The Bradley County Healthcare and Rehabilitation facility has been notified it is not in compliance with requirements for participation as a provider of nursing services in the Health Insurance for the Aged and Disabled Program of Medicare.

BCHR director Joe Newcomb has been notified the facility’s agreement could be terminated as of Nov. 16, 2011.

Newcomb told BCHR’s board of directors earlier this week a state survey team had been on the Cleveland campus the previous week, but he had not yet issued a report. He has since been informed of deficiencies in nursing services noted during that inspection.

Although the deficiencies have not yet been specified, Newcomb released a short press release today concerning the state inspection. He said steps are being taken at the Bradley County facility to reach compliance.

“Bradley Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has always maintained an adherence to the highest standards in our resident-care regimens,” Newcomb says.

“Periodically, state survey agencies review facility policies and procedures,” Newcomb added. “If during their purview of facility policies they deem us deficient in our adherence to our stated standards (we will take the necessary steps to correct these deficiencies).”

“We are anxious to effectuate a plan of immediate remediation of any issue noted,” the facility’s director stated.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Division of Survey and Certification, plan to publish a legal notice next week for involuntary termination of the agreement with BCHR for Medicare and Medicaid provider services.

This notice has been submitted to the Cleveland Daily Banner for publication, and is expected to be published in mid to late week.

The notice says “the agreement between Bradley County Healthcare and Rehabilitation and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, as provider of nursing services in the Health Insurance for the Aged and Disabled Program (Medicare) is to be terminated.”

It says that if BCHR is not in compliance, Medicare will not make payment for inpatient nursing services to residents who are admitted after Nov. 16, 2011. For residents admitted prior to Nov. 16, payment will continue for a maximum of 30 days for nursing services.

It adds that such payment is specifically limited to covered services through the close of business Dec. 16, 2011.

Newcomb was not in his office Friday, but was to return Monday. The Banner plans a follow-up story on specific deficiencies listed in the report, and steps being taken to reach compliance.