Federal gov't. moves against Nevada hospital for alleged patient dumping

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gave Nevada 10 days to correct problems at Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital following reports it may have improperly discharged patients and bused them out of state.

Los Angeles Times: Feds Take Action Over Alleged Patient Dumping At Nevada Hospital
Following state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg's call for an investigation, federal authorities have taken disciplinary action against a Nevada hospital in an alleged case of "patient dumping" in California. In a letter dated Thursday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gave Nevada 10 days to correct problems at Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital following reports it may have improperly discharged patients and bused them out of state (Romney, 4/26).

The Wall Street Journal: Nevada Told To Fix Mental-Health Facility
Federal officials have ordered the state of Nevada to correct a mental-health facility in Las Vegas that they claim discharged patients improperly. A regional director for the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees facilities that participate in the federal health programs, sent a letter Wednesday to Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas, stating that a survey last month showed that the hospital was "out of compliance" with requirements for patient discharge planning and governance (Phillips, 4/26).

The Associated Press/Washington Post: Federal Government Demands Answers From Nevada Psychiatric Hospital Accused Of Busing Patients
The federal agency that oversees Medicaid and Medicare compliance has put Nevada on notice of "serious deficiencies" at a Las Vegas psychiatric hospital following reports of patients being improperly discharged. A letter Thursday from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, first reported by The Sacramento Bee and obtained Friday by The Associated Press, gave Nevada 10 days to correct problems in its mental health discharge policies at Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital or risk the loss of federal funding, potentially tens of millions of dollars (4/26).

Reuters: U.S. Agency Moves Against Nevada Hospital Cited For "Patient Dumping"
Federal authorities have taken disciplinary action against a Las Vegas hospital cited for improperly sending newly released psychiatric patients by bus to neighboring California and other states in a practice called "patient dumping." The Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital was warned it was in violation of Medicare rules governing the discharge of patients and could lose critical funding under the federal healthcare insurance program if it failed to correct the problem (Cohen, 4/27).