Updated Ohio Long-Term Care Consumer Guide

The Ohio Department of Aging recently issued a final rule that updated its web-based Long-Term Care Consumer Guide, and amended several sections under Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Chapter 173-45.  The Long-Term Care Consumer Guide enables one “to search for and compare nursing homes, residential care (assisted living) facilities, and supportive living facilities….”  Amended OAC sections 173-45-05, 173-45-07, and 173-45-10 specify that long-term care provider search results include available comparative information about nursing facilities; require the Ohio Department of Aging to publish a nursing facility’s quality measure scores (as calculated by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services); as well as clarify provisions of annual consumer satisfaction surveys for long-term care facilities (see Ohio Revised Code 173.47).