Bakersfield Convalescent Facility To Reapply for State, Federal Funding
Emmanuel Convalescent-San Joaquin -- a Bakersfield convalescent hospital -- will remain open after losing eligibility to participate in Medicare and Medi-Cal last month and is reapplying for certification, Pleasant Care CEO Vincent Hambright said Thursday, the Bakersfield Californian reports. Hambright said in a statement, "We are fully committed to obtaining Medicare and Medicaid certification and will remain open until we are certified."
Barbara Mellor, the Bakersfield administrator for Department of Health Services licensing and certification, said DHS inspections found the hospital did not investigate allegations of neglect and abuse or act to prevent "myriad" accidents.
Medicare and Medi-Cal funding ended after four inspections since January found the hospital was not complying with regulations. In April, Medicare and Medi-Cal stopped payments for new patients, but continued coverage of patients already at the hospital. An inspection in November found the hospital had not shown that it had resolved the problems.
The hospital has reapplied for federal and state funding and DHS will conduct another inspection of the facility, according to Mellor (Branco, Bakersfield Californian, 12/15).