New Regulation Would Require Weekly Census Reports

The Department of Health (DOH) has proposed a regulation that would codify the requirement for nursing homes to submit weekly bed census data to the Department through the Health Commerce System (HCS). The proposed regulation was published in the Dec. 19, 2018 edition of the State Register, and written comments will be accepted through Feb. 17, 2019.

DOH’s Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) #09-02, effective April 8, 2009, requires nursing homes to report weekly bed census data electronically to the Department. The DAL specified that these data be reported each week between Wednesday 8 a.m. and Friday 5 p.m. In 2013, via a notice sent through the HCS, DOH informed nursing homes that such data should be reported between Wednesday 12:01 a.m. and the following Tuesday at 11:59 p.m.

DOH states in the rulemaking that it “...often finds itself in the position of having to call some nursing homes repeatedly to obtain this information. This proposed regulation will add a new section 415.32 to Title 10 of the NYCRR to require that nursing homes submit bed census data on a weekly basis by electronically filing the Nursing Home Weekly Bed Census Survey. This will promote compliance and ensure that the Department has access to essential, current occupancy data as necessary to protect residents.”

We are interested in hearing from member facilities if they have any questions or concerns about this proposed rulemaking.

Contact: Dan Heim, dheim@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8866