The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have recently released a listing of sub-standard nursing homes.  Nursing homes rely on government payments for approximately 80% of their budget, the potential loss of funding effectively forces them out of business.  In order to continue to receive government funding from Medicare and Medicaid, nursing homes are subjected to random visits from federal and state inspectors.  Inspectors identify any deficiencies and require the problems to be corrected.  If problems are not corrected within 18-24 months, the facility will lose its funding.

CMS has grouped the problematic nursing homes into a listing called 'Special Focus Facility Initiative' (SFF).  Nursing homes on the list have: more serious problems that most facilities and a pattern of problems that continues over time.  The facilities on the SFF list are grouped into 5 categories:  Table A- New Additions, Table B- Not improved, Table C- Improving, Table D- Recently Graduated, Table E- No longer in Medicare and Medicaid.

Nursing Homes in Illinois on the Special Focus Initiative are:

• Harrisburg Care Center
• Berkshire Nursing & Rehab
• Embassy Health Care Center
• International Village

View the full listing of Special Focus Facilities here.