Incidents of Potential Abuse and Neglect at Skilled Nursing Facilities Were Not Always Reported and Investigated – HHS

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A June 2019, report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General,  made the following determinations:

“We determined that an estimated one in five high-risk hospital ER Medicare claims for treatment provided in calendar year 2016 were the result of potential abuse or neglect, including injury of unknown source, of beneficiaries residing in a SNF. We determined that SNFs failed to report many of these incidents to the Survey Agencies in accordance with applicable Federal requirements.  We also determined that several Survey Agencies failed to report some findings of substantiated abuse to local law enforcement. Lastly, we determined that CMS does not require all incidents of potential abuse or neglect and related referrals made to law enforcement and other agencies to be recorded and tracked in the Automated Survey Processing Environment Complaints/Incidents Tracking System. Preventing, detecting, and combating elder abuse requires CMS, Survey Agencies, and SNFs to meet their responsibilities.”

The report was shared by the organization, National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (TheConsumerVoice.org), and can be downloaded here:

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

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