10 Colo. Code Regs. § 2505-10-8.423

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 24, December 25, 2024

Section 10 CCR 2505-10-8.423 - VISITS TO RECIPIENTS BY THE COLORADO LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN AND DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES

A. Definitions:

Designated Representatives - are persons who have been specifically appointed by the Colorado Ombudsman to be an official part of the statewide ombudsman program.

Such designated representatives shall receive a minimum of twenty (20) hours of training using the manual provided by the Colorado Long-term Care Ombudsman Program as well as other materials. Included in this training shall be material regarding the rights of patients and specifically procedures which protect the confidentiality of information regarding Medicaid patients.

Official Colorado Ombudsman Program- the agency which has received the Ombudsman grant from the Older Americans Act through the Colorado Department of Human Services is for purposes of this regulation considered to be the official State Ombudsman Program.

B. The Colorado Ombudsman and designated representatives shall have access to the physical premises of nursing home facilities and the Medicaid residents of these facilities. Visits to the nursing home should be during reasonable hours except in instances where the nature of a complaint investigation requires visitation during off hours.

All designated representatives (after they have completed the necessary training) will be provided with identification showing them to be a part of the State Ombudsman Program. Under normal circumstances such identifications will be presented to the nursing home administrator or person in charge during the administrator's absence.

C. The Colorado Ombudsman or designees shall only disclose information received from a Medicaid patient's records and/or files when:

1. The Ombudsman authorizes the disclosure and

2. In cases of identifying a patient, the patient or the legal representative of the patient must consent in writing to the disclosure and specify to whom the identity may be disclosed or

3. A court orders the disclosure.

D. Non-compliance with the provisions of this Section of the regulation will not be considered sufficient good cause as defined in Section 8.130.4.

10 CCR 2505-10-8.423