HB2474 Summary

• Amends the Nursing Home Care Act to prohibit nursing home facilities, licensees, and employees from taking retaliatory actions against residents for engaging in protected activities such as filing complaints, testifying before regulatory bodies, or participating in grievance procedures.

• Establishes a 2-year statute of limitations for residents to file civil actions against facilities for retaliation, with liability for damages including an amount equal to the average monthly Medicaid billing rate per violation.

• Requires nursing home administrators to provide annual in-service training to all staff on preventing retaliation, including discussion of residents' rights to file complaints, examples of retaliation, and methods to prevent employee retaliation.

• Mandates that nursing homes post information in accessible areas describing retaliation complaint procedures and remedies, and annually provide residents and next of kin with documentation of these procedures.

• Requires facilities that violate minimum staffing requirements to display notices at all public entrances and on their websites stating the facility does not meet minimum staffing ratios.