Failure to Timely Convey Resident Funds After Death
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the timely conveyance of personal funds for a resident who had died, as required by policy and state guidelines. Record review showed that the resident had a remaining balance of $1,282.09 in the facility trust account at the time of death. Despite policy stating that a discharged or expired resident's trust account should be closed within 30 days, the funds were not conveyed to the resident's family within this timeframe. Documentation indicated that the business office manager (BOM) was aware of an overpayment from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and had made inquiries regarding the overpayment, but there was no documentation of communication with the SSA or the resident's family regarding the conveyance of the remaining funds. The resident involved had a diagnosis of dementia and was discharged from the facility after being sent to the emergency room, where they subsequently expired. Family members collected the resident's personal belongings, but the trust account balance remained unresolved. The BOM acknowledged attempts to address the SSA overpayment but lacked documentation of these efforts, and the administrator confirmed that funds are typically conveyed within 30 days, which did not occur in this case.