Medicare funding at risk for Saint Alphonsus home health, hospice agency

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Boise, Idaho-based Saint Alphonsus Home Health and Hospice failed two state inspections and is now at risk of losing Medicare funding, according to an Idaho Statesman report.

Idaho's Bureau of Facility Standards reportedly found violations during an Oct. 3 inspection and again during a follow-up inspection Dec. 6. Violations included an unlicensed nurse and employees failing to administer prescribed medications to patients, according to the Statesman.

"Recently, [CMS] cited the home health division of the agency for technical and documentation errors that do not impact patient health and safety," according to a Saint Alphonsus Health System statement sent to Becker's.

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The statement continues, "The home health agency strongly disagrees with the citations and is in the process of appealing the findings."

CMS sent a legal notice to the organization, which is a partnership between Boise-based Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center and Frontier Home Health and Hospice, on March 17.

The organization filed an appeal on Feb. 7, but if the appeal is denied, it would have 30 days from April 3 to transfer patients, according to the Statesman.

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