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Monday, August 29, 2011

Nursing Homes : The Maze of questions, for Illinois : info, resources...

The below information is as a guide in the maze of Nursing Homes questions, check your States website, as Illinois information will be included here, use this as a beginning for your questions - Some Nursing Homes have a good track record, and some do not - advocate for the best possible care:
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Medicare.gov
The Official U.S. Government Sit for Medicare

Nursing Homes
Overview


Welcome to the Nursing Homes section of our website. The purpose of this section is to provide visitors with information relating to Medicaid and Medicare certified nursing homes throughout the United States. It includes information on payment and patient rights, and a nursing home checklist which will help you evaluate the nursing homes that you visit.

The following summaries describe what information can be found here. To view any section that is of interest to you, please click on any of the links below, or select any of the links from the menu bar on the right side of the screen.

Nursing Home Compare: Provides an interactive tool that allows Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers to access comparison information about nursing homes. It contains information on every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country, including over 17,000 nationwide. Nursing Home Compare includes:

•Nursing home characteristics such as number of beds, type of ownership and whether or not the nursing home participates in Medicare, Medicaid or both.


•Resident characteristics including percent of residents with pressure sore, percent of residents with urinary incontinence and more.


•Summary information about nursing homes during their last State inspection.


•Information on the number of registered nurses, licensed practical or vocational nurses, and nursing assistants in each nursing home.
Nursing Home Checklist: Provides a detailed checklist for rating different nursing homes visited based upon, Quality of Life, Quality of Care, Nutrition and Hydration, and Safety. The checklist also elaborates on how to use the information discovered through Nursing Home Compare when visiting nursing homes.

About Nursing Home Inspections: Explains, in more detail, the nursing home inspection process and its goals.

Alternatives to Nursing Home Care: Describes the Medicare covered programs that are available to those in need of Nursing Home Care, but who would rather live in the comfort of their own home.

Paying for Care: Provides basic information about Medicare, Medicaid, and Long Term Care Insurance as they pertain to Nursing Home Care.

Nursing Home Resident Rights: Lists the rights, by law, that are given to all nursing home patients.

Nursing Home Awareness Campaigns: Provides information on important nursing home awareness campaigns, such as Nutrition and Hydration Awareness Nutrition Care Alerts.

Nursing Home Publications: Links you to the site's Publication Page. You will be taken directly to the section containing Nursing Home related publications.

Nursing Home Related Sites: Links you to the site's Helpful Contacts section. You will be taken directly to the page containing Nursing Home related websites.

Information Available

Overview

Nursing Home Compare

Checklist

About Nursing Home Inspections

Alternatives to Nursing Homes

Paying for Care

Resident Rights

Nursing Home Awareness Campaigns

Nursing Home Publications

Nursing Home Related Sites

# For Medicare.gov visit: http://www.medicare.gov/Nursing/Overview.asp
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Nursing Homes in Illinois


Uploaded by GovernorQuinn on Aug 2, 2010

CHICAGO -- July 29, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today signed historic legislation that transforms Illinois' system of care for frail older adults and persons with disabilities. The new law is the product of months of research and deliberation initiated by the Nursing Home Safety Task Force that Governor Quinn appointed in October. The task force was charged with ensuring all Illinois nursing home residents are safe and receive the treatment appropriate for their condition.

"Today begins a new era of nursing home care in Illinois," said Governor Quinn. "Older adults who require 24-hour care deserve a safe, high-quality home, and persons with mental illness must have the care and treatment they need to live full and productive lives in their communities. This law protects Illinois' most vulnerable adults."

Senate Bill 326, sponsored by Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), resulted from strong collaboration between state agencies, members of the Illinois General Assembly, advocates, home and community based service providers, residents and the nursing home profession, led by Governor Quinn's Nursing Home Safety Task Force.

The new law remakes the system of admission to nursing homes, ensuring that only those in need of 24-hour skilled care are admitted. The law also strengthens the screening process to prevent residents with violent criminal histories from being placed with vulnerable, older adults.

