Relocating Patients Displaced by Termination or Closure

3008.3 - Relocating Patients Displaced by Termination or Closure (Rev. 1, 05-21-04) 3008.3A - General (Rev. 92, Issued, 11-22-13, Effective: 11-22-13, Implementation: 11-22-13) There are instances when patients in Medicare and Medicaid long-term care facilities need to be transferred to other facilities. Specific actions, decisions, and events that require the relocation of patients include: • Voluntary or involuntary termination of provider agreement; • Expiration or renewal of an ICF/IID provider agreement ; • The provider’s inability to provide care and related services because of fire, natural disaster, loss of staff, or another reason beyond its control; • The provider’s voluntary termination of participation in Medicaid and/or Medicare; and • Closure of a facility. 3008.3B - Relocation of Medicaid Patients (Rev. 1, 05-21-04) The SMA has the primary responsibility for relocating Medicaid patients and for ensuring their safe and orderly transfer from a facility that no longer participates in Medicaid to a participating facility. This is because the State remains responsible for the care and services provided to Medicaid patients. The State’s transfer policies must: • Consider the nature and severity of the facility’s failure to meet standards; • Consider the availability of alternative facilities; • Ensure that the situation is explained to the recipient and the recipient is permitted to exercise an informed choice as to whether he or she wishes to move and, if so, to which available facility. • Provide that qualified personnel will assess patients’ medical and psychological condition and needs, including the necessity to prepare the patient for transfer; • Provide for adequate and appropriate transportation on the day the patient is moved; and • Apprise the receiving facility of the patient’s condition and needs. 3008.3C - Relocation Activities (Rev. 1, 05-21-04) The State should develop a long-term care patient relocation plan for the orderly transfer of patients. The plan should provide for: • Decisions to be made on relocation of patients on a case-by-case basis; • Independent current assessment of the patient’s need for institutional care and the level and type of care needed; • Procedures they will employ to ensure that the transferring facility maintains acceptable health care standards and takes necessary precautions to minimize fire hazards; • Description of the organization and staffing necessary to implement the plan; and • Necessary agreements and approvals for the transfer of the patient. The State plan should have a degree of flexibility that will enable it to be used for the relocation of any number of patients. The frequency with which States will implement their patient relocation plans will vary considerably from State to State. However, it should be developed as an ongoing, standard operating procedure that can be implemented quickly and efficiently. The plan should be developed by the State Medicaid agency in conjunction with the SA.