview with Social Service Designee (SSD) #828, who acknowledged that the facility did not ensure the 41 residents had signed admission agreements. This lack of signed documentation resulted in the facility not having consent to bill Medicare/Medicaid for services rendered or a consent to treat while the residents were admitted. This deficiency represents non-compliance investigated under Complaint Number OH00151839.
Trusted data from CMS and state health departments
Every citation, penalty and Plan of Correction is sourced from public CMS records (latest release May 27, 2026) and official state health department websites — never guesswork.
Trusted by long-term care providers and associations.