The law sets higher nursing home quality and staffing requirements, raises penalties for violations, and increases inspections and monitoring. The new law also requires nursing homes to help all residents achieve their highest level of functioning and prepare to transition to more independent, community-based living.

Governor Quinn also signed Senate Bill 2863, sponsored by Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) and Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago), which will reduce fraud and abuse in nursing homes. An initiative of the Office of the Attorney General, the law requires prompt reporting of fraud, abuse and neglect in nursing homes, broadens the definition of criminal neglect, and requires greater disclosure by nursing home owners.

"We have to do everything we can to protect vulnerable nursing home residents and make sure they are safe," said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. "These bills significantly strengthen the process for protecting nursing home residents from those who may pose a threat. And they provide us with critical tools needed to target nursing home fraud."

Governor Quinn formed the Nursing Home Safety Task Force in October 2009, to respond to concerns for the safety of nursing home residents by thoroughly examining current regulatory policies and coordination among state agencies, and identifying necessary changes in legislation, regulation and policy. The task force held public meetings, heard testimony from more than 50 advocates, academic experts, nursing home residents and their families, and gathered hundreds of public comments through an interactive Web site, www.nursinghomesafety.illinois.gov.

The task force released its final report in February that included 38 recommendations, which served as a blueprint for this reform legislation. State agencies, nursing homes and advocates continue to collaborate to develop new nursing home rates and assessments, as called for in the legislation.
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Illinois Dept of Public Health

Illinois has approximately 1,200 long-term care facilities serving more than 100,000 residents, from the young to the elderly. These facilities are licensed, regulated and inspected at least annually by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The Department also assists the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with certifying these facilities for participation in federal payment reimbursement programs.

The Department’s Bureau of Long-term Care is responsible for making sure nursing homes comply with the provisions of the state Nursing Home Care Act. In addition, under a cooperative agreement with CMS, the Department conducts certification surveys to ensure facilities receiving Medicaid (state) or Medicare (federal) money for resident payment abide by applicable federal regulations.

Each year, Department surveyors conduct about 10,000 surveys, including annual licensure inspections, complaint investigations and reinspections. The Department’s 24-hour a day Nursing Home Hotline (800-252-4343) receives nearly 19,000 calls and, as a result, staff respond to more than 5,000 complaints.


Who Regulates Nursing Homes?

Nursing homes in Illinois are licensed, regulated, inspected and/or certified by a number of public and private agencies at the state and federal levels, including the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). These agencies have separate -- yet sometimes overlapping -- jurisdictions.


A Listing of Illinois Nursing Homes :

This listing of nursing homes by county provides the address, name of the administrator, the type of payment accepted, the number of beds and type of license classification (e.g., sheltered, intermediate, skilled), and ownership information for each facility.


How to Select a Nursing Home :

When a person can no longer live independently, a decision must be made about the best alternative arrangement for care. Such a decision often must be made during a time of crisis, frequently when the person is ready to leave the hospital after a serious illness or operation. This booklet serves as a guide for those faced with the test of selecting an appropriate care setting for a person who no longer is able to live independently.


CMS Nursing Home Database :

This database provides information about the performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home in Illinois based on the most recent state inspection. The database also contains information reported by the nursing homes prior to the last state inspection, including nursing home and resident characteristics.


Quarterly Reports of Nursing Home Violation :

This report contains a listing of disciplinary action initiated by the Illinois Department of Public Health in the last quarter against facilities that have been determined to be in violation of the Nursing Home Care Act, or have been recommended for decertification to the Illinois Department of Public Aid or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Illinois Law on Advance Directives :

You have a right to make decisions about the health care you receive now and in the future. An advance directive is a written statement about how you want medical decisions made when you can no longer make them. Illinois has three advance directives: health care power of attorney, living will and mental health treatment preference declaration. Read more about advance directives and access the forms you need to fill out for each.

Long-term Care Annual Reports to the Illinois General Assembly

Nursing Homes with No Certification Deficiencies

No deficiencies were identified at these facilities during their most recent annual Medicare/Medicaid certification survey.

Health Care Worker Registry

# For more information in Illinois visit:
http://www.idph.state.il.us/healthca/nursinghometestjava.htm

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