Phoenix Hacienda HeathCare's Medicaid Certification To Be Terminated
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has notified Hacienda Healthcare, the facility where an incapacitated woman was raped and later gave birth, that it intends to terminate its Medicaid certification effective July 3.
In a letter provided to KJZZ, CMS determined that Hacienda was not in compliance with basic health and safety requirements. There were also patient safety concerns. Hacienda has 60 days to appeal.
CMS is working with state agencies to ensure any residents who might require relocation are handled safely.
Hacienda said it intends to follow the guidelines in the letter, including the appeal process, which will allow it to continue to operate.
This latest decision comes less than a week after the Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) issued a Notice of Intent to revoke Hacienda’s license after maggots were discovered near a resident’s tracheotomy incision.
"Pretty significant deficiencies that were found in an inspection in real early May and the state license inspection," said Will Humble is the executive director for the Arizona Public Health Association. Humble is also the former head of DHS.
Jon Meyers, executive director with the Arc of Arizona, a disability advocacy group, says he’s surprised it has come to this.
"Because I really thought Hacienda would get its act together given the amount of time it’s had since the rape and pregnancy incident given the amount of oversight that was conducted by the state and CMS," said Meyers.
