Contact: DPH.Press@sfdph.org
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San Francisco, CA - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) terminated Laguna Honda Hospital’s participation in the Medicare and Medicaid Provider Participation Programs in April 2022. As a result, CMS required Laguna Honda to transfer or discharge all residents by mid-September.
Finding appropriate placements at a new facility is a challenge and takes time. In many cases, residents have relied on us for their healthcare for years and their continued wellbeing is our highest priority.
This is an extremely challenging time for our community of residents and their families, our staff and all those who care about Laguna Honda Hospital. The transfer and discharge of residents has been challenging as many have complex healthcare needs. Yesterday, regulators agreed to the City’s urgent request to pause all transfers at Laguna Honda Hospital. Accordingly, as of today, Laguna Honda will pause the discharge and transfer of all residents. This impacts approximately 600 residents.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) are all in agreement with decision. Laguna Honda continues to work towards recertification in the Medicare and Medicaid Provider Participation Programs.
"No other city in the nation has made the commitment San Francisco has made for a public skilled nursing facility to serve its most vulnerable residents. Today's agreement to halt all patients discharges and transfers will allow the dedicated Laguna Honda staff to focus on caring for patients and not moving them," said Dr. Grant Colfax, Director, the San Francisco Department of Public Health
“We are glad to be in agreement with CMS and CDPH and all understand that Laguna Honda residents have complex needs and that transferring them is often a challenge,” said Roland Pickens, Chief Executive Officer with the San Francisco Health Network and Interim Chief Executive Officer with Laguna Honda Hospital. ”Our staff are providing Laguna Honda residents with the best care possible while we all work towards recertification with CMS. Laguna Honda has served San Francisco’s must vulnerable residents for 150 years and we plan to do so for another 150 years.”
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