Failure to Accurately Manage and Account for Resident Personal Funds
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to properly safeguard, manage, and accurately account for the personal funds of a resident who was admitted with a diagnosis of malignant neoplasm of the lung and was cognitively intact, as evidenced by a BIMS score of 15. The resident's payor source was Medicaid, which entitles individuals to a monthly Personal Needs Allowance (PNA). A review of the resident's fund ledger and financial documentation revealed that the facility made incorrect deductions for care costs, resulting in an overcharge. Specifically, the resident was charged a total of $10,025 for care costs from December 2024 through April 2025, when the correct total should have been $9,925 based on the resident's income and the applicable PNA for each month. The discrepancy was identified when the resident noticed a significant charge on his financial statement and brought it to the attention of facility staff. Further review confirmed that the facility was responsible for deducting only the monthly care cost balance after applying the PNA, but billing errors led to an overcharge of $100. The facility's failure to accurately manage the resident's personal funds constituted a violation of the resident's rights and state regulations regarding the management of resident finances.