Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act

This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act.
Section 1819(f)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(f)(2)) is amended—
in subparagraph (A)(iv)(I), by striking (unless the facility is described in subparagraph (B)(iii)(I));
in subparagraph (B)—
in clause (i)—
by striking (subject to clause (iii)); and
by inserting and after the semicolon;
in clause (ii), by striking ; and and inserting a period; and
by striking clause (iii);
by striking A State may not delegate (through subcontract or otherwise) its responsibility under clause (iii)(II) to the skilled nursing facility.;
by striking subparagraphs (C) and (D); and
by adding at the end the following:
With respect to a State, the Secretary shall, in consultation with such State, disapprove, for a period not to exceed 2 years, a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program or a nurse aide competency evaluation program offered by or in a skilled nursing facility if such facility—
has been assessed a civil monetary penalty under subsection (h)(2)(B)(ii) or section 1919(h)(2)(A)(ii) of not less than $10,697 for providing substandard quality of care; and
has not, in the determination of the Secretary, corrected the deficiencies in quality of care for which such civil monetary penalty was assessed.
The Secretary shall rescind a disapproval under clause (i) upon demonstration by a skilled nursing facility that—
all deficiencies for which the civil monetary penalty described in clause (i)(I) was assessed have been remedied;
the facility has not received deficiencies related to direct patient harm for substandard quality of care deficiencies in the prior 2 years; and
the Secretary certifies that the civil monetary penalty assessed under clause (i)(I) did not result in immediate jeopardy for direct patient harm or injury related to an abuse or neglect deficiency.
Section 1919(f)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(f)(2)) is amended—
in subparagraph (A)(iv)(I), by striking (unless the facility is described in subparagraph (B)(iii)(I));
in subparagraph (B)—
in clause (i), by inserting and after the semicolon;
in clause (ii), by striking ; and and inserting a period;
by striking clause (iii); and
by striking A State may not delegate (through subcontract or otherwise) its responsibility under clause (iii)(II) to the nursing facility.;
by striking subparagraphs (C) and (D); and
by adding at the end the following:
With respect to a State, the Secretary shall, in consultation with such State, disapprove, for a period not to exceed 2 years, a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program or a nurse aide competency evaluation program offered by or in a nursing facility if such facility—
has been assessed a civil monetary penalty under section 1819(h)(2)(B)(ii) or subsection (h)(2)(A)(ii) of not less than $10,697 for providing substandard quality of care; and
has not, in the determination of the Secretary, corrected the deficiencies in quality of care for which such civil monetary penalty was assessed.
The Secretary shall rescind a disapproval under clause (i) upon demonstration by a nursing facility that—
all deficiencies for which the civil monetary penalty described in clause (i)(I) was assessed have been remedied;
the facility has not received deficiencies related to direct patient harm for substandard quality of care deficiencies in the prior 2 years; and
the Secretary certifies that the civil monetary penalty assessed under clause (i)(I) did not result in immediate jeopardy for direct patient harm or injury related to an abuse or neglect deficiency.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall promulgate regulations as necessary to implement the amendments made by this section.
The amendments made by subsections (a)(4) and (b)(4) of this section shall apply only to a civil monetary penalty if the relevant covered determination was made on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
The term covered determination means, with respect to a skilled nursing facility or a nursing facility in a State, a determination by the State or the Secretary of Health and Human Services that the facility has provided a substandard quality of care for which a civil monetary penalty described in section 1819(f)(2)(C)(i)(I) or 1919(f)(2)(C)(i)(I) of the Social Security Act (as such sections have been amended by this Act) may be assessed.
With respect to a skilled nursing facility or a nursing facility subject, on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, to a prohibition under item (a) of either section 1819(f)(2)(B)(iii)(I) or section 1919(f)(2)(B)(iii)(I) of the Social Security Act (as in effect on the day before such date of enactment), such prohibition shall no longer apply to the facility on or after such date of enactment.
With respect to a skilled nursing facility or a nursing facility subject, on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, to a prohibition under item (b) or (c) of either section 1819(f)(2)(B)(iii)(I) or section 1919(f)(2)(B)(iii)(I) of the Social Security Act (as in effect on the day before such date of enactment), such prohibition shall no longer apply to the facility on or after such date of enactment upon a determination by the Secretary of Health and Human Services that the facility has corrected the issue that resulted in such prohibition.
Section 1921(b)(6) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r–2(b)(6)) is amended—
by striking and other health care entities (as defined in section 431 of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986) and inserting , other health care entities (as defined in section 431 of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986), providers of services (as defined in section 1861(u)), suppliers (as defined in section 1861(d)), and providers of items or services under a State plan under this title (or a waiver of such a plan); and
by striking such hospitals or other health care entities and inserting such hospitals, health care entities, providers, or suppliers.