Section 460.112 - Specific rights to which a participant is entitled(a)Right to treatment. Each participant has the right to appropriate and timely treatment for their health conditions, including the right to all of the following: (1) Receive all care and services needed to improve or maintain the participant's health condition and attain the highest practicable physical, emotional, and social well-being.(2) Access emergency health care services when and where the need arises without prior authorization by the PACE interdisciplinary team.(b)Respect and nondiscrimination. Each participant has the right to considerate, respectful care from all PACE employees and contractors at all times and under all circumstances. Each participant has the right not to be discriminated against in the delivery of required PACE services based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex (including sex characteristics, including intersex traits; pregnancy or related conditions; sexual orientation; gender identity; and sex stereotypes), age, mental or physical disability, or source of payment. Specifically, each participant has the right to the following: (1) To receive comprehensive health care in a safe and clean environment and in an accessible manner.(2) To be treated with dignity and respect, be afforded privacy and confidentiality in all aspects of care, and be provided humane care.(3) Not to be required to perform services for the PACE organization.(4) To have reasonable access to a telephone.(5) To be free from harm, including physical or mental abuse, neglect, corporal punishment, involuntary seclusion, excessive medication, and any physical or chemical restraint imposed for purposes of discipline or convenience and not required to treat the participant's medical symptoms.(6) To be encouraged and assisted to exercise rights as a participant, including the Medicare and Medicaid appeals processes as well as civil and other legal rights.(7) To be encouraged and assisted to recommend changes in policies and services to PACE staff.(8) To have all information regarding PACE services and treatment options explained in a culturally competent manner.(c)Information disclosure. Each PACE participant has the right to receive accurate, easily understood information and to receive assistance in making informed health decisions. A participant has the right to have all information in this section shared with their designated representative. Specifically, each participant has the following rights: (1) To be fully informed in writing of the services available from the PACE organization, including identification of all services that are delivered through contracts, rather than furnished directly by the PACE organization at the following times: (i) Prior to and upon enrollment in the PACE organization.(ii) At the time a participant's needs necessitate the disclosure and delivery of such information in order to allow the participant to make an informed choice.(2) To have the enrollment agreement, described in § 460.154 , fully explained in a manner understood by the participant.(3) To examine, or upon reasonable request, to be helped to examine the results of the most recent review of the PACE organization conducted by CMS or the State administering agency and any plan of correction in effect.(4) To contact 1-800-MEDICARE for information and assistance, including to make a complaint related to the quality of care or the delivery of a service.(5) To be fully informed of the following, in writing, before the PACE organization implements palliative care, comfort care, or end-of-life care services: (i) A description of the PACE organization's palliative care, comfort care, and end-of-life care services (as applicable) and how they differ from the care the participant is currently receiving.(ii) Whether palliative care, comfort care, or end-of-life care services (as applicable) is provided in addition to or in lieu of the care the participant is currently receiving.(iii) Identify all services that are impacted and provide a detailed explanation of how the services will be impacted if the participant or designated representative elects to initiate palliative care, comfort care, or end-of-life care, including but not limited to the following types of services. (A) Physician services, including specialist services.(C) Long-term care services.(I) Therapy, including physical, occupation, and speech therapy.(K) Diagnostic testing, including imaging and laboratory services.(M) Preventative healthcare services.(N) PACE center attendance.(ii) The right to revoke or withdraw their consent to receive palliative, comfort, or end-of-life care at any time and for any reason, either verbally or in writing.(d)Choice of providers. Each participant has the right to a choice of health care providers, within the PACE organization's network, that is sufficient to ensure access to appropriate high-quality health care. Specifically, each participant has the right to the following: (1) To choose his or her primary care physician and specialists from within the PACE network.(2) To request that a qualified specialist for women's health services furnish routine or preventive women's health services.(3) To have reasonable and timely access to specialists as indicated by the participant's health condition and consistent with current clinical practice guidelines.(4) To receive necessary care in all care settings, up to and including placement in a long-term care facility when the PACE organization can no longer provide the services necessary to maintain the participant safely in the community.(5) To disenroll from the program at any time and have such disenrollment be effective the first day of the month following the date the PACE organization receives the participant's notice of voluntary disenrollment as set forth in § 460.162(a) .(e)Participation in treatment decisions. Each participant has the right to participate fully in all decisions related to his or her treatment. A participant who is unable to participate fully in treatment decisions has the right to designate a representative. Specifically, each participant has the following rights: (1) To make health care decisions, including the right to all of the following: (i) Have all treatment options fully explained.(ii) Refuse any and all care and services.(iii) Be informed of the consequences their decisions may have on their health and/or psychosocial status.(2) To fully understand the PACE organization's palliative care, comfort care, and end-of-life care services. Specifically, the PACE organization must do all of the following before palliative care, comfort care, or end-of-life care services can be initiated:(i) Fully explain the applicable treatment options.(ii) Provide the participant with written information about their treatment options, in accordance with paragraph (c)(5) of this section.(iii) Obtain written consent from the participant or designated representative prior to initiating palliative care, comfort care, or end-of-life care.(3) To have the PACE organization explain advance directives and to establish them, if the participant so desires, in accordance with §§ 489.100 and 489.102 of this chapter.(4) To be fully informed of his or her health and functional status by the interdisciplinary team.(5) To participate in the development and implementation of the plan of care.(6) To request a reassessment by the interdisciplinary team.(7) To be given reasonable advance notice, in writing, of any transfer to another treatment setting and the justification for the transfer (that is, due to medical reasons or for the participant's welfare, or that of other participants). The PACE organization must document the justification in the participant's medical record.(f)Confidentiality of health information. Each participant has the right to communicate with health care providers in confidence and to have the confidentiality of his or her individually identifiable health care information protected. Each participant also has the right to review and copy his or her own medical records and request amendments to those records. Specifically, each participant has the following rights:(1) To be assured of confidential treatment of all information contained in the health record, including information contained in an automated data bank.(2) To be assured that his or her written consent will be obtained for the release of information to persons not otherwise authorized under law to receive it.(3) To provide written consent that limits the degree of information and the persons to whom information may be given.(g)Complaints, requests, and appeals. Each participant has the right to a fair and efficient process for resolving differences with the PACE organization, including a rigorous system for internal review by the organization and an independent system of external review. Specifically, each participant has the following rights:(1) To be encouraged and assisted to voice complaints to PACE staff and outside representatives of his or her choice, free of any restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal by the PACE staff.(2) To request services from the PACE organizations, its employees, or contractors through the process described in § 460.121 .(3) To appeal any treatment decision of the PACE organization, its employees, or contractors through the process described in § 460.122 .64 FR 66279, Nov. 24, 1999, as amended at 71 FR 71336, Dec. 8, 2006; 84 FR 25675, June 3, 2019; 86 FR 6132, Jan. 19, 2021 84 FR 25675, 8/2/2019; 85 FR 37243, 8/18/2020; 86 FR 6132, 3/22/2021; 89 FR 30846, 6/3/2024; 89 FR 41692, 7/5/2024