Failure to Timely Refund Resident Trust Funds and Notify of SSI Resource Limit Exceedance
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to return resident trust fund balances within the required 30-day period after discharge or death for 46 residents. Record review and interviews confirmed that multiple residents had remaining balances in their trust fund accounts that were not refunded in accordance with facility policy and state/federal regulations. Documentation showed that these balances ranged from small amounts to over a thousand dollars, and there was no evidence that the funds were returned to the residents or their representatives within the specified timeframe. The facility's own admission contract and trust fund policy require timely refunds, but these were not followed, as confirmed by both the administrator and business office staff. Additionally, the facility did not provide required notifications when resident trust fund balances approached or exceeded the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) resource limit. Three residents had trust fund balances that exceeded the SSI resource limit, but there was no documentation that the residents, their legal representatives, or social services were notified as required by facility policy. The business office manager was unaware of the SSI resource limit, and the administrator confirmed the lack of notification. These failures were identified through review of facility records and interviews with staff.