Failure to Timely Refund Resident Trust Funds After Death
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to refund unused resident funds to a resident's representative within 30 days of the resident's death, as required by guidelines. Record review showed that a resident was transferred to the hospital and subsequently passed away. The resident had $420 remaining in the facility's trust fund account, which had not been spent or used for several months prior to death. Despite repeated requests from the resident's Power of Attorney, the facility had not refunded the remaining funds as of the time of the survey. The Regional Director of Operations confirmed that there was no facility policy specifying when trust funds should be distributed, but acknowledged that the funds should have been returned within 30 days according to CMS guidelines.