Section 17b-357 - (Formerly Sec. 17-134v). Nursing facility: Compliance with federal law. Summary order. Temporary manager. Remedies. Regulations. Penalties. Hearing(a) For purposes of this section and sections 17b-358 to 17b-360, inclusive, a "nursing facility" means a chronic and convalescent home or a rest home with nursing supervision as defined in section 19a-521, which participates in the Medicaid program through a provider agreement with the Department of Social Services.(b) If the Department of Public Health finds, through the results of a survey, that a nursing facility is not in compliance with one or more of the requirements of Subsections (b), (c) and (d) of 42 USC 1396r , or the requirements of applicable state statutes or regulations, and that such noncompliance poses an immediate and serious threat to patient health or safety, the Department of Public Health shall issue a statement of charges to the facility and shall file a copy of the charges with the Department of Social Services with a request for a summary order from the Department of Social Services. The summary order which the Department of Social Services may issue shall include termination of the facility's participation in Medicaid or appointment of a temporary manager to oversee the operation of the facility and may include transfer of patients to other participating facilities; denial of payment under Medicaid for new admissions; imposition of a directed plan of correction of the facility's deficiencies; imposition of civil monetary penalties; or imposition of other remedies authorized by regulations adopted by the Department of Social Services in accordance with chapter 54.(c) If the Department of Public Health finds, through the results of a survey, that a nursing facility is not in compliance with one or more of the requirements of Subsections (b), (c) and (d) of 42 USC 1396r , or the requirements of applicable state statutes or regulations, but that such noncompliance does not pose an immediate and obvious threat to patient health or safety, the Department of Public Health shall issue a statement of charges to the facility and shall file a copy of the charges with the Department of Social Services with a request for an order imposing one or more alternative remedies under this subsection. If the Department of Social Services finds, based on a statement of charges filed by the Department of Public Health, that a nursing facility is not in compliance with one or more of the requirements of Subsections (b), (c) and (d) of 42 USC 1396r, or the requirements of applicable state statutes or regulations, but does not issue a summary order, it may impose one or more of the following alternative remedies: Termination of the facility's participation in Medicaid; appointment of a temporary manager to oversee the operation of the facility; transfer of patients to other participating facilities; denial of payment under Medicaid for new admissions; imposition of a directed plan of correction of the facility's deficiencies; imposition of civil monetary penalties; or imposition of other remedies authorized by regulations adopted by the Department of Social Services in accordance with chapter 54. The civil monetary penalties imposed may be in the range of three thousand two hundred fifty dollars to ten thousand dollars per day for each day the facility is found to be out of compliance with one or more requirements of Subsections (b), (c) and (d) of 42 USC 1396r if the failure to comply with such requirements is found to constitute an immediate and serious threat to resident health or safety, or in the range of two hundred dollars to three thousand dollars per day for each day the facility is found to be out of compliance with a requirement of Subsections (b), (c) and (d) of 42 USC 1396r that is found not to constitute an immediate and serious threat to resident health or safety. The exact civil monetary penalty will be set depending on such factors as the existence of repeat deficiencies or uncorrected deficiencies and the overall compliance history of the provider. The remedies available to the Department of Social Services for violations of the requirements of Subsections (b), (c) and (d) of 42 USC 1396r are cumulative and are in addition to the remedies available to the Department of Public Health under chapter 368v for violations of state licensure requirements. Any penalties collected by the Department of Social Services pursuant to this section shall be deposited in a special fund under the control of the Department of Social Services, which fund shall be utilized, in the discretion of the department, for the protection of the health or property of residents of nursing facilities found to be deficient, including payment for the costs of relocating residents, payment for the maintenance of operation of a facility pending correction of deficiencies or closure, and reimbursement of residents for personal funds lost. The deficient nursing facility shall be obligated to reimburse the Department of Social Services for any moneys expended by the department at the facility from the fund established pursuant to this section.(d) The facility may request a hearing in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 from the Department of Social Services within ten days of the issuance of the statement of charges or the summary order, as the case may be. If the facility does not request a hearing within ten days and no summary order has been issued, the Department of Social Services shall automatically adopt the Department of Public Health's findings and shall issue an order incorporating one or more of the remedies authorized by subsection (c) of this section. If the facility timely requests a hearing or the Department of Social Services issues a summary order, the Department of Social Services shall issue a notice of hearing. At such hearing the facility shall be given the opportunity to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses. The Department of Social Services shall issue a decision based on the administrative record and may, if it finds the facility not in compliance with one or more of the requirements of Subsections (b), (c) and (d) of 42 USC 1396r, or the requirements of applicable state statutes or regulations, order any of the remedies specified in this section. The Department of Social Services may impose any of the alternative remedies, except for a civil monetary penalty, during the pendency of any proceedings conducted pursuant to this subsection. In such cases, the Department of Social Services must provide the facility the opportunity to discuss the Department of Public Health's findings at an informal conference prior to the imposition of any remedy. The requirement of an informal conference does not apply to summary order proceedings.Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17b-357
(P.A. 89-348, S. 6, 10; P.A. 93-262 , S. 1 , 87 ; 93-381 , S. 9 , 39 ; P.A. 95-257 , S. 12 , 21 , 58 .)
Amended by P.A. 24-0141,S. 5 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2024 Regular Session, eff. 6/4/2024.