Failure to Provide Medicare Non-Coverage Notice
Summary
The facility failed to provide advance notice of a change in Medicare-covered services and charges for one resident who was discharged from Medicare Part A skilled services with benefit days remaining. Resident #77 was admitted with a principal diagnosis of heart failure and had a BIMS score of 15, indicating normal cognitive function and intact cognitive response. The resident’s record showed a discharge home with home health, and the discharge summary and nursing note documented that the resident left the facility with personal items and medications and was stable at departure. Record review showed Resident #77’s Medicare Part A skilled services episode began on 6/2/2025 and the last covered day of Part A services was 6/17/2025. The SNF Beneficiary Protection Notification Review form indicated the facility/provider initiated the resident’s discharge from Medicare Part A services when benefit days were not exhausted because the resident decided to go home per family. The form also showed that a Notice of Medicare Non-coverage was not provided, and facility staff did not select a listed reason for why the notice was not given; instead, staff wrote that the resident was discharged to another facility. The resident’s progress notes included a physician follow-up visit stating the patient expressed a desire to return home, and therapy staff estimated the patient would be ready to return home in 7-10 days. The physician’s orders did not include a discharge order at the time of departure, although a verbal order for discharge home with home health was obtained the following day. During interview, the administrator stated she could not say for certain the circumstances of the discharge or locate notices or forms issued to the resident, and explained that information was missing and incomplete due to employee and record transitions.
Penalty
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