Human Services Taking Alternative Routes To Keep SeaView Nursing Home Open

ST. THOMAS — The SeaView Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center that was given notice of decertification by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid earlier this month, remains in limbo as June 30, the last day CMS will reimburse the facility for medicare and medicaid payments, draws near.

The federal agency’s decision could reek havoc at SeaView and bring about the facility’s end, but the Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner nominee, Vivian Ebbesen-Fludd, said through a press release issued on Wednesday that officials at DHS are seeking alternative routes to keep the facility afloat while discussions continue with CMS.

“As indicated by Acting Governor Osbert E. Potter, we remain keenly aware of the CMS decertification of SeaView Nursing Home,” said Ebbesen-Fludd. “To that end, the Department of Human Services has and continues to be engaged in lengthy discussions with the Department of Health and Commissioner nominee Dr. Phyllis Wallace and members of the community to address, develop and implement an alternative plan to expeditiously resolve this matter.”

Vivian Ebbesen-Fludd, commissioner designee of the V.I. Human Services

Ebbesen-Fludd said DHS, being the territory’s designated state medicaid agency, is taking alternative action that will allow the continuation of payments and the submission of a detailed plan and timetable for corrective action for approval by CMS.

“Our efforts at DHS are guided by the fact that we remain aware of the notification provided by CMS to SeaView Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Facility would have dire physical and social consequences on the medically frail and elderly residents and their families, which we cannot allow to happen,” Ebessen-Fludd continued.

“We will continue to work to assure that the residents at SeaView remain within the territory and a corrective action plan be implemented to ensure that they receive the highest quality of care possible.”

The facility was notified by CMS Associate Regional Administrator William Roberson in early June that it would stop reimbursements for medicare and medicaid patients because the nursing and rehab center” has failed to maintain compliance with Medicare requirements.”

“Based on observation, review of facility complaints and investigations, and resident and staff interviews, it was determined that the facility failed to protect 1 of 14 residents from physical abuse inflicted by staff, and that caused a resident to sustain injury,” reads the CMS report.

The report also noted that, “based on observation, interview and record review, it was determined that the facility failed to maintain residents’ appearance in a manner that promotes their dignity.”

The above shows two of many inefficiencies cited in the CMS report. In 2009, Seaview received a five-star rating from CMS, however the latest review downgrades the facility to two out of five stars.