NURSING HOME ACCOUNTABILITY

Creates the Nursing Home Accountability Act. Defines terms. Requires certain nursing facilities to report specified information concerning wages of their employees as part of an annual cost report. Requires the Department of Public Health to compare the information to the living wage certification standards. Contains provisions concerning the reporting, determinations, posting, and effect of such certification. Contains penalty, inspection of records, and rulemaking provisions. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, based on required reports by facilities, to determine if an employee of a facility is a recipient of public assistance for the purpose of imposing an employer responsibility penalty. Contains provisions concerning medical assistance information, prohibited practices, employee remedies, administrative appeals, and confidentiality. Establishes the Employer Responsibility for Public Assistance Fund as a special fund in the State treasury (and makes a conforming change in the State Finance Act). Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services may use money in the Employer Responsibility for Public Assistance Fund for specified purposes. Provides for a direct service minimum that sets a 50% direct service worker expenditure threshold that covered facilities shall meet using their medical assistance program funds. Contains provisions concerning reporting requirements, the calculation and determination of the direct service minimum, and repayment of medical assistance program payments in the event a facility does not meet the direct service minimum. Provides that the provisions of the Act are severable. Effective 90 days after becoming law.