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 Oklahoma Statutes (Last Updated: September 18, 2014)
 Title 63. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY

  § 63-1-1914.1. Remedies for violations - Considerations in determining appropriate remedy.  

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  • A.  For violations of the Nursing Home Care Act, the rules promulgated thereto, or Medicare/Medicaid certification regulations:

    1.  The State Department of Health shall seek remedial action against a licensee, owner or operator of a facility and may, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, impose the remedy most likely to:

    a.              gain and ensure continued compliance with the Nursing Home Care Act, the rules promulgated thereto, or federal certification standards or both rules and standards, or

    b.              provide for the financial operation of the facility that ensures the health, safety and welfare of the residents;

    2.  In the alternative or in addition to any remedial action, the State Commissioner of Health may direct the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to withhold vendor payments due to a facility under its programs until such time as the corrections are made;

    3.  The Department may deny, refuse to renew, suspend or revoke a license, ban future admissions to a facility, assess administrative penalties, or issue a conditional license; and

    4.   a.Pursuant to an investigation or inspection that reveals a willful violation of rules pertaining to minimum direct-care staffing requirements, the Commissioner shall notify the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and the Authority shall withhold as a penalty a minimum of twenty percent (20%) of the vendor payments due the facility under its programs for each day such violation continues.

    b.The Commissioner shall impose an equivalent penalty amount under licensure standards for a facility that does not receive vendor payments under its program that is in willful violation of rules pertaining to minimum direct-care staffing requirements.

    B.  Whenever the Department takes remedial action against a facility because the financial condition of the facility has endangered or is at risk of endangering the proper operation of the facility or the health, safety or welfare of the residents of the facility, the Department shall also review the conditions of all other facilities in this state owned or operated by a person with a controlling interest as defined Section 1-851.1 of this title, and may take remedial action against the facilities as necessary or appropriate.

    C.  Remedial action as provided in subsection A or B of this section shall be based on current and past noncompliance or incomplete or partial compliance; repeated violations; or failure to substantially comply with the Nursing Home Care Act and rules promulgated thereto.  In determining the most appropriate remedy, the Department shall consider at least the following:

    1.  The nature, circumstances and gravity of the violations;

    2.  The repetitive nature of the violations at the facility or others operated by the same or related entities;

    3.  The previous degree of difficulty in obtaining compliance with the rules at the facility or others operated by the same or related entities; and

    4.  A clear demonstration of good faith in attempting to achieve and maintain continuing compliance with the provisions of the Nursing Home Care Act.

Added by Laws 1995, c. 230, § 14, eff. July 1, 1995.  Amended by Laws 2000, c. 340, § 16, eff. July 1, 2000; Laws 2002, c. 230, § 7, eff. Nov. 1, 2002; Laws 2005, c. 460, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2005.