Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)
HIPPA is a broad law that covers three diverse areas: insurance portability, fraud enforcement and administrative simplification.

		Portability prohibits employers from denying benefits based on pre-existing disease conditions.
		Fraud enforcement monitors fraud and abuse in the Medicare and MediCal programs.
		Administrative simplification mandates that privacy is maintained for patients and residents in a hospital environment.

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RESIDENT RIGHTS

All residents residing in skilled-nursing facilities retain their basic rights and liberties, including:

		Quality of life
		Visitors
		Privacy and confidentiality
		How to spend one’s time
		Resolution of grievances
		Participation in groups and activities
		Living accommodations
		Quality care
		Protection of money and possessions
		Medical treatment and care
		Freedom from abuse
		Transfer and discharge rights
		Resident records
		Freedom of choice
		Participation in care planning
		Freedom from physical and chemical restraints

“Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care”

It is advisable that the document “Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care” be completed before a resident enters a skilled nursing facility. The “Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care” is used to appoint another person, usually a family member or friend, to make healthcare decisions for medical services, if the patient becomes unable to make these decisions on her own. The appointed individual may make all decisions about the patient’s health, except any restrictions that the patient specifies and those imposed by law.

After a person has been admitted to a skilled nursing facility, there are special rules she must follow in completing the form, including being signed and witnessed by an Ombudsman.

Some of the older forms of “Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care” have expiration dates. If the current document has expired, a new one must be completed.