Feds threaten to boot Triangle nursing homes accused of patient abuse out of Medicare

Universal Health officials have said the staffers who mistreated Johnson have been fired, and the rest of the staff has received additional training.

Not long after the state inspection, CMS said the facility must stop accepting new Medicare patients if it wasn't in compliance by May 22. The agency also began levying civil fines of $1,210 a day, starting April 9, until the facility is brought into compliance.

CMS officials said Wednesday that the daily fines are still being assessed.

If the north Raleigh facility isn't brought into compliance by Oct. 15, it will terminated from the Medicare program, meaning it can get no reimbursement for services for Medicare-eligible patients.

During an inspection there last month, officials found "conditions in your facility constituted immediate jeopardy to residents’ health and safety and substandard quality of care." The letter from CMS to the administrator of the facility doesn't elaborate on the conditions putting patients' health and safety at risk.

Although the "immediate jeopardy" condition was resolved within three days, CMS said the Lillington facility remains out of compliance with Medicare regulations. It will not be allowed to accept new Medicare patients as of Thursday, and it could be terminated from the program by Dec. 8 if doesn't come into compliance.

Meanwhile, CMS levied $30,927 in fines for the three days the "immediate jeopardy" condition existed and continues to assess $405 daily fines against the facility.

Loie Leopardi, executive director of Choice Health Management Services, which operates the two nursing homes, said the company is working to correct the deficiencies.

"Our top priority is and always has been delivering the best care to our patients, for we have no greater responsibility than the safety and well being of those who are entrusted to us," Leopardi said in a statement. "Our team has worked diligently to make the corrections identified by the state following the last inspection, further enhancing our facilities and services. We are confident that our efforts have improved the quality of life for those we care for."