OIG Releases Report on SNFs Deficiencies Related to Care and Discharge Planning Requirements

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a study related to skilled nursing facilities’ (SNFs’) compliance with Medicare’s care and discharge planning requirements, after finding that many SNFs had deficiencies related to quality of care.

Medicare paid approximately $4.5 billion to SNFs that failed to develop proper care plans or executed the care plans improperly. The study found that for 26 percent of SNFs did not develop proper care plans. Medicare also paid approximately $1.9 billion to SNFs that failed to develop appropriate discharge plans. For 31 percent of SNFs did not meet discharge planning requirements. The OIG also identified several examples of poor quality of care related to wound care, medication management, and therapy.

Based on its findings, the OIG made several recommendations to CMS, including recommendations that CMS strengthen regulations related to care discharge planning, provide compliance guidance to SNFs, and hold SNFs accountable for failing to meet Medicare requirements. CMS concurred with all recommendations.

The OIG report is available at:
https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-02-09-00201.pdf.

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “Skilled Nursing Facilities Often Fail to Meet Care Planning and Discharge Planning Requirements.” OEI-02-09-00201. 27 Feb. 2013.